ProRodeo Sports News - January 26, 2018

SPONSORS

who will make them look bad.”

Character goes hand in hand with charisma when seeking sponsors. In the mad dash of running and gunning from one rodeo to the next, it’s easy to miss chances to meet new people and make connections that could lead to lucrative sponsorships. Clayton Biglow, a two-time WNFR cowboy, picked up Wrangler as a sponsor while golfing with their representatives during the RAMNational Circuit Finals Rodeo. “I got lucky withWrangler,” Biglow said, noting that his other sponsors contacted him. There’s basically only one thing cowboys can do aside from win rodeos and climb the world standings to increase their chances of getting sponsored. “The only way is to present yourself professionally at all times in and out of the arena – that will get noticed,” Feller said. “It doesn’t help to call and hound them and hound them; that tends to drive you (the sponsor) the other way.” Upcoming cowboys seeking their first sponsor need not apply – simply focus on their rides and let their actions inside and outside the arena speak for themselves. “Stay focused and do as good as you can possibly do to stand out and let your skills stand out, and the sponsors will come,” Bingham said. It’s not just the cowboy who benefits from being sponsored, the brands they represent benefit, too. “It just ties you to the grassroots level and humanizes your brand and puts a face on your brand,” Feller said. “We had Dale Earnhardt Sr. in NASCAR, and people want to identify with them. People want to identify with their heroes.” THENAND NOW The 2018 season marks the 39th anniversary of Cooper’s rookie year. Since then, some aspects of the sponsorship game have completely changed while others remain the same. For team ropers, it used to be harder to get sponsored. In the late 1970s and into the 1980s, many rodeos didn’t have team roping and the event wasn’t in the public’s eye like it is today. “Team roping wasn’t very popular in rodeo, so those opportunities weren’t really there,” Cooper said. “It wasn’t until Jake (Barnes) and I won five championships in a row and team roping exploded with major ropings that really blossomed in the mid-80s that it all went together. When we were winning championships, team roping became really popular. We started having opportunities to win a lot more money, and with that came endorsements that paid money. Before that, it was just products.” Products are part of the perks for cowboys like Bingham and the rest of the Nocona team. “They gave me a decent chunk of change, which the rodeo world is expensive so any help you can get goes a long way in helping us get down the road,” Bingham said. “Then on the boot side, they give you boots, too. Nocona has the best styles and looks of the Justin Brands, that I like anyway. I wish I could get more sponsors like them.” Fortunately, getting the word out has gotten easier. The last decade has seen the biggest change in how to get a sponsor as social media emerged. “Nowadays, it’s all about social media,” Diaz said. “The more you can build a social media fan base with Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and what have you, that is valuable to sponsors because it’s free advertising and that’s where everyone is at. Every time you look over your shoulder, someone is on their phone.”

Isaac Diaz and many other ProRodeo cowboys use social media to spread the word about their wins and help attract sponsors. Mike Rastelli photo

BENEFITING BOTH SIDES “Rodeo is expensive,” Bingham said. “With entry fees, gas, food, hotels and everything else, that all takes a big chunk of the profits if you have a good year. It (sponsorship) takes the stress off you, and the less stressed you are, the better you perform in the arena. Then you got the confidence of looking good, and that helps a lot of guys. “It’s nice because I got nicer boots instead of wearing them out until there’s holes in them.” As helpful as good gear can be for riding with confidence, the relief from financial stress can also spur better rides. “It helps a lot because everyone knows it’s very expensive to do what we do, and everyone goes through dry spells when not winning as much as they’d like to,” Diaz said. “If you don’t have someone backing you or a place to work for a few days, it’s hard to make it work. Sponsors take that pressure off and just kind of give you something to fall back on when in one of those dry spells. In my opinion, taking the pressure off lets you ride better too because you’re not stressed on money and can count on that money to be there from your sponsors.” The payout doesn’t end with the sponsorship. It’s not unheard of for cowboys to get hired by a company that sponsored them, Feller said. Sponsored cowboys also feel a duty to those backing them. “It helps a bunch because you want to do good for yourself and do good for them, too,” Biglow said.

ProRodeo Sports News 1/26/18

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