Unlocking the Power of Sponsorships in High Schools

Author: Jordan Edgett

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Welcome to the first edition of Level Up with CUE. My name is Jordan Edgett, and I am the Sales Executive for High Schools at CUE. I am a former High School Athletic Director, having spent six years in Athletic Administration in Massachusetts.

I enjoyed being in the halls with students but realized my passion was supporting student-athletes through fundraising and helping to create meaningful community engagement opportunities, which led me to CUE. My wife, Emily, and I live in Seattle, WA, with our newborn daughter (Reagan), two dogs, and two cats. When time allows between being new parents, we enjoy hiking, golfing, skiing, and spending time with family.

With my experience, I want to use this platform to share industry best practices, product resources, and market trends and provide guidance on how to build your brand. The role of an AD can often be thankless and full of expectations, and it can be challenging to keep up with current events or new products in the market. If you subscribe to or browse the Level Up articles, I hope you can take a few tidbits away that you can start implementing at your school. We plan to cover various topics in Athletic Administration, ranging from Student Development to Fan Engagement. Our first topic is how embracing sponsorships can help take your program to the next level.

During my time as an Athletic Director, the words “sponsorship” or “sponsor” always made me cringe. Instead of embracing what it could for the athletic program, I kicked it under the rug and pretended it didn’t exist. Historically, it’s a responsibility that has not been part of the AD job description, and many others have been apprehensive to take that first step. I knew very little about selling sponsorships and didn't think I could handle adding it to my already full plate. I quickly learned that local businesses were eager to support our school district, and engaging with sponsors was easier than I thought. Knowing what I know now, here is why I wish I actively engaged more with local businesses.

Sponsorships offer a practical solution to a lack of funding. This financial injection benefits student-athletes and contributes to your athletic program's overall success and sustainability.

We all have that one stalled project, old sub-varsity uniforms, or soccer balls that lasted a year (several) longer than they should have. When I was in High School, hockey tape completed many of our sub-varsity basketball jerseys. We are better than this. Building a brand can only get you so far when you have these eyesores to manage consistently. After engaging with local business owners, you’ll quickly realize the opportunity to focus on what matters most to your students and school community.

Have you ever seen Auburn University’s athletic facilities or any SEC school? Every program has exactly what they need while practicing and competing in one of the country’s best sports facilities. One can only dream, of course, but imagine a High School version of that. Now imagine your High School’s version of that. Think innovative sports performance/training equipment, safer field conditions, cutting-edge software, mental health support, etc. You name it. What used to be “just for college sports”, has now become essential for student-athletes to succeed at the high school level. Selling sponsorships allows you to dive deeply into the technology/equipment you’ve been window shopping or watching on TV. It’s a competitive culture. If your neighboring school has it, chances are your parents or coaches will be asking about it. I was always disappointed when the student-athletes would transfer to other local/private schools because what we offered wasn’t good enough or our program didn’t bring enough exposure. I could have done more by opening the sponsorship door, and I hope to help others realize the same.

Have you ever watched or attended a college or professional game and thought, "Oh, that's really cool; my students would love that."? But you never looked into it because you didn't think it was financially feasible; well, now it is!

Game day enhancements contribute to developing the athletes' skills, create a more enriching and memorable high school athletic experience, and provide an opportunity to start new traditions. Affordable products that help bring more energy and excitement to games are available to high schools. Pro teams and college athletic departments have had the resources and personnel to perform these duties for years, but it has been an ongoing challenge at the high school level. CUE recognizes the importance of meaningful and memorable fan engagement and has developed several products that make it easy for teams of any size to benefit from these opportunities and drive new revenue streams.

Outside of the financial benefits, sponsorships also create a unique opportunity for high schools to build strong connections in the community.

Local businesses often feel a sense of pride and involvement when they sponsor a high school program. This engagement fosters a community that actively participates in and celebrates the achievements of the high school students. Community support can increase game attendance, higher morale among the athletes, and a stronger sense of school spirit. New groups, activities, or events can lead to newly generated excitement at games. Booster Club(s) are an excellent resource for uncovering these connections. If your Boosters are similar to those I’ve worked with, they will happily get involved. Your community has more resources than you think. Whether you work in a district with very involved parents or where it’s hard to reach parents, sponsorships are a great way to include parents proactively.

Selling sponsorships is not just a one-time transaction; it opens the door to long-term partnerships between the school and local businesses.

These partnerships can extend beyond financial support to include joint events, collaborative marketing initiatives, and shared promotional activities. These relationships benefit both parties, creating a symbiotic connection where the success of the school's athletic programs is intertwined with the success and visibility of the sponsoring businesses. A win-win as long as you are mindful of who you are partnering with.

Lastly, sponsorships can support staff as well as students; think about professional development opportunities for you or your coaches.

I have enjoyed attending several National Athletic Directors Conferences and learned so much. These events offer insightful Leadership Training courses and unlimited networking opportunities to meet like-minded folks from around the country who share similar experiences and challenges. I have met with hundreds of Athletic Directors across the country, and too many don’t attend these conferences. Many blame this on a lack of funding or support from the school. Other professions require some form of continued education, but unfortunately, many feel this isn’t a priority with ADs and their staff.

If you haven’t taken that first step to engage with local businesses, I encourage you to do so. And if you work in a district with policies against selling sponsorships, start asking questions. Most of those policies are outdated and not in the best interest of the students.

Check out CUE's products or set up a meeting to learn more!

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