An Investigation of Sponsorships Opportunities in Athletic Training Rooms of NCAA Universities

The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers, avenues, and possibilities for marketing intercollegiate athletic training rooms. In particular, this study examined potential sources of support for athletic training rooms by addressing a) current trends in sponsorship within athletic training rooms; b) market tactics used to substantiate sponsorships in athletic training rooms; c) how existing marketing tactics have the greatest potential for growth; and d) the need for athletic training rooms to acquire and maintain sponsorship.

In this study, an online survey and volunteer telephone interview were administered to head athletic trainers representing athletic training rooms at Division I-A, I-AA, II, and III institutions. The institutions were chosen based on their football program as listed in the 2003 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Directory.

According to the data collected, 75.6% of the participants desired sponsorship. Current trends in sponsorships within athletic training rooms revealed that 13.3% of the participating athletic trainers utilized sponsorships as the primary outside revenue resource. Volunteer services to an athletic training room were the most utilized form of sponsorships. Nearly 75% of the participants desired equipment sponsorship in athletic training rooms. The equipment was also categorized as the most desired to allocate more money when available.

Even though there are potential sponsors in athletic training rooms, 38.3% of the participants had no sponsorship within their athletic training rooms. Athletic trainers utilized donation, fundraising, and sponsorship to financially strengthen an athletic training room. However, the majority of athletic training rooms received the outside funding of $999 or less in the 2003-2004 academic year.

Only 3.5% of sponsorships were initiated by sponsors; then, athletic trainers can not just wait for sponsorships to happen naturally in their athletic training rooms. This research proved that possessing sponsorships in athletic training rooms is very possible to execute. The final thing athletic trainers interested in beginning marketing might consider is how to think outside of the traditional box and act accordingly. This study guides intercollegiate athletic trainers to begin marketing their athletic training room; then, they can discover greater possibilities within marketing the athletic training profession.