Sports doesn’t come cheap in India. It requires money, no matter which discipline you are competing in. Performing at the highest level requires one to have enough financial backing that goes into training, buying expensive equipment, camps, nutrition, travel expenses apart from sustaining oneself. Often it so happens that the quality of training decides an athlete’s fate in the international competitions.
Although the government tries its best when it comes to funding, the assistance, ofttimes, turns out to be insufficient unless you are a cricketer. Many athletes take up to their personal savings or seek assistance from their parents or relatives. Even though it is a cause of shame, the bitter truth of sports in India or anywhere else in the world is that – Without money, one cannot simply compete in sports.
Sports sponsorship thus becomes an all-important deciding point for athletes. One of the routes is through private sponsorship which may or may not include the brand endorsement. Another and the slightly newer one is through crowdsourcing.
In 2018, sports sponsorship reached a record high of $65.8 billion (or roughly ₹ 4.6 lakh crores) globally. Moreover, leading multinational companies in India are going with the trend of investing more in the sports sector under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It is estimated that by March 2019, the total CSR spend could cross the ₹ 11,000 crore mark. Naturally, this is a big opportunity for the athletes to exploit.
But how do international companies looking to invest in sports come to know about? Sure, media is the most effective way. But then, how do they get to connect to you?
This is where websites come in.
Whichever route you choose, private or public, websites are bound to be at the centre of it all. It helps in portraying everything that is to know about you on a single page, hassle-free and convenient. Moreover, interested business parties don’t have to go looking out for your contact details because it will be right there on your website.
It may seem counter-intuitive how I first talk about sportspersons’ financial plight to only ask for their investment in the website! However, websites can be a powerful tool, an asset, for the athletes. It can open the doors to attract sponsors from across the world.
Also Read: How Social Media Can Change the Face of Athletes
There are multitudinous reasons why you should consider building a website
-- Advertisement --1.Wide Reach of Websites
It goes without saying that the internet is that one thing which connects people and unites the globe, traversing across boundaries. In 2018, there were over 3.5 billion individuals that had internet connection around the world, with 460 million of them residing in India.
More impressively, the internet user base in the country grew by a stunning 35 per cent last year. With the cheapening of data, millions of people are using the internet to quench their thirst for curiosity. Thus, having a website provides you with a golden chance of instantly getting in touch with these users.
2. Knowing All About You
Websites help the athlete to post all the information about them in one single space. This may include information about you, your achievements, and your brand engagements. It will include all the action around you, both on as well as off the field.
This can be very convenient for your fans since your website would be a one-stop solution for them.
Moreover, your official website is the best place to post press releases. This helps the media discover the latest official updates about you and thus to stop the rumours that are so prevalent in this modern Internet world.
3. Boost to Your Sponsorship Chances
Having a website of your own gives out a very neat and professional feel to the potential sponsors. Websites are also a convenient way for them to search and then reach out to you directly, without having to go through the hassles of getting contact details from a middleman. This sets you apart from other equally competent players who don’t have a website.
However, there is more than just convenience that attracts sponsors towards an athlete with a website. Advertisement. Your website can play as a platform for your sponsors to advertise their own products or services, thus providing a cost-effective marketing solution for them. Athletes enjoy a dedicated fan following across the country, and the websites would be a direct getaway for the brands to reach out to them.
4. Integration of your social channels
Websites provide a unique opportunity to integrate your social media handles such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc., at a single place. This is an effective way of boosting your follower count than allied practices like cross-promotion.
5. Lifetime Brand Building
Website helps build your brand. As you perform well on the field, more and more people search about you on the internet. When they discover your website, it helps in generating authenticity with the fans. Fans are more likely to trust websites with customized fonts, logos, etc.
6. Your Digital Home
A sports career may be short, but a website is eternal. It so happens that after an athlete’s retirement, the buzz around him/her wanes away. Your website will help to keep your brand alive, even post-retirement.
7. Use Innovative Ways of Generating Revenue
Talking about post-retirement, websites could very well become your new source of revenue generation after you hang up your shoes.
With a website, athletes have a platform where they can use innovative ideas for generating newer sources of income. This may include selling the athlete’s official merchandise, doing affiliate marketing or posting sponsored posts. Moreover, sportspersons can sell their stock images to the interested media house. When you have a website, the possibilities are endless.
Conclusion
Of course, building a website can be moderately costly. But then, a neatly designed website can really turn out to be a smart investment for you in the long term. This is why every athlete should have a website.
Build Your Brand with Us
KreedOn is a platform for Indian athletes and sports entities to get recognition, digital solutions, and sports network. It’s also a digital platform for brands to discover and book opportunities in Indian sports ecosystem to fulfil their marketing and CSR objectives.
We help athletes in developing their brand identity and market it in the best possible manner. We take care of all your technological, social, and media needs. You focus on your giving your best, while we take care of the rest!
