Hey, let's name all the potential sponsors for wushu!

[froggy]

There is a lot of talk as of late about why wushu isn't getting sponsorship, why it's not on TV, why the national teams have to pay their own way, and why no one knows the people in wushu.

The key is because of money, of course. Hence you know who Tiger Woods, Mark Messier, Sammy Sosa, and etc.. are. Their sports gets sponsors and advertising that drives their marketing budgets and it adds up.

This could happen to wushu, and I think a key would be to start by identifying which sponsors are good to target and why. Seriously here, let's do this. I'm not talking about impossible dream sponsors (like IBM - because everyone uses computer), I'm talking about companys that can see value in associating with wushu.

E.g Tiger claw - they gave money to the women sanshou.
or
Gatoraid/Poweraid/Coke/Pepsi - because wushu athletes are young and old and they all drink that sutff. etc...


Medium sized companies that we can target.

[jon]

Surely there must be a manufacturer of fine silken weaves or premium grade tin foil who would be willing to step up to the challenge:D

[Tak]

Actually, I just saw some wushu "tournament" on TV the other day.

Notwithstanding, good sponsors would be:
Kung Fu Magazine :D
Martial arts equipment suppliers (e.g. tiger claw, century, ...)
Maybe movie studios that have an action film to promote
Suppliers of gym/weight equipment

[David Jamieson]

tea companies
topical ointment (read: tigerbalm) companies or a535, whatever..
various uniform and martial art supplie companies
spring water companies (most competitive martial artists don't drink a whole lot of pepsi and coke, at least not at that level)

or, any company for that matter.

One way to get sponsorship is to not wait for it to come knocking. More often than not you gotta ask. And there has to be a return for the company either in realized gains in the market or some other means. There is no free lunch.

After an olympic showing (if there is one, is there gonna be one for sure? it's likely, i mean hey, it's chinas national sport, it would be like not letting them play hockey when the olympics come to vancouver :D ) we might see people come knocking on the wushu athletes doors, but putting the cart before the horse is exactly that.

anyway, they have to ask themselves or have an agent ask. I think the whole olympic exhibition is an exhibition. The whole house of cards is not exactly where it should be yet by many accounts and i'm not 100% certain taht things are a go yet. but when they are, the offers may start happening.

crouching tiger | clever product placement lol

cheers

[froggy]

Man, those are great suggestions. Yes, I know of an agent in Toronto, and no, I didn't even think about approaching movie distributors....

Keep em coming!