Corporate Sponsorship: Is It Viable?

Being an athletic director at a junior college would seem enjoyable enough.

By rights, his job should be to hire a few of the best area high school coaches, help them recruit some of the best local players and then take a seat and watch the games.

Job descriptions can be deceiving, though. Especially this one during these days of troubled times on the community college level.

Pierce College Athletic Director Bob O’Connor has spent much of his summer initiating a “corporate sponsorship” program for Brahma athletic teams.

“Raising funds to supplement the money we get from the State consumes much of my time,” O’Connor said. “It is a constant challenge.”

O’Connor answered recent threats by the Los Angeles Community College District to cut athletics with the intriguing concept of building a foundation of funding from the private sector. When the program is complete, he hopes that Pierce athletics will be less reliant on public funds and more able to withstand the uncertainty brought on by yearly threats of cutbacks by the district.

“We are at the mercy of (administrators and trustees) who understand little about the value of athletics in a balanced curriculum,” O’Connor said. “There is a misperception that athletics are, by definition, unacademic.”

While some believe corporate sponsorship is merely age-old advertising solicitation under a different name, O’Connor says his brainstorm is a way for companies actually to buy teams.

“There is a lot of money in the Valley,” said O’Connor earlier this summer. “And while much of what is available is tied to larger schools like UCLA and USC, there is an untapped potential for junior colleges.”

O’Connor tapped the corporate spigot fairly furiously the rest of the summer.

Companies that have committed to Pierce as sponsors follow:

-- Chevrolet dealer Terry York has contributed $6,000 to the basketball program and has pledged to help raise additional funds during the fall. York, who O’Connor calls “really an involved sponsor” also is selling season tickets at his dealership.

-- The American Golf Institute will contribute $4,000 to the golf program in the form of providing a coach and traveling expenses. “The AGI is a nonprofit organization that uses psychology in training golfers,” O’Connor said.

-- Lesley’s Pools has contributed $840 to the water polo program. “Nearly enough to finance the sport,” O’Connor said.

-- Tool Shack, Leatherbys Creamery, Bilt-Well Roof and Material Co., and Westlake Village insurance broker Howard Young each have contributed $500 to the football program. O’Connor said about $25,000 is needed to finance football.

-- Mr. Chang, a Chinese restaurant, has contributed $500 to the tennis program.

-- Aquatics Pools have contributed $250 to the swimming program.

O’Connor is seeking sponsors for baseball, wrestling and cross country--and more support for football.

A few companies have turned O’Connor down. “I’d rather not name them because I’m still working on some of them,” he said.

He did admit, however, that Lockheed and Teledyne are two companies that declined to sponsor. “They told me, ‘That type of thing wouldn’t help sell our products,’ ” O’Connor said. “They were more interested in offering technical knowledge to academic areas.”

Spokesmen for companies that agreed to sponsor teams said their reasons were based more on philanthropy than profit potential. Some are Pierce alumni.

Said Steve Radenbaugh, part owner of Bilt-Well Roof and Material Co.: “We’re fortunate enough to have a successful business and are able to give something back to the community. My brother, Bruce, played football at Pierce, and we both use the tennis and soccer facilities on weekends.”

Said Jack Slome, owner of Tool Shack: “Community colleges are a valid place to lend financial support. I don’t expect anything back from the donation. Not many people involved with Pierce are going to need the kind of tools we sell.”

Although O’Connor appears to have done quite well with is sponsorship program in a short time, the number of donors and dollars is a bit misleading. Many of the so-called “corporate sponsors” have been long-time Pierce supporters.

“We’ve supported Pierce athletics for years,” Radenbaugh said. “My father, now retired, helped Pierce.”

Added Slome: “I’ve helped out the (Pierce) football program for years. When Bob asked if I would like to be called a corporate sponsor, I said, ‘Sure, why not?’ ”

Each sponsor of $500 or more receives a full-page advertisement in the fall and spring athletic programs, according to O’Connor. Sponsors also get “as many free tickets as they want,” he said.

Full-page ads in both programs cost about $600. Aren’t corporate sponsors actually getting a fancy title and a discount?

“Well, yes,” O’Connor said. “But I needed some of my most loyal advertisers to commit to the sponsorship program and get the ball rolling.

“I see this program as building into something greater than simple advertising. Sponsors will take pride in their sport and continue support over a period of years. I hope sponsors take pride in the accomplishments and growth of our athletes and programs.”