What’s your name and position within the organisation?
Sally Lockyer, Chief Executive Officer, Surrey FA
Give us a brief overview of Surrey FA as a company in general and your approach to sponsorship and partnerships specifically?
Surrey FA is a charitable organisation, and we are committed to our principle of creating football opportunities for all. We are one of 51 County FAs affiliated to the FA. We’re responsible for football development and participation, supporting our clubs and leagues, training and developing the workforce (coaches, referees and volunteers), governance of the sport on a regional level and improving facility provision as well as safeguarding across Surrey. We also run 28 County Cup competitions across a variety of age groups for both male and female players.
As a team we are pride ourselves on being ambitious, creative and agile, with a genuine start-up feel to how we go about our work. We are certainly not a typical NGB!
All sponsorship revenues or value in kind we receive are invested directly back into grassroots football. We aim to partner with organisations whose central desire from their sponsorship is to support good causes and aligning themselves with one of the country’s leading County FAs. Surrey FA is committed to getting people of all ages, genders and backgrounds active and participating in the sport – and all of our existing partners recognise the social value Surrey FA brings in doing so.
Surrey FA also operates Meadowbank Football Ground, a community facility in Dorking. With a FIFA quality pro 3G pitch and capacity for 3,000 this gives our partners opportunities to stage employee/family football activites too.
What approach differentiates Surrey FA and makes your sponsorship strategy unique?
In partnering with Surrey FA, brands have access to the nation’s favourite sport through one of its largest regional governing bodies. We have over 66,000 players and 243 clubs and 3600 teams in addition to thousands of referees, coaches and volunteers in the football workforce. This offers an incredible opportunity for brand exposure and affinity growth, but we don’t want our partnerships to be based solely on naming rights logo usage.
We seek to provide qualitative deliverables for our partners, to put their brand or products in front of a relevant audience and to report on the measurable impact of their investment on our community. Brands can make a tangible impact on participation in an entire sport on a regional level, and I think that is a unique and exciting opportunity. Grassroots football changes lives, it delivers dreams and creates amazing experiences.
We are looking to continue to form partnerships which integrate brands with our football offering, perhaps even engaging their staff with volunteering opportunities which will directly support grassroots football in the county. This has proved successful with existing partners who recognise the benefits to their own staff’s morale and loyalty in supporting a charity.
How has your approach to sponsorship changed during Covid-19? Have you created any new initiatives or altered your operations to reach sponsors and audiences in new ways?
At the start of any commercial agreement we seek to understand the objectives of the partner and to define the success criteria at this stage. COVID meant some of those objectives suddenly shifted. As a rights holder it’s important we can be agile, thought provoking and more importantly understand how we can shift the dial and add value for partners.
Throughout Covid-19 we worked hard to deliver for our existing commercial partners. For many, some of their contractual rights were tied to in-person events through branding or activations at matches and events. We had to be flexible, and it has given us the scope for innovation through the digital space. We teamed up with our existing partners to run support sessions, tapping into their own areas of expertise to run sessions. These have included webinars to help clubs improve their marketing strategies, understand to how to create and share video content, as well as interviews with high-profile figures from the professional game. Other partners have supported smaller activations such as our Stoppage Time podcast series and we’re currently creating an e-sports proposition. These pieces have really helped retain digital engagement in a period without grassroots sport.
What are the current trends within sports sponsorship, and how are they affecting how you work and how you deliver on strategy?
I think we have seen a shift towards the CSR benefits for companies through sponsorship. The trend to support local causes and communities has increased in recent months and this could be lifesaving for grassroots sport, with many clubs and sports organisations being hit hard by funding cuts. There is a greater need than ever for money to filter down from the top level into amateur sport. I think this will shape how we approach brands now – perhaps conversations will start to become less about the rights, and more about the cause which they can support and the way that can reflect on their reputation and motivate staff. There is huge potential to generate an authentic narrative and good news stories at this level of sport and these can have massive benefits to sponsors.
How has sponsorship changed for Surrey FA over the past few years? And what predictions can you make about how it’s going to change in the next five years?
Five years ago, Surrey FA was in a very different place. In recent years the County FA has achieved greater autonomy from The FA nationally, which gives us more freedom to establish ourselves as an independent business. Whilst we are strategically tied to The FA’s participation targets, we are free to source our own revenue streams. With this has come a greater focus on positioning ourselves as viable proposition for sponsorship. Over time we will become increasingly financially independent, and this shall allow us to remain consistent in the services we offer the local grassroots community.
I really do feel that this emphasis on community giving is going to change the way big organisations approach sponsorship. Rather than the top down model which has been the accepted norm, I truly believe that we are in a watershed moment for patronage of amateur sport. Grassroots can offer greater value for the rights offered, whilst also allowing brands to enjoy the inevitable reputational benefits in supporting not for profit organisations.
Anything else to add?
It’s an exciting period at Surrey FA as we look to refine our commercial model. We want to be the best in class, push the boundaries, and to attract new partners who share that approach. With this in mind, we are currently seeking members for our new Commercial Advisory Group. We are hoping to attract individuals who are passionate about grassroots sport with a strong commercial background to play an active role in setting our organisation’s commercial vision and strategic direction.
Surrey FA are currently looking for members to join a new Commercial Advisory Group. They are seeking expertise in fundraising and donations, grant funding and sponsorship. If you feel that you could have something to offer the group, please contact James.Chadwick@SurreyFA.com – who will provide further details.