Sports Club Sponsorship, Brand and Kit Guidelines

SPONSORSHIP, BRAND & KIT. Guidelines for Student Sports Clubs

CONTENTS Club Sponsorship Guidelines 2 2 3 3 3 4 4

What is sponsorship and who can sponsor Northumbria clubs?

Types of Sponsorship Financial Transactions Playing & Training kit restrictions What can and can’t clubs offer?

Sponsorship Acquisition and Approval Process Useful Contacts

Brand & Kit Guidelines for Clubs 5 5 7 8

What is the brand?

Use of University logo Sign off process Kit overview and suppliers

CLUB SPONSORSHIP GUIDELINES

As a Northumbria University sports club there are a number of factors that you must consider and rules that you must abide by when considering sponsorship.

Remember, we want you to be successful – these guidelines are meant to save you trouble in the long run and give you an understanding of the risks and benefits of pursuing sponsorships.

What is sponsorship and who can sponsor Northumbria Sport Clubs?

“Any commercial agreement by which a sponsor, for the mutual benefit of the sponsor and sponsored party contractually provides financing or other support in order to establish an association between the sponsor’s image, brands or products and sponsoring property in return for rights to promote this association and/or image for the grant of certain agreed direct or indirect benefits” • Sponsorship can be in the form of; o Money o Discounts o Kit or equipment o Contra deal / in-kind e.g. Free food when purchasing a drink / free use of facility • Northumbria University does not allow the promotion and association with certain products, services and companies. A sponsor must be in line with the University brand ethos and ambitions. Sponsors that might restrict a person from joining the club will not be approved. Restricted categories for sponsorship deals include but are not limited to; o Tobacco manufacturers o Alcoholic beverage manufacturers o Gambling or Betting agencies o Sport Facilities and Gyms o Other HE Institutions • All sponsorships, financial or not, will require approval before an agreement is made.

Types of Sponsorship Any type of association between a company/business/third party and a Northumbria University Sport Club must be agreed by the University and a sponsorship agreement completed between the club and company before the association commences. This includes ALL associations, not just those with financial transactions. Please follow the simple Step by Step guide below.

Club sponsorship has been split into two broad categories

1. Programme Benefit Sponsorship

Could include financial contributions to support the whole team, club or sport programme. E.g. Money that would go towards additional competitions, support services, travel or tours. o Funding would need to come into the University to follow financial regulations. Finance secured in one year but not used in that year may be ‘carried over’ with prior agreement.

2. Player Benefit Sponsorship

For example reduced or free training kit, post-match food/drinks, discounted equipment, in-kind training venues can be agreed and arranged at any time throughout the season. o These agreements are between the club and sponsor but still need to be flagged and agreed via your Club Development Officer

If students wish to gain an individual ‘Player Sponsor’ to cover some or all of the individual membership fee this must be a personal agreement between the individual and company. This will be classed as a personal donation.

Financial transactions – Show me the Money!

• No Northumbria Sport Club is allowed to have its own bank account. Therefore, money obtained through sponsorship to purchase goods must be paid into the Sports Club IO (account). Purchases will then be made by the relevant Club Development Officer on behalf of the club.

• GOOD TO KNOW: A financial sponsorship is subject to VAT. Therefore 20% will be taken off the obtained amount. We therefore advise that you agree a value +VAT. For example, £1000 +VAT. The company would pay £1200, with the full required £1000 staying with the club and £200 going to the VAT man!

Playing and Training Kit restrictions • Northumbria University Sport will be providing playing kit for teams competing in weekly BUCS league fixtures.

• Northumbria University Sport retains ownership of BUCS playing kit. Clubs CANNOT obtain sponsors that require logos on university owned playing kit.

• Northumbria University have the rights to all Focus Sport playing kits (where provided) and programmes and therefore may obtain kit sponsors.

• Clubs CAN arrange their own training/warmup/leisurewear and this may include sponsors logos once the company is approved and the brand guidelines for use of university logo are followed.

• GOOD TO KNOW: Make sure you consider the cost of printing a sponsor’s logo when you agree a deal with them. This can get costly (circa £4+VAT per logo).

What can and can’t clubs offer sponsors?  NO to logos on University owned playing kit. (Contact your CDO if your sponsorship value is proposed to be £4K + and the sponsor would replace the kit at the end of the season).  NO promises about getting their brand/logo onto University channels such as websites, digital screens and social media.  You are NOT offering a direct association with the University but with the Sports Club at Northumbria University. (i.e. Baseball Club at Northumbria University)  NO to product placement or brand positioning in Sport Central or other University venues – unless the company enters into an advertising agreement with Northumbria Sport.  YES to sponsor logos on travel/warm up/training kit – if that’s what you want. Remember to consider the print costs in your proposal/agreement  YES to your club using their venue for food/drinks as part of a contra-agreement – make sure you out line the details so they don’t expect too much!  YES to putting their logo/brand on the clubs social media channels  YES to sponsor attendance at fixtures and training where appropriate – this may be something you build into your agreement if it’s mutually beneficial. For example, a kit provider attending training, a sponsor who’s a dentist coming to talk about the discounted gum shields etc.

Useful Contacts Club Development Officers • Alisa Deen a.deen@northumbria.ac.uk • Mollie Smith mollie6.smith@northumbria.ac.uk

Sponsorship Acquisition and Approval Process 1. Alert your Club Development Officer (CDO) of your intentions to obtain sponsorship.

Then ensure you run the following past them; a) Outline which companies you plan to approach b) Your letter/email and sponsorship proposal c) Any potential associations and agreements that follow.

This means your CDO can offer suggestions for improvement and discuss any potential conflicts or problems.

They can also seek approval or advice from within the University if needed. Remember, you are a part of a larger organisation that may already have relationships with these companies.

2. Following initial discussion with your CDO, finalise your proposal and letter/email and contact your companies 3. Once you have a positive response from a potential sponsor complete the ‘Sponsor Request Form’ and send this to your CDO for approval 4. Once your CDO has approved your Request Form you can complete the Club Sponsorship Agreement form with your sponsor and send a signed copy to your CDO. 5. You will then work with your CDO to a) Ensure the company is invoiced if your agreement included a financial contribution b) Any kit / equipment etc is ordered if you are using the financial contributions in this way c) Your membership fees are set for the upcoming year taking into account the sponsorship 6. If you are having training/warmup/leisurewear produced a mock up must be sent to your CDO to have the use of the University logo approved before it is printed 7. If you have obtained ‘Player Benefit Sponsorship’ it is now you and your clubs responsibility to ensure you keep to the requirements of the signed agreement

Brand & Kit Guidelines for Sport Clubs Brand Overview

As a Northumbria Sports Club it’s important that you understand the University brand and how your club members adopt, embody, represent and protect it.

Brand is much more than a logo or colour palette. It is the essence of a company or organisation. It’s how that organisation portrays itself to the outside world. To its members, partners and competitors.

Northumbria’s brand personality comprises six key characteristics or traits. We are confident, bold, creative, inquisitive, energetic and warm.

Use of University logo The University logo is the ONLY logo that Northumbria Sport and its clubs use.

The logo is the first thing people notice, it sets the tone and creates the first impression.

Inspired by the official University Crest, the logo is to be used on all official playing kit and can be used on training and leisurewear with approval.

DO NOT CREATE YOUR OWN LOGO OR USE ELEMENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY LOGO TO CREATE A LOGO

Print issues with the logo The Logo cannot be reversed. A lot of printers and embroiderers will reverse the logo for use on a black or white background but this causes the logo to be INCORRECT You must therefore use a different logo file depending on whether you are printing on a black or white background.

REMEMBER: BLACK BOOK = BLACK MARK

Sizing and clear space Make sure the logo always has ‘breathing room’ and nothing is placed too close to it.

This includes things like initials, dates, names

When to use black or white Black Logo Use the black version on white or light coloured backgrounds White Logo Use the white logo on black, dark and simple backgrounds.

REMEMBER: Always ensure you use the specific black or white version of the logo – do not take one version of the logo and invert it into the other.

Sign off process

If you are using the University logo on any kit you must have a mock up from the printing company ‘signed off’ before it is printed. This is just to check the logo has been used correctly.

1. Contact your CDO to inform them and ask for suitable versions of the logos 2. Work with your chosen supplier to create your kit design 3. Ensure you have followed the above guidelines 4. Send a PDF mock-up of the design and use of the logo to your Club Development Officer to check

OUR COLOUR PALETTE.

In a Black and White sporting city we are proud to adopt black and white for our kit.

We uni our red for an alternative/accent and away kit option where needed.

BLACK WHITE PANTONE BLACK C WHITE C0 M0 Y0 K100 C0 M0 Y0 K0 R0 G0 B0 R225 G255 B255 HEX #000000 HEX #FFFFFF

C0 M100 Y68 K14 R220 G0 B70 HEX #DC0046

Type Face / Font AZO SANS BLACK AZO SANS REGULAR If you cannot access Azo Sans ARIAL BLACK ARIAL REGULAR

Kit Suppliers Northumbria Sport currently has 1 preferred supplier. This means that they have already had the use of the logo ‘signed off’ so it may mean you can get kit printed and supplied quicker. They also have online stores which may also make it easier for your club when ordering kit.

You can use a different supplier but must ensure you have the kit and logo use signed off before use.

Infinity Incorporated

Infinity run the UNIVERSITY STORE (also based on campus in Ellison Building) and online. They can supply unbranded options.

They can set up bespoke orders for your club as well as a system for your members to be able to purchase online www.nugiftshop.co.uk

New Balance

New Balance are the University’s on-field clothing provider. If your club would like to also wear New Balance leisure / off-field wear, then they can work with you on a suitable package.

Chat to Becky to discuss what you need: becky@Newbalanceteam.co.uk

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