GSE Nick

just wanted to see what some people thought on there old or recent sponsors....i don't need names just seeing if they are all the same....i think a lot of guys let there sponsors dictate them instead of the other way around....seems like everyone has a million sponsors! what cause they give you 10 percent off......pffffft. we kill our selves and our bikes guys! don't sell yourselves short...not saying im a top rider and deserve gold but if your gonna sponsor someone..... do it fully


im proud to say that GSE has good sponsors for the most part. im just seeing whats the deal around town

GUPAARON

hai,hai,hai,hai,hai,hai,hai,hai,hai

Ando

I dont have any - you can sponsor me

crtchrktrcr

we're workin with an energy drink company right now, seeing what they are going to offer.. we're hoping for vinyl wraps

jsteezy

i get tires mounted/balanced for free. oooooooooooo.......

OverRatedRiderz

id like a sponsor... sponsor me:YEAH .. im up for the 10 percent discount lol i wouldnt minda 10 percent disount seriously... 10 percent off is better than nothing

Reality

MY SPONSORS ARE AWSOME TO ME. I THINK ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME CAN TELL YOU RONNIE GETS EVERYTHING HANDS DOWN NO PROBLEM. IT'S BUSINESS, BUT THE WHOLE THING YOU HAVE TO GIVE BACK NOT JUST TAKE JUST MY

Matt Gorka

Advertising is very expensive....And no company can survive without advertising unless it's already established and has a reputation, most likely achieved through extensive advertising mediums. That being said, most advertising is less than 5% effective. Sponsorship is advertising. They invest product to get a return. Any business starting out is giving product from hard earned money, not necessarily from volumes of purchases from "sponsoring" a rider. With that being said, it's a 50/50 relationship until you can prove that they are making mad loot because of all the work you're putting in getting their good name out there. People with jobs ask for raises because they're working harder or taking on more responsibility. I believe anybody should be thankful that they get product, hopefully a product they believe in and rep it to the fullest extent. Give more, get more.
Don't get me wrong. I am guilty of having felt a bit of entitlement in the past because of an over inflated ego, but now being self-employed and having shelled out thousands of dollars for advertising and not seeing any results from some of the mediums I've invested my time and money in allows me to take a look at this from the other side of the fence.

Now to answer the question: Over the years I have received a lot one-time product support from individual companies, all of which I appreciate more than I could express. The ones that I rep because I believe in them and their products and the support given year after year are Freestyle Ingenuity, Thrust/Moto-Heaven, Full Throttle Inc. and Chris Schuette, Custom Creations. I couldn't ask for better support and believe in their products, integrity and who they are 100%.

LivingCanvas

Matt, the only thing i want to read in your next post is a link to a clip of you endo-ing that 600rr in your avy. That is all

Metzger

right. it's not like you say "if you pay me more, i'll work harder." it just doesn't work that way.

Kaneone

i dont know what a sponsor is.. please explain.

-Kane

zxcraig

um its the guys that let u not have a day job.....wait,,,i gata go to bed gota work in the a.m......um cause i ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GSE Nick

great input...keep um comming...




and kane u have about a half million supporters im ready to die my hair

Kaneone

ok. so I've been thinking about this while chillin in a hot tub in middle of nowhere montana with a broken driveshaft. lol.

me. being me. I gotta debate.

when than in your opinion does an athlete. or entertainer. reaches a point where they should be entitled to demand a raise? and moreso do u agree that much of not just the sponsorship end of this business, but the business of any independent contractor is much like buying wares at a swap meet wherein unless u negotiate exactly what u want and are willing todo for it. don't be pissed if your not happy with what u get? that is unless either party is not fufilling their expected duties. in which case... whew. that's enough for a whole new thread.

curious?

-kane

BOB WITTMAN

nick,do you mean like a new bike? or clothes??
i didnt see the owner of the bike shop giving me a bike.. but i said **** it and asked anyway.. he knows what i do.. he laughed at me.,. he said it would just get trashed.. i said you are 50% right... but not 100% i see it like its a write off. and not really that much diff from giving one to a race team...??? but he said maybe when stuntriding gets bigger.. i laughed and said what rock you been under its big now!!!

GSE Nick

well as i get better Yes i would like more full filling sponsors....i have an awesome cage sponsor(905) and we have a hook up with vortex, and stunt-rags, and a few more. im mostly proud of our cage sponsor! GSE and Legion were just about the first two teams they sponsored on the east coast and they still treat us great after all these years, and i try to hype up and push there product to the MAX! just adding some more for the thread. how are we able to get big sponsors like the MX guys get? how did they make it big? how or what can we do to make this Real? cause it still feels make believe sometimes. when will we be a head line act at events instead of a side show when will the moster trucks be our half time show? get my drift?

T-Dubby

I just had a % off at a local shop.

HollywoodStuntz

Mine are pretty good to me... www.Xpowermotorsports.com i get pretty much what i want for my bike as long as i promote there shop which by the way hands down is great shop... alot of parts i needed was done thankz to them...

Matt Gorka

You're absolutely right. If you negotiate something and someone doesn't fulfill their duties, then you have the right to be upset. But, what I've learned being the trusting individual that thinks everyone will do the right thing in a business relationship, you're most likely going to be disappointed ASSUMING someone is going to do the right thing. Kane, most people say they're "sponsored" because it's fun to say and it almost has clout to it. People legitimize themselves as "pros" because they're so called sponsored....And start believing it when in fact they have a company that gives them product for a bit of advertising with no terms/conditions/contracts or negotiations ever having taken place. Not my definition of sponsored....I call that "Free S#it."
And, to top it off, that individual probably doesn't get in plain sight of 100 NEW people a month. People like yourself, making vids, actually pushing your sponsors, going to events and placing, getting recognition and being in magazines published with pictures that last forever in my opinion deserve the right to be truely sponsored and probably give your sponsors a return on their investment. In this case, your being sponsored means you get to do more of this because your sponsors enable it, therefore getting their products out there more and more every day. Now, you can say "I need this, in order to be able to get your product in front of more people" because lets face it. If you had unlimited funds, your bikes would be in perfect shape allowing you to ride and look your best, in turn placing higher in events, getting more media coverage and be able to travel to every show, event, etc. Basically it's a tradeoff. Numbers and statistics are negotiating tools....and there CAN'T be a sponsorship without a negotiation. The agreement to give something to get something. If there is no agreement, there are no expectations from you and therefore you should have no expectations from them. If product stops coming in or you never get more support: Oh well. Fact is, there was no agreement. Also, name recognition alone doesn't sell products. Maybe on Tony Hawk level, but not Joe Stuntrider who does the occasional show and thinks he's king of the world because he can do a highchair circle and therefore a "Top level rider." If you don't get out there, neither does their products and it's a waste of their time to do business with someone like that. The bottom line is this: you need to show them how using you will make them more money. Period. If you can't or don't, you're not worth the product you were given. It's business and if you are giving more than you're getting then it's time to negotiate and get what you have EARNED or send the parts back in a box and go on to the next one. Send your friends to buy products and tell them that you sent them. Show them why they are sponsoring you. Most people want to mooch off a sponsored rider and get their hand-me-downs or expect free stuff. The point is to have these friends, your peers buy products from your sponsors.
If you're doing that you're fulfilling your obligations as a sponsored individual and deserve your compensation.

TongWoo

Geared Steel Products are the coolest ***** ever... So are Shawn and the Crew at 2502 designs... Both of these companies aren't just sponsors, but also great friends to me. Both of them have gone waaaay out of their way to stand by me and support me. I'm truly blessed to get to work with them and have them as such good friends...so YES. I am VERY happy with my sponsors.

-Woo