I feel like this would alienate people, and not a good look.
As for sponsors, it really comes down to the crowd you’re catering to. OTB, Casinos, etc… may not be a good fit for a family friendly event.
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So I also run a Cub Scout troop and youth soccer team and am on my kids PTO.
One issue we have in all three of those groups is fundraising is really tight right now. Normal sponsors we reached out to have cut their outreach budgets significantly and it seems to be a trend that’s made it harder in general to get stuff done yet everything is also more expensive.
All three of the orgs I noted above have guidelines and restrictions on sponsors that would preclude the more controversial outreach anyway, So I see your point but from my experience in fundraising for stuff it’s harder than it’s been in years.
I’m not arguing for any of the stuff I noted but some offers came up that I initially declined and it made it worth asking the forums for a consensus. I’m not actively reaching out to these but some venues when I’ve talked to them have partnerships with things like sportsbooks (a club room at a local large baseball teams stadium) where it makes things weird cause the space is perfect but their will be advertising for those companies regardless of the contest getting support.
Just trying to see where lines are drawn for folks and I’m happy folks are being civil in the conversation
I’m basically using this thread to draft my clubs sponsor guidelines in a way as there isn’t such a thing and I like having stuff in writing like this
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Casino would be cool. Then you could smoke cigs inside
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lol I don’t think anyone has smoked indoors in a few decades. I do remember bowling in the 2000s and then having a dedicated smokers room that was vented when laws shifted to no longer allowing a smoking section in places. The mgm in Maryland “nearby” acts more like a large “family” hotel and convention center with a massive casino attached. Other “casinos” in VA are actually only electronic sports betting places as “gambling” like card games and slots and traditional casino games are still illegal in the commonwealth of Virginia “for now” there allot if lobby money pushing to change that and more large sports betting casinos popping up that happen to have space to expand into those other games when they are made legal.
Casinos are weird though. I think if a betting den I get scummy vibes but they market so much like they are family friendly places and every ad you hear has the mandatory of you need gambling help call this help line at the end. Such contradictions. It’s weird but I know nats was in Vegas and I don’t live Vegas so I get folks instant gut reactions to the concept.
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Responding to both your threads:
Aus Nats used to be held in a shopping centre. This meant lots of randos stopping to have a look, far more than would turn up for a yoyo contest. Shops here sell very few yoyos or kendamas, but they do sell fingerboards so that might be a skill toy crossover that works.
Last year Adelaide regionals were in a pub because they had a stage that looked good for yoyo tricks. I think Nats were in a hall owned by a church, but praying was not required; considering how many different groups in Aus rent out church halls the prayer requirement seems out of the ordinary.
We have few casinos and a casino without a private function room also seems out of the ordinary.
Most important for me is a decent stage and lighting (ie stage lights for the audience and a UV for the film) so that I look good, anything else is a bonus.
For sponsors, I’m amazed at how many events some yoyo companies sponsor with slim profit margins. If any non yoyo companies want to sponsor a yoyo contest then cool beans.
If you’re looking for a non yoyo sponsor who you can morally stand behind, good luck. When I was a teen my friends and I started a hockey team and asked the local Coke rep about sponsorship, Coke paid to have our jerseys embroidered and I was stoked. As an adult I can see that Coke use way too much water and we don’t have enough to go around here.
This is a matter of perspective, but I’m happy the online gambling scene hasn’t taken an interest in yoyo comps. If yoyo comps ever become big like other sports it would rely on the gambling providers support, but also definitely lead to corruption and coercion and make me not want to be involved. If anything happens to make people say that the contest was rigged to increase profits for the gambling providers, that’s the one thing that has made me phase out from other sports
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Also for those saying as your local group. They don’t respond lol. I post lots of stuff and folks show up but engagement is minimal to non lol. So yall are my habitually online cohort to bounce thoughts around with . So I thank yall for that
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I never considered this until now, maybe the YYE forum could collect donations and the forum and it’s members would be an event sponsor. I could send you five bucks, and that would stack up if we all put in
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What about local businesses to the area it’s being hosted in? Like how little league teams are sponsored by roofing companies and pizza shops around here. My little league team was sponsored by hatboro pizza lol.
I wonder if a theater/ playhouse could be a viable option? Ahh but then there’d be ticket sales and all that… same with a concert hall…. But what about school gymnasiums or auditoriums?
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Ohh yeah I have feelers out to various theaters and other venues some of them are a bit snooty. Closer you get to DC the more expensive and selective the venues seem to get. But yea I have lots of other options I’m looking at in parallel. I’ll definitely hit up various companies it would be funny to have a roofing company sponsor but that would be pretty benign.
No ideas are bad ideas that’s for sure well nix that my ideas might have been bad at the top if this thread lol
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For the yoyo boomers you might get traxxas interested if you told them thier silicone grease is the bomb for lubing 0a yoyos. I’m thinking toy brands are not super controversial.
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Also since ultra Grey silicone is a really popular response option, maybe hit them up? Maybe several brands if you like different silicone flavors.
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depending on the size and make-up of your audience, you could hit up a local vfw or american legion. sometimes those places will hold events, and will serve food, or you can work with them and a pizza place/small caterer and give them a way to make a few bucks while still providing support to the event.
i guess, how many people are you expecting to perform and visit. fl regionals has been held at a mall/entertainment center called dezerland. it has go carts and pinball, and little shops and food, but not like your traditional mall.
another thing to consider - is the level of players and if/how far folks are willing to travel. a contest attracting more amateurs may draw more folks that are less willing to perform in public, and have support from folks that are more mainstream… almost like a scouting event for sports.
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I love the title to this thread. All of humanity’s issues summed up in three concise words and a bit of punctuation.
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Total guesstimate but based on contests in the region and previous ca states around 100 spectators and 30 contestants but who knows ca states skipped a year and it’ll be further north this time
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I think another thing that will help folks a bit is numbers and I like transparency
My guess on venue size is using math based on a dance hall requirement which is about 14’ per person plus a stage, judge area, 6 booths at 8’ tables and a small practice area and checkin booth. All in all that’s about 2,500 to 3,000 sq ft needed with at least 15’ ceilings overhead.
That removes a bunch of places right off the bat either on the venue stars at 15000 sq ft and is massively over kill or maxes out at 2k sq ft
Then it’s money I have a few “free” options but they have hard limitations or requests that are awkward. I have locations between 500 to 3k in cost that could work but are farther away from public transport and airports (over an hour drive with traffic) then things near airports toward the city generally shoot up to 5k to 30k in costs just for the venue. Those numbers often don’t include stage rental and seating and tables. (Often theaters charge extra for stage usage)
Hope that helps folks understand where I’m coming from on cost being an issue. I could do this back down in Richmond but that’s a 4 hour drive for me and would make my personal expenses running the event harder or up toward Baltimore and do something joint with bmore YoYo’s club but similar issue on my end and I wouldn’t want to saddle Abby with a bunch of effort.
There are some silly ideas I have like I have a contact through my soccer club for a regional bank they could easily fund the entire Dc area venue but they would demand center billing as sponsor and either a booth to sign up folks for banking or being in the Title (state yoyo contest presented by xyz bank) but that feels just as off putting.
Other options cut scope and limit folks, ignore travel issues and just make it geared toward locals, entry fees, or non conventional options that will take more time like applying for a non profit status for my club then applying for county grants (I’ve actually been working that angle but it’s cumbersome) there are a few places I haven’t heard back from that might fit the distance and space needs so maybe I’ll strike gold but just throwing out there some transparency around the venue.
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Not in some states. A number of states have negotiated with tribal casinos to not interfere with the gambling if they follow state guidelines regarding smoking and tobacco. All casinos in Minnesota are on tribal land. We used to be able to buy tax free cigarettes at the casinos in Minnesota. That ended about 15 years ago. Only reservation members can buy tax free and there is no smoking in the casinos.
I’ve won a couple of prizes of moderate value from online contests. They sent a 1099 along with the prize.
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Yeah some don’t do that and technically the IRS doesn’t like that stuff… but I’ve also been taxed in a few online things they where mostly larger winnings outside of this hobby.
Have you contacted the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? I hear they have scads of cash to spend! 
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Ohh man when I was working for a hedge fund they were the worst. We legit would try for Saudi money every year and every time it was a big show and dance and unrealistic demands that made it impossible to go forward but we entertained them every single time.
My understanding is with the oil value dropping and US having the largest pull of oil out if the ground at the moment they are actually pulling back on allot of investments they previously committed to. The Venezuela and Iran situation will only make things more interesting going forward and that’s all I’ll say to not get way off course here….
The Saudis are swimming in cash. But they are shrewd investors for sure.
While the US pumps more oil, we typically consume most of it. On the other hand, the Saudis/Gulf producers. enjoy a geographical advantage with proximity to other large markets like Europe and Asia meaning they still generate a ton of cash. The Gulf also has extensive distillation and cracking resources making it a large producer of refined products like kerosene.
Venezuela, has the same issue; but for them it is a liability. Their potential market is mostly the US due to the distance to other strategic markets like Asia or Europe. Venezuelan and Brazilian oil will be important to the US in 2035 and beyond as we tap frack the last drops from the Permian basin in Texas. The US also has significant domestic deposits of oil in shale that is viable at certain production expense levels.
Bottom line; there is a ton of oil available in the world today and far into the future. So much for ‘Peak Oil’ nonsense.