Sports Programs Cashing In on Corporate Sponsorship

Beg pardon, Ma Bell, but Larry Zucker still is waiting for your call.

Zucker, the CIF Southern Section’s marketing and promotions director, figures he spends so much time on the phone attempting to sell companies on investing money in sponsorship of the Southern Section that he’d make the subject for a great phone company ad.

“With the amount of time I spend on the phone, I’m a natural,” he said.

He’s also persistent. Zucker says 49 of every 50 calls he makes go for naught. Most companies believe an investment in high school sports is a nice gesture, but doesn’t make dollars and sense.

However, the Southern Section has cashed in on the exceptions. In the 1984-85 school year, the non-profit organization grossed nearly $175,000 from 15 major corporate sponsors to pay for championship sites, equipment, ticket printing and the like.

Since 1979, when Dr. Pepper became the first sponsor to contract with the Southern Section, corporate dollars have ballooned to make up an eighth of the Southern Section’s budget.

Sponsors include Ford Motor Company (sponsors of football championships), Saucony/Spotbilt (official shoe company), Wilson Sporting Goods (official ball company) and the California Angels (baseball championships). The Southern Section even has an official thirst quencher. That’s Gatorade.

Go to to a CIF Southern Section championship event and you’ll find company logos stamped on the cover of the official souvenir program, coupons printed on the backs of tickets and corporate banners hanging about.

For those participating in the championships, they can expect to receive trophies with company symbols engraved on them.

In fact, the Southern Section championships aren’t just the Southern Section championships anymore. Last school year, they were the Carl’s Jr. Southland Corp. Southern Section Basketball Championships. Or, the Wilson, Saucony/Spotbilt Southern Section Track and Field Championships.

Corporations so deeply involved in amateur sports--amateur high school sports--may be perceived by some as being too commercial, but those involved in the day-to-day business of high school athletics say the alternative could be disastrous.

“Sponsorship came as a result of various budget cuts being made in the schools,” said Ray Plutko, Southern Section Commissioner of Athletics. “We had a choice between raising school’s dues or finding an alternative form of raising funds.”

Cuts came after voters in 1978 approved Proposition 13, an initiative that restricted the amount of money given to local governments and school districts. School budgets were to be cut, and one of the first things on the block were athletic programs.

“Schools were going through a very difficult time,” said Moe Chavez, Downey High School’s principal and Southern Section Council president. “First and foremost, we wanted to keep from increasing the member’s dues. We needed an alternative.”

Hello sponsorship.

Nothing was free anymore. Wilson Sporting Goods, which had provided complimentary tennis balls for championships, was informed that if it still wanted to donate the balls, it would have to pay for the privilege.

The Southern Section was the first high school organization to seek corporate dollars. When Zucker was hired after graduating from the University of Redlands, he became the country’s first marketing and promotions administrator for a high school organization.

The Southern Section was exploring new ground and Plutko made it clear the trek would be slow, careful and conservative.

Sponsorship from alcohol or tobacco companies would not be considered. Any company that might present the organization or its schools in a bad light would not be accepted. To avoid any trouble, Plutko told Zucker he wanted the leading companies in their field.

“We go for the Cadillacs of the business,” Zucker said. “Or, maybe I should say the Lincolns, since Ford is one of our biggest sponsors.”

Those that were accepted had to understand that all matters would be handled by the Southern Section. Plutko and Co. want the money, but only if given complete control.

“You have to understand this organization and Ray,” Zucker said. “He’s very conservative, and rightfully so. We represent high school athletics. Ray doesn’t want to put either ourselves or our schools in any kind of vulnerable position. Everything is done our way, or it’s not done at all.

“The sponsors know that right from the start. We probably lose a sponsor here and there because of it, but that’s the way it’s got to be.”

There was one occasion when a sponsor didn’t get the message. A few years ago, during the basketball championships, a representative of a sponsor had his company’s mascot run out on the floor during halftime to shoot free throws. Cute? Not to Plutko. He had not been told about the halftime high jinks. He pulled Zucker aside and told him to get the mascot off the floor.

“Ray does not like surprises,” he said. “I had to go out there in front of a sold-out arena and tell this guy to leave, without making him or the company look bad. So, I went out and rebounded the ball a couple of times then I told him--with this fake smile on my face--to leave the floor.

“He said he couldn’t, that he was told by his company to stay on the floor for all of halftime. I asked him nice one more time and he said no. Then I said (losing his smile) ‘Get the hell off the floor or I’ll throw you off.’ ”

But such run-ins are rare. Sponsors have nothing but praise for the Southern Section.

“They do a good job for us,” said Rene Haas of Southland/7-11 Corp., which contributes about $5,000 to sponsor the soccer championships. “They’re very professional and we like being associated with high schools. We get a good amount of exposure. I think it’s been very successful for us.”

In fact, the only criticism came from certain coaches when the sponsorship started. They heard about the big money coming in and thought they should be allowed to take a cut of the action. After all, the money was for high school athletics, wasn’t it?

“I’d tell them I’d give them their one-five hundredth cut,” Zucker said. “But then don’t expect to be playing your championships in Anaheim Stadium or the Coliseum.”

With success has come imitation. Other such corporate-sponsored programs have started in Northern California and across the country.

“I just got a call from North Carolina,” Plutko said. “They had some questions, but they’re also doing some new things that we might look into. We’re constantly looking to upgrade what we have.”

Who knows, if Ma Bell doesn’t come to Zucker, perhaps Zucker will go to Ma Bell.