This is a big day for us - and another step towards fulfilling our ultimate vision for SponsorPitch. As you've probably noticed, we've made some changes. The first of which being that SponsorPitch is now in open beta. Secondly, we're bringing on board a true pioneer at the intersection of sponsorship + technology. Back in 2000, Michael used his agency experience to start a company called Sponsorwise. While our model differs quite a bit from what Sponsorwise is today, we're really excited to learn from his experiences and get started on some of the groundbreaking things we've discussed. I am even more excited today than I was when we had our first conversation, which ended up lasting something like 3+ hours.

Here's the full press release: http://pitch.pe/12022
http://pitch.pe...

What a week!! - lots of news that we're excited to share with you in the next few days. To cap it off - 75 degree weather in NYC and two game seven's coming this weekend.

We'll be putting out some exciting news next week, but first I wanted to take a couple minutes to tell you more about where we're headed. Whether you're a buyer or seller of sponsorships, we think that the goal is the same: to efficiently share information and build relationships in a way that eventually leads to more business opportunities. We're not all the way there yet, but we're getting closer every day. We need your help to make it happen.

Now here's what SponsorPitch is not...

We are not a listings service.
If you want to post your text description into a static database, there are plenty of pl...

TAGS: Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Innovation, Grasshopper.com

Warning: this has nothing to do with sponsorship, however this is a pretty cool YT video I picked up from Darren Heitner at Dynasty Sports Management.

Maybe it's not that distant from each of our jobs, after all. Whether you're selling sponsorships, brand planning or consulting at an agency, we all see obstacles in our daily routine (especially these days). Do you have a clear vision for fueling growth within your organization or are you cluttered in obstacles? Do you remember when you were a kid?

Today we're kicking off our "Key Learnings" blog series, which will be a regular collection of insights and stories from thought-leaders within the sponsorship industry. Today's key learning comes from Jim Loria who has over 30 years of sports management experience and for the past 10 years as served as President of the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede.

"One of the best sponsorship ideas I've ever created involved Kraft Foods in Kansas City, MO years ago. Their goal was to sell product. Mine was to sell tickets. My young daughter, bless her heart, one day, spilled a box of Macaroni & Cheese out of the cupboard and out of that we created a "Noisemaker Night" promotion!

The innert elements to the sponsorship worked this way: We brought in the Food Bank as the outlet to receive all don...

Just as Fortune 500 companies are reassessing the justification behind multimillion dollar sponsorship, local mom and pops are finding that the t-shirt and banner sponsorships that have been a staple of little league sports for so long, may be getting squeezed out as well.

The Ledger takes a deeper look: Youth Sports Hit Hard by Dropoff in Sponsorships

Mary-Ellen Field from Brand Finance talks about the risk/benefits of using celebrities vs. events with the apparel industry as her case study. Her thesis: Adidas wasted a "golden" opportunity with the 08 Olympics and Puma took market share with celeb endorsements like Usein "Lightning" Bolt. On the flip side, the Man-Ram's and A-Rod's make celeb endorsements a whole other (and potentially more dangerous) minefield for brand sponsorship. Bottom line, do your due diligence or don't be surprised. Both events and celebs have risk and it's your job to know and manage that risk PRIOR TO THE DEAL, rather than after the fact.

Commissioners of the four major U.S. sports leagues, appearing at "The Future of Sports" symposium, said team owners will adjust their business models, approaches and ticket prices in response to the broader economic downturn. This isn't a big surprise as organizations, both big and small, are reassessing their reliance on and approach to sponsorship.

Former NBA Sponsorship Vet Tom Glick was on CNBC Euro this morning talking sponsorships at his current gig (Derby Football Club). What's the european sponsorship landscape, how does it differ from the U.S. and what can we learn from each other?

It was once unthinkable to conceive that the Yankees would sell naming rights to "the house that Ruth built." Of course, the new stadium might make you rethink a lot of your traditional assumptions - for good and bad (esp if you're in one of the $2,600 premium seats). We know that many of the sports leagues are pushing the envelope to peek the interest of more partners, not least of which is the WNBA, which as Terry Lefton recently reported, may sell ad space on their uni's, a rare move for a professional sports league in the Western hemisphere. But we're talking Yankees stadium? Are times that bad (-tongue in cheek-)?

It may be more of a likelihood than you may think - the Yankees, rep'd by CAA to sell sponsorships to the new stadium since the new pinstripe palace was announc...

If you've been in the industry long enough, you've had a lot of comps land on your desk. Foam fingers, stress balls, adhesive bumper stickers... My desk used to be covered in this stuff.

There's schwag - which we've all seen both good and very bad - and then there are premiums that really convey a brand's sense of relevance and passion for the shared experience. Brian Gainor's partnership activation blog does a great job of taking a look at the best of the best. Check it out:

The 100 Hottest Promotional Items in Sports

A few tips to keep in mind when buying...

1. Keep the message simple, but relevant (you should be able to convey your message in 5 words or less..the shorter the better)
2. Choose a promo item that echoes the price point of your product or service.
3...