Sponsorship Opportunities
TEAM CLARKE
IDITAROD RACE TEAM
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The Iditarod is a 1,100-mile race from Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast. Each team of sixteen dogs and their musher cover over 1150 miles in 10-17 days with temperatures averaging from 30 above to 30 below Fahrenheit, dropping as low as –50 at times. Now in it’s 38th year, film crews from the US, Germany, Spain, Great Britain, and Japan, as well as journalists flock to the event to record the unique stories of these men and women and their special relationship with their team of dogs.
Linda and I are looking for sponsors in order to compete in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. This year will be our 6th Iditarod and we hope to place significantly higher if all goes according to plan. We have started fall training with 7 new dogs to supplement the team as well as 4 more of our own home raised puppies, who will be old enough to try out for a spot on the team. Thirty-two dogs are currently in training to make the final 16-dog team that will run the Iditarod. The season spent in preparing to run the Iditarod requires a huge commitment of time, effort, and financial resources. Training started after Labor Day with early morning and late night runs on a 600 lb. ATV to build a solid fitness base and mileage will continue to increase as conditioning increases. Dan MacEachen, along with several other Iditarod veterans are providing solid mentoring in helping us reach our goal of a 10-day finish in this year’s Iditarod.
We really need a solid base of financial support if we are to have a successful season, as our budget this year is $32,218.00. We’ve included an itemized budget to give potential sponsors a breakdown of the costs involved in maintaining an Iditarod Race Team, as well as a list of sponsorship levels and their respective benefits. For the past two years our employers have graciously consented to give us a leave of absence January through March to finish training and running the race.
We hope you will take the time to consider and sponsor our Iditarod Campaign. Please feel free to call or e-mail with any questions or comments regarding the team, the race, and sponsorship. We would love to hear from you. Enjoy reading through the attached team roster for this year, as it will allow you to become familiar with the athletes we are asking support for, and give us a call if you would like to visit our kennel and meet the dogs in person.
SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS
Any sponsorship over $4000 will reap the benefits of the Iditarod marketing network as well as our own. The benefits include:
• The Iditarod will be covered daily on Versus (formerly the OLN network) with feeds going to CNN and ESPN. With your corporate name or logo on all of our dog’s jackets, sled, parkas and dog truck, people around the work will have an opportunity to view your generous support. This year Discovery Channel has made this year’s Iditarod a 4-part mini-series.
• Through our marketing we will also do our best to work with local newspapers in your area to see if they would be willing to receive live coverage from the event compliments of your company.
• All sponsors will receive bi-weekly e-mail updates from the beginning of training throughout the race, with exciting news on the dogs, mushers and beauty of the Montana and Alaskan landscape.
• You will receive a thank you in the 50-page magazine published by the Iditarod Headquarters, in both the pre-race and post race issues.
• An appearance by the dog team at regional or corporate headquarters in also an option.
• Mushers this year will all have GPS trackers so race fans and sponsors can track the team and their location, average speed and rest stops – making the race more exciting and fan friendly
SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
All sponsors will receive weekly e-mail updates from the beginning of training throughout the race, with exciting news on the dogs, mushers and beauty of the Montana and Alaskan landscape.
All sponsors of $100 or more, who commit before January 1, will receive a thank you in the 50-page magazine published by the Iditarod Headquarters.
SPONSOR A DOG-
For $1500 sponsors will be able to choose which of the team dogs they would like to individually support. You will receive the daily e-mail updates, the name of your company or family on the doghouse truck that will be housing the dogs at the race and on the road, a framed and signed picture of Lachlan and the dogs, and the quilted dog-jacket that your dog will be wearing during the race when temperatures are extremely cold, with both the dog’s and your name monogrammed on the jacket, plus a set of dog booties worn at some point during the race by your sponsored dog. You will also receive a biography of your dog, with facts about his/her personality and their contribution to the team.
SPONSOR A LEAD DOG-
For $2000 sponsors will be able to choose which of the lead dogs they would like to sponsor. Although each dog in the team is valuable to the team’s success, the lead dog is crucial in leading the team to Nome. Each lead dog will be used on sections of the trail that it will best serve the team; some on flat boring sections, others on winding, dangerous trails, open water and mountain passes, others when the keen sense of finding the trail in white out conditions is needed. They can make a depressed team happy, a tired team snappy, give a team confidence, and help the musher out on sections of trail that are windblown and can’t be seen. For this generous contribution, sponsors will receive the benefits mentioned above for Sponsoring a Dog, an official 2007 Iditarod t-shirt, and your family or company name on Lachlan’s and the handler’s parkas.
TEAM SPONSORSHIP-
Any sponsorship over $3000 will reap the benefits of the Iditarod marketing as well as our own. The Iditarod will be covered daily on the Versus Channel with feeds going to CNN and ESPN. With your corporate name or logo on all of our dog’s jackets, sled, parkas and dog truck, people around the world will have an opportunity to view your generous support. Through our marketing we will also do our best to work with local newspapers in your area to see if they would be willing to receive live coverage from the event compliments of your company. Along with the benefits mentioned in our Sponsor A Lead Dog package, our Team Sponsors will benefit from media exposure to the fullest extent possible.
For any questions regarding sponsorship, or if you would like more information about the team and the Iditarod, you can reach us at 719/395-2468, Ext. 139 until January 3rd, or e-mail us at: linda@adventureunlimited.org. Our cell phone number, which you can reach us at any time is: 719-237-9241. Our mailing address is: Lachlan and Linda Clarke, P.O. Box 2036, Buena Vista, CO 81211.