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Sponsorship

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 trigger118 26 Sep 2008
does anyone know what sort of grades you have to be climbing to get sponsored? obviously you have to be good but i was wondering if anyone knew exactly how good? i appreciate that this is a very hard question to answer but any hints would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 26 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:

Probably nearly as good (or a bit better!) as the best in your chosen discipline?


Chris
In reply to trigger118: depends on the sponsership. A lot of it is about how much potential you have. onsight E5/ 6 and be interesting and you'll have a good chance. If you're a recluse and can't be arsed putting the work in try onsighting E7/8.
OP trigger118 26 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:

im interested in getting sponsored and im 16 and i onsight about F6a/b obviously i have a very long way to go but im prepared to put in the work if i think i will actually get anything from it, im aware that lots of people climb a harder grade than me but i dont know how many have been climbin for about 2 years (1 year seriously) and climb it.

im not saying i should be sponsored or anything like that but im just interested as to whether in later life i might have a chance
In reply to trigger118: hard to say mate. Unfortunately it isn't about how hard you work, but how photogenic you are and how hard you can actually climb.

Another point is what do you hope to gain from sponsership? I was asked a similar question when i enquired about it last year. You won't get enough to live on unless you're climbing 9as and stuff or trad E7s regularly. you'll most likely get a couple of grands worth of kit- usful, but nout amazing.

my main tip would be to get outside and get climbing in the 'extremes' as soon as you can and you'll soon see if you have what it takes. I don't. haha
OP trigger118 26 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:

thanks for your help very useful info. just out of interest how did you enquire? and to who?

any other hints/tips still very much appreciated
In reply to trigger118: just on here. can't find anything on the searches.... hmmm. the general concensus seemed to be 'no one in the uk makes owt from sponsership'.

On a side issue, a guy I know got sponsered this year. He 'only' climbs solidly at E4ish, but showed promise in the alps and is nearly as good on Ice.

This maybe another point- try and be an all-rounder. The guy isn't that much better than me on rock, but he's an ice demon and i'm wank on the stuff. He also has a much better ethos (perhaps even a better personality lol) that's what'll make you 'sponserable'. That and 'networking'.
OP trigger118 26 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:

whats networking?
In reply to trigger118: go down wall, be friendly- get in with some sociable 7b/ E4/5 croud- go to the peak and try and meet some influencial people and 'wooo them'. haha- maybe get up to 6c first.
OP trigger118 26 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:

oh right ye i see what you mean
 dirtbag1 26 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:
Don't get drawn into the sponsorship chasing. It's not worth it. In this country it will never be worthwhile. You'd have to be one of the top few in the world to even make a living (not a good living) and then it's not just about the climbing, it's photos, promos, trade fairs, really not fun (even if it sounds like fun now).
Better advice is to get a good education through college, take a couple of years break between college and uni and climb a lot! This means training, not just tradding about, but sport and worldwide, get some experience and good grades (in fast times). Dirtbag your way round and then when you start getting injured and sick of being poor, head back to work or uni. Don't rely on sponsors for money, it'll very rarely work that way.

In reply to dirtbag1: basically what was said before. Tis true.
 dirtbag1 26 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:
No franco I wasn't agreeing with you. I was making an independent point.
 Padraig 26 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:
> (In reply to Franco Cookson)
i have a very long way to go but im prepared to put in the work if i think i will actually get anything from it,

If that's your attitude you're in the wrong sport!! Can you play football?
 James Oswald 26 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:
"i have a very long way to go but im prepared to put in the work if i think i will actually get anything from it"

I don't think that that is a very good attitude to climbing in the eyes of sponsors. My assumption is that sponsors want a reasonably well rounded climber who doesn't climb to make money, but climbs due to a genuine love of climbing.
In reply to dirtbag1: nah, I meant it was said in the other thread. Sorry.
 pottsworth 26 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:
I think a lot of it is being in the right place at the right time. If you have just done a couple of noteworthy (not necessarily exceptional) routes, and happen to get into a conversation with a company who are for whatever reason looking for another face to represent them, then you have a decent chance, despite the fact that there may well be more talented, unsponsored climbers knocking around.

That said, if you think Steve McClure is a long way ahead of anyone else in the country at the moment with the routes he is doing, and he still works doing route setting, teaching and giving lectures, so even if you get up to 9b I wouldn't count on being able to live solely on climbing

The other option is to get into instructing, I'm a fairly average climber, but I get 20% off at a couple of places, which does make quite a big difference, and have countless free t-shirts, a couple hoodies, a rab softshell, and other odds and ends that I have been given.
If you get up to MIA then I believe you can get DMM gear at trade, and even more benefits.
If you can get a job at somewhere like pyb then you will be working with a load of other climbers, and will have loads of opportunities to get out climbing, while still being able to earn a living.
Anglesey Pete 26 Sep 2008
In reply to pottsworth: Lot of if's there, if my auntie had bollocks, she'd by my uncle!

 Gus 26 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:
To get sponsored you have to be onsighting at least E5 on the north york moors. Without that you're never gonna make the cut.
 James Oswald 26 Sep 2008
In reply to pottsworth:
"If you have just done a couple of noteworthy (not necessarily exceptional) routes"

But what is noteworthy?
Serpico 26 Sep 2008
In reply to Gus:
> (In reply to trigger118)
> To get sponsored you have to be onsighting at least E5 on the north york moors. Without that you're never gonna make the cut.

Sorry, but by that logic nobody (currently) should be sponsored, not even Sharma or Graham.

In reply to james oswald: london wall, lord of the flies, walker's spur, matterhorn north wand, point five solo- stuff like that.
In reply to Serpico: maybe i'll be sponsered this time tomorrow!
Anglesey Pete 26 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:
> (In reply to Serpico) maybe i'll be sponsered this time tomorrow!

Which charity are you climbing for tomorrow, I'll give you 10 pnece for each e-point if it's help the aged and you can get sutty a top-up card for his mobile!
 Mark Stevenson 26 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118: Given that The North Face are currently sponsoring UK climbers who flash Font 8b regularly and take podium positions in World Cup Bouldering Events you can safely take that as the required standard.

If you aren't 'World Class' you don't stand any chance of a proper 'money' sponsorship deal.

If you just won't some free boots etc., then get out there and onsight a few E6s, headpoint some E8/E9s, get some press coverage and you may get some shiny kit.

As has been pointed out, if you want to make money from Sport, climbing is very much the wrong one.
In reply to Mark Stevenson:

Sadly it is true that being a sponsored climber is never going to earn you enough cash to live any sort of life. There may be free gear in it, but for most that's as far as it goes.

The point that hasn't really been made with enough force is that companies really don't care about your climbing ability. They care about your media profile. How much exposure can you gain for the company? If you really want to earn a living as a sponsored climber working on your media coverage will be more productive than training to reach the next level.

Given these facts you have to ask if sponsorship is a thing worth chasing?
 Padraig 27 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:
> (In reply to Serpico) maybe i'll be sponsered this time tomorrow!

I'll SPONSOR you! For an english course!!

 JIMBO 27 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:
> Unfortunately it isn't about ..., but how photogenic you are and how hard you can actually climb.

In some cases it is more about who you know rather than what you do! There are very un-photogenic people who are sponsored and who aren't that good. I should know it happened to me

Is it worth it? Do you want kudos or money? The later is the harder unless you are very good (possibly in the 9a's / E10s) or very charismatic and quite good (top 8c's / E9s).
 J.Wells 27 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:

As James Oswald was saying, you're going at it with the wrong sort of attitude. Don't climb to get sponsored, climb cos you enjoy it, and look at sponsorship as a great bonus. Even more so in Britain, you don't really stand a chance of living a Chris Sharma type lifestyle, all the top british climbers have to work very hard for a fairly average existence, just read Dave Macleod's blog!
 sihills 27 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:
im aware that lots of people climb a harder grade than me but i dont know how many have been climbin for about 2 years (1 year seriously) and climb it.

I onsighted my first E6 9 months after my first lead and iam no where near to being good enough to make a living from just climbing. I dont mean to sound harsh but im sure there are quite a few people out there who have climbed harder than 6a after a year. You may want to change your plans for the rest of your life, no matter how much work you put in you need to be naturally talented to actually get as good as the sharma's, pearsons, mclure of this world.

Sorry to be blunt.
OP trigger118 27 Sep 2008
In reply to sihills:

dont worry about being blunt, i want people to be thats why i asked the question lol,
 Rob15 27 Sep 2008
In reply to sihills:E6 after 9 months? thats impressive, how old were you at the time??
Anonymous 27 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:
i appreciate this might be a bit of a hijack, but how do people like steph davis manage to spend ALL of their time climbing and skydiving? is there a lot more money in the states for climbing?
 JIMBO 27 Sep 2008
In reply to Anonymous: I'm not sure but I guess quite a bit of it depends on what type of lifestyle you want to settle for. Perhaps if you like living at home with your mum or kipping in a camper till you're 50 then maybe that's how they get by doing these fun things all day...
 DAVE381 27 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson: speaking from what experience?
In reply to DAVE381: don't know what you're replying to. But generally from talking to sponserers, people who have been sponsered, advice on here and general common sense.
 pottsworth 27 Sep 2008
In reply to Anonymous:
There is probably more money in the states from companies like oakley, who are looking to sponsor extreme sports stars with a cool image
 petestack 27 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson:
> (In reply to DAVE381) don't know what you're replying to.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=322298#x4753644

(Click the 'In reply to' link!)
In reply to petestack: cheers, never knew that...
In reply to Gus: Do Spanish and French climbers have to trek up to the Yorkshire Moors in oerder to get sponsored? Bloody hell!
In reply to Richard Bradley: What's up with that? Unfortunately we lost another 5 potential sponsies today attempting highcliffe crack.
Anglesey Pete 27 Sep 2008
In reply to Franco Cookson: the word is SPONSORED!
 zorro 28 Sep 2008
In reply to Anonymous: I seem to recall alleged news of Chris Sharma getting a $250,000 deal from Fila a few years back, dunno if that was true?

But guys like Jason Kehl are still crapping and sleeping in the back of a Dodge Van all year round, so full time climbing probably doesn't pay enough over there or anywhere for that matter.

Surely the more media coverage a sport gets from appealing to the mass audience, then the more money there is for companies to sponsor climbers to wear their stuff. Look at David Beckham, he's promoting bloody felt tip pens now!!!!

I'm kind of glad good climbers don't get anything, means the sport isn't too popular and i can go to the crag and climb what i want without a wait.
 Dax H 28 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118: Good luck working towards sponsorship.
As has been mentioned before it is all about being noticed and being deemed good for the brand. This does not just include being able to onsite E silly but also your personality and presence.

The trouble with sponsorship in this game is in my opinion the lack of sales ability of climbing gear.

Take a sport like downhill mountain bike and you will find lots of top level people earning a bloody good living out of it but every year a new must have bike is out and people will buy it.
With climbing gear it is a little different.
You start and buy a decent rack.
Over the next year you will tweak that rack until it is right for you.
Over the next 20 years you will replace the odd lost or broken bit but that is it.
 GrahamD 29 Sep 2008
In reply to trigger118:

Its not about grades, its about marketability. Obviously the very hardest grades are marketable but media exposure, exposure to potential buyers, personality all count.

It can't be coincidence that a few years back every BBC outside broadcaster had a TNF lable prominantly on show !

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