When Youth Sports Return…Will The Sponsors?

Youth sports will return. That’s a given. When? We don’t fully know that yet, although we’re getting closer.

How? We don’t fully know that either. They are likely to look different in many ways.

One other question is, how will the sponsorship of youth sports, athletes, organizations, and events be impacted?

When you sports return, will the sponsors?

The optimistic answer is, “of course.”

Businesses who have a community mindset often have budgets for donations. After all, business donations to non-profit and not-for-profit sectors are typically tax deductibles.

But, businesses still need to have the cash on hand to make the donation.

And, will small businesses who are often more apt to open their coffers for local organizations even going to survive?

We’re not talking about the NHL and OHL here. Those types of leagues with broader exposure, television and radio deals, and marketing teams will get their sponsors back.

But will the local minor hockey team? Will the youth rugby player?

If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that predicting the future is nearly impossible.

COVID-19 however, has also made that near impossibility even cloudier.

For the sake of youth sports, hopefully businesses will rebound, and find ways to continue to support youth sport.

Keeping costs down is crucial in combatting barriers faced by socioeconomic stressors, and entry for oppressed groups into sport.

The end result of COVID-19 can’t be an even more drastic reduction in youth participation in sport. It can’t be a driving factor to keep our kids farther isolated indoors, and away from face-to-face interaction with peers and mentors.

Economically, times are tough, but as our economy rebuilds itself, it needs to include social responsibility, and social giving. Youth sports depend on it.