To be furious with the committee

[SportsRus]

My child belongs to a large amateur sport club, which has recently secured ‘sponsorship’ from a well known brand. Great! Trouble is, this ‘sponsorship’ is going to cost parents a lot of money (£60-£100 per child). The reason is in a couple of months time, all perfectly fine current kit (T-shirts, shorts, tracksuits etc) MUST be replaced with new ‘sponsor-brand’ kit - all purchased from the ‘sponsor’ at parents’ expense. Parents weren’t consulted by the club committee before a contract with ‘sponsor-brand’ was signed. Parents who aren’t on the committee haven’t seen the contract.

We will be paying hard earned cash for our children to be adverts for ‘sponsor brand’, who are no doubt laughing all the way to the bank. Attempts to reason with the committee are met with threats of non-compliant kids no longer being allowed to be members of the club, or having their old kit confiscated.

How can families, who simply want their kids to enjoy sport, be expected to fund this madness?

Doesn't sound like it promotes equality of opportunity very well. What happens if the family are lower income and can't afford the new kit? Can't you have a vote of no confidence in the committee?

Surely the whole point of a sponsor is that they pay for the kit?!!

Surely if enough parents object they'll have no team left if they remove anyone who doesn't comply?

So if they (the sponsors) aren't providing the kit what are they providing in terms of sponsorship? I thought the whole point of sponsorship was that the sponsor supports the team and a part of that was usual that, in exchange for having sponsors name all over the kit, the team would wear said kit and as a result promote the sponsoring party! Sounds like the committee have got it in reverse!

I thought the same as JennyOnAPlate. What is the point of sponsorship otherwise?

So how much is the deal worth to the club?

Precisely, it's insane to call this sponsorship! And to require such unnecessary expenditure from parents.

We've not been told how much the deal is worth. If it was attractive we would presumably have been told.

Surely the whole point of a sponsor is that they pay for the kit?!!

exactly this.. something STINKS to high heaven people

I have had this before with youth rugby. New kit every time the sponsor changes!

Our club used to do a phased intro - big discounts if you bought the new kit at the beginning. But no requirement to have it for training - only if playing in club matches - and then they would have a few spares that could be loaned for the match and returned after. They also had a fund to subsidise club membership for families on low income. Plus encouraged people to recycle old kit to the club shop where it would be sold for donations to the club funds.

Just refuse to buy new kit. If everyone acts in concert, you will be fine.

The sponsors should pay for replacement - as you say it's their advertising.

My H had his own business and they sponsored the local football team. They bought the kits and paid for all the printing. I can't see how else sponsorship works.

Presumably, the sponsor wants a positive association with their brand. If the club is not responding (and I'd be interested in their accounts. When's the AGM?) can you contact the sponsor via social media?

In my kids' club, they have to wear club colours for competition or the club is fined. However, the jerseys for matches are paid for by the sponsor and kept by the club.

DD's team is sponsored. They get their kit free. How do other parents feel about this? I'd be unhappy paying for the 'privilege' of my child being used as advertising. Sounds dodgy.

I am sure that the a large amateur sports club is a sport that has National Governing Body and also I bet receives some funding for the governing body and Sport England.

To exclude child members in the basis of not buying the sponsored kit will not go down with either.

Will not go down well with either

All the parents need to act together and refuse to buy the new kit.

I wonder if the sponsers realise what's happening - are they a business that has a good ethic, maybe you could speak to their sponsorship person and see if this is standard practice. Some social media shaming might work too

Thanks for all the helpful replies and comments. Yes, the sport does have a national governing body.
This is wrong for so many reasons, as highlighted above. Many parents are livid, others (wealthy) pretty happy, and others uninterested as yet - the deadline for kit replacement hasn't been reached.

Is there a possibility of collusion? This sounds very strange.

That's ridiculous. Sponsor provides the kit bearing their logo.

Does sound odd.
When dd's team got a sponsorship, that meant they funded the new kit. Isn't that how sponsorship works ?
I'd question it publicly - however you all communicate - Whattaspp group / twitter / facebook, etc.

Collusion. Possible in theory, I guess. Not sure how it could be investigated.

When ds played football, the team were sponsored. The company who sponsored them provided the kit free of charge.
I would refuse to pay.

This is not sponsorship it is advertising. The committee are representing the members. I would be asking for full minutes, transparency of the deal and details of how the players and their families are benefiting from this so called deal.
Sports clubs for kids are supposed to be non discriminatory and they clearly are choosing the more well off kids over those families that have to watch their pennies.
Your committee will have a grievance polixy, read it, act upon it and get the governing body involved. Something does not smell right here.

Our girls football team is sponsored - they paid for the kit. As others have said that's what I would expect!

Fantastic advice - thanks Jamiefraserskilt.
It's advertising for sure. Even kit bags 'must' be replaced.