Arlington Soccer Association: Rec, Teen & Travel soccer in Arlington, VA

ASA Fundraising & Sponsorship Opportunities

The mission of the Arlington Soccer Association (ASA) is to develop and manage year-round affordable, quality soccer experiences for children of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds and to serve as the leader and advocate for the advancement of soccer in Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, VA.

The Arlington Soccer Association offers recreational and travel soccer, as well as a number of other camps, clinics and other programs throughout the year.  Over 5,500 children on over 400 teams take advantage of ASA programs each season.  In order to increase the impact of our programs while keeping costs affordable, ASA offers sponsorship opportunities suited for organizations of all sizes and aspirations. Please look through the options listed in the menu below, and please ask us if you have any questions about how ASA can expose more highly qualified people to your organization and drive business to you.  If interested in any of these opportunities, or if you are interested in something not listed below, please contact us.

The opportunities are broken into the following categories:  Visibility, Logo Placement, Activation, Outreach, and Program Sponsorships.

Visibility Package

One of our most affordable opportunities is the ASA Visibility Package.  This lets groups get their name in front of ASA’s families in a couple of effective ways, all for an affordable price.

Web:  Our Visibility Sponsors will have their organization’s name or logo appear on the main Sponsors page (http://arlingtonsoccer.com/about-asa/sponsors/), with a click through link to your web site.

Email: Once per season, ASA will distribute an email to ASA families that highlights our Visibility Sponsors.  This is a simple but effective way to gain exposure to our highly qualified audience.
($600 / year)

Logo Placement Opportunities

Jersey/Rec Club Sponsors – Rec club sizes range from @200 to @700 players per season; there are 13 Rec clubs.   Total Rec players per season @ 5,000, plus @ 160 Pre-K and @ 100 Academy participants.

Rec club sponsor logos will be seen all over Arlington County and Falls Church (and beyond), as games and practices are held on some 65 fields in all corners of the area.  Players often wear jerseys to school and elsewhere as they are regarded as statements of inclusion and pride.

Sponsor name/logo on center-front of jersey, club name/logo on front breast, ASA logo on opposite front breast or sleeve.  Sponsorship cost is based on club size and assumes a two year minimum commitment:

Arlington Travel Soccer (ATS) – Travel League guidelines prohibit sponsorship logos on game jerseys, but allow for placement on warm-ups, practice jerseys, gear bags and such team items like team benches and tents.  There are approximately 700 players on 55 teams.

Your logo will not only be seen throughout Arlington and Falls Church, but around the entire DC Metro area and beyond as our teams may travel to regional and national competitions throughout the year.  Costs listed are per year and assume a two year commitment.

Travel Coaches Gear – ASA’s professional Travel Coaching Staff are highly visible in Arlington, around the Metro area, and beyond.  As ASA continues to enhance an already impressive Travel program, our coaches serve as mobile ambassadors for ASA.  Let them do the same for your organization.  Your name or logo will be placed on coaches gear and provide you with a highly visible presence.  This gear is typically worn at games, practices, and generally “around town” as well by more than 40 coaches.

Balls – ASA strives to supply each player with his/her own ball in order to help develop skills both at practices and in the player’s spare time.  This approach has been shown to provide a demonstrable improvement in skill levels for players of all ages as well as an increased pace at which these skills are acquired and enhanced.  For some ASA players, this may be not only their first soccer ball, but also may be the only way they will be able to have a ball at home.

Due to wear and turn-over, ASA purchases approximately 1,300 balls per year @ approximately $10 per ball.  Typical balls are six-panel with Sponsor name/logo/website address on three panels, ASA/club logos etc. on others.  Your logo will be seen at every practice, at every game, at every field, and at each player’s home over the course of the year.
Sponsor name/logo on 1,300 balls – $11,500

Pinnies/training bibs – Worn by all teams during practices, warm-ups and by goal-keepers in many games, pinnies offer a great way for your logo to be seen all around the area during the week and on game weekends.  ASA purchases approximately 1,000 per year @ approximately $5 per bib)

Sponsor name/logo on center-front of bib – $5,000

Activation Opportunities

Tournaments: Sponsors will be able to have a primary presence and naming rights at ASA tournaments:

•    ASA offers the ASIST tournament (going on its 6th year) each Spring; this year we had over 240 teams playing over two weekends.  Played exclusively on artificial turf fields, this is a guaranteed event that will be held regardless of weather conditions.  There are approximately 24 fields scheduled for matches.  This event attracts teams from all around the DC Metro area and even up and down the Eastern seaboard
A lead tournament sponsor would have naming rights for this event plus access to all fields.  Opportunities exist for signage at fields as well as points of presence at finals matches.  The lead sponsor will get a full page ad in the tournament directory as well, and this sponsor will be mentioned in press releases and on the tournament and ASA web sites.  ($6,000 / year)

•    ASA will re-inaugurate its Rec Tournament (ART) in the Fall of 2011.  To be played exclusively on artificial turf fields, this will be a guaranteed event to be held regardless of weather conditions.  The number of fields to be scheduled has not yet been determined.
A lead tournament sponsor would have naming rights for this event plus access to all fields.  Opportunities exist for signage at fields as well as points of presence at finals matches.  The lead sponsor will get a full page ad in the tournament directory as well, and this sponsor will be mentioned in press releases and on the tournament and ASA web sites.  ($3,000 / year during the inaugural event)

Outreach Opportunities

Web Site Advertising / Page Sponsorships
All sponsors/contributors will be recognized on the web site.  The level of recognition will be based on the level of support.
Advertising will be offered on the Home/Front page and other click-through pages most often visited by ASA coaches/players/families as well as non-ASA visitors.  The cost of sponsorships will be on a sliding scale and based on page traffic.  (Expected range for a year’s sponsorship: $500 to $1,000)

Relevant Web-Site statistics (September 2010)

Access to ASA Email / Mailing  Lists

Using ASA as the distributor, sponsors would get access to ASA’s email and/or mailing lists (Rec, Pre-K and Travel families) for limited communications.  ASA will be provided with previews of all communications and will have rights of refusal if ASA deems the communication unsuited for distribution to ASA families and staff.  There will be frequency limitations as well.  Total players with email ~5,100, ASA players mailing list~ 6,000.  Access to be included as part of existing sponsorship opportunities for Programs, Tournaments and Rec and Travel club sponsors as outlined in this document.

Signage

Space would be made available for Sponsor signage in the ASA Office located at 5210 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA. (Cost dependent on size of sign (s) – approximately 75 sq. ft. available @ ~ $20/sq. ft.)

Program Sponsorship Opportunities

Soccer Plus – Soccer Plus is an after school tutoring/soccer training program for at-risk/under-privileged elementary school students.  Soccer Plus offers free soccer activities designed to support academic tutoring for at-risk students in Arlington Public Schools.  Conducted as an after school program, Soccer Plus is offered at several elementary schools around Arlington County, VA.  Students experiencing academic difficulties, at risk of gang involvement or simply needing positive role models are selected, by the schools, for this program.

Sponsor will get naming rights for the program, and will be mentioned in all appropriate ASA press releases, other materials, and on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on t-shirts or other appropriate clothing specific to the program.   ($25,000 / year)

TOPSoccer - TOPSoccer is a community-based soccer training and team placement program that brings the opportunity of learning and playing soccer to any boy or girl, ages 4-19, who has a mental or physical disability. TOPSoccer was started in Arlington, VA in 2002.  Our goal is to enable children with disabilities to become valued and successful members of the Arlington and Falls Church youth soccer family.
Sponsor will get naming rights for the program, and will be mentioned in all appropriate ASA press releases, other materials, and on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on t-shirts or other appropriate clothing specific to the program.   ($3000 / year)

ASA’s Coaching Education Program – The Coaching Education Program strives to improve the quality of coaching across all of ASA’s 13 Rec Clubs.  In so doing, the program ultimately benefits the more than 4,500 players in our Rec soccer programs.  USSF F, E, and D coaching courses are taught on a regular basis and are offered (at a discount or no-cost) to ASA coaches, along with other regular coaching seminars, all provided by ASA’s Technical Director.  ASA communicates with its coaches numerous times each season as well, providing tips and information.

Sponsor will get naming rights for ASA’s Coaching Education program, and will be mentioned in all appropriate ASA press releases, other materials, and on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on training materials and / or t-shirts specific to the program.   ($5,000 / year)

Referee Training Program - Classes (typically 30-40 per class) of persons of all ages are trained before ASA Spring and Fall seasons for officiating matches in younger ASA age groups.  Training is free and their initial uniform purchase is partially reimbursed.  USSF Grade 8 courses are also offered and initial certification costs are also reimbursed.

Sponsor will get naming rights for the program, and will be mentioned in all appropriate ASA press releases, other materials, and on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on training materials specific to the program.   ($5,500 / year)

Drop-In “Street Soccer” - ASA offers a variety of supervised pick-up or “street soccer” activities.  Many of these occur in the off-season or on days that school is not in session but many parents still have to work. Each location is staffed with a coach who helps organize and supervise play as well as handle equipment and registration.
Many kids who cannot play in the normal recreational or travel programs enjoy getting out for our street soccer programs.  These sessions provide a structured playing environment and a chance for kids to be part of a team and get physical activity on days they normally would not be able to have the chance.

Sponsor will get naming rights for the program, and will be mentioned in all appropriate ASA press releases, other materials, and on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on t-shirts or other appropriate clothing specific to the program if offered.   ($5,000 / year)

DC United Ticket Program – This program supports the provision of match tickets to staff, volunteers, coaches, referees, and others who make the ASA function.  It is also used to “reward” sponsors, supporters and to cultivate new & potential sponsors/supporters.
Sponsor will get naming rights for the program, and will be mentioned in all appropriate ASA press releases, other materials, and on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on materials specific to the program.   ($6,500 / year)

Financial Aid Endowment - ASA does not turn away any player, regardless of their ability to cover fees, and provides financial aid to any qualifying player in both the Recreational and Travel programs.   Knowing that financial aid is a vital program that is key in helping kids get on the field, ASA offers different levels of sponsorship participation.

Silver Sponsors will be listed on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on materials specific to the program including paper aid request forms.  ($1,500 / year)

Gold Sponsors will be listed the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on materials specific to the program including paper aid request forms.  ($5,000 / year)

The Platinum Sponsor will get naming rights for the program, and will be mentioned in all appropriate ASA press releases, other materials, and on the ASA web site (in the main Sponsors page and on the program-specific page).  This sponsor will get access to ASA families via email and / or mail as noted above.  The sponsor’s name or logo will also appear on materials specific to the program including paper aid request forms.  ($10,000 / year; only one Platinum Sponsor opportunity per year)

(Information: The total cost for Rec soccer financial aid per year is $45,000; The total cost of Travel soccer financial aid per year is $80,000)