Business Support Crucial For Local Sports
When you look out at the ice, field, or court in your community, it’s common to see corporate names sprawled across jerseys and the playing surface. It isn’t corporate greed, or even marketing that drives this behaviour however, it’s necessity for sports organizations, and community support from the business.
With rising costs of ice time, equipment, officials, travel, and other items, teams need the support of local businesses, and some businesses are beginning to see this as a win-win situation.
“Local businesses benefit directly from the community that surrounds them,” says Martin Hudon, Manager of Boston Pizza in Chatham. “It is important to support people in the area in kind. All of these efforts work together to create a strong community and economy,” continued Hudon.
Hudon and Boston Pizza Chatham welcome sports teams and organizations to run fundraisers at their establishment through a variety of avenues. These include team dinners, a receipt return program, and direct sponsorship, to name a few.
“Businesses are a lifeline for sports, but not every business can provide full sponsorship opportunities. We need to do what we can to support families and teams. Fundraising is a huge way we can support by using our facilities and expertise to leverage funds toward fees, uniforms, prizes, and other expenses,” explained Hudon.
Boston Pizza in Chatham continues to be one of the regions largest supporters of minor and junior sports, something Hudon thinks is extremely important. For example, Boston Pizza runs their Earn Back Boxes where the team sets up a box in the restaurant, and they receive a percentage in cash donated back to their organization of all receipts placed in the box by customers. The restaurant also offers Booster Nights where teams come in to eat and receive a percentage of their meal costs back, and also host Celebrity Server nights where athletes serve as wait staff, and receive a percentage on sales back to their team.
Offering a diverse set of fundraisers for teams and athletes to find support, in Hudon’s opinion, is invaluable for local organizations and families as sporting costs continue to rise.
“Minor sports cost major money, as any parent will tell you. If we can play a role in helping a kid play their sport, whether through sponsorship or fundraising co-ops, then we have helped that kid and their family, not to mention the team as well,” says Hudon. “I enjoy coming to work knowing we have contributed to our community and youth in this way.”
Chatham’s Boston Pizza is located at 780 St. Clair Street in Chatham. To learn more about fundraising opportunities, or to make a reservation, call 519-351-1000.