Looking for some exposure? How about 3.5 million people?
That’s what Cochrane doubles luger Tristan Walker is talking about now that he’s back home for the summer, dry-land training in preparation for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
Walker and sliding partner Justin Snith of Calgary, 2013 world champions in the U23 doubles luge event, are training for the big Sochi show. But they also have to raise funds in their quest for that Olympic medal. As carded athletes, they receive a base level of funding from the federal government for their travails.
“We are carded athletes on the national team,” he explains. “When you take into account the number of hours we put in, it works out to below minimum wage. Because of the number of hours we put in, we don’t have time even for a part-time job to support us. We rely pretty much entirely on outside funding through sponsorships and stuff.”
Things like simple living expenses aren’t covered after all the training and travel has drained the budget. So Walker and Snith have to hit the bricks to raise funds. When you choose high-speed sliding as a career, the work never ends.
“This isn’t about Tiger Woods or Sidney Crosby raising millions of dollars,” Walker insists. “It’s not about getting rich.
“It’s about the ability to continue to do what I love – representing Canada.”
Walker and Snith have represented the Maple Leaf admirably this year, becoming the first Canadian-born team to win a luge world championship. The pair also teamed up with singles lugers Alex Gough and Samuel Edney to win silver and bronze medals in World Cup team relay events this season.
That’s plenty of podium time for millions of European and North American luge fans to catch your company logo on Walker and Snith’s stuff on television and in sports photos.
“The estimated audience for luge World Cup is about 3.5 million people,” Walker states. The 21-year-old Cochranite estimates the Olympic exposure is much higher, but didn’t have a number.
The sponsorship “packages” as Walker described them are gold, silver and bronze. The $20,000 gold level includes high-visibility placements on his clothing, sled and vehicle for the sponsor’s brand. The $15,000 silver and $10,000 bronze packages also offer varying levels of exposure for the sponsor’s brand. All levels include social media and website exposure, guided tours of Canada Olympic Park, access to VIP areas at all Whistler and Calgary World Cup races and personal appearances by Snith and Walker at sponsor’s events.
He also has “game-worn,” autographed race bibs at $500 apiece. If he sells enough of those, he’ll be able to make rent.
“I’ve been everywhere from Calgary big oil to smaller businesses. It seems like what you really need is connections into the companies. Making the cold calls so far has not been working.”
And what is he doing to earn that sponsorship funding?
“Eating enough for a small family,” he cracks, as he’s been told by coach Wolfgang Staudinger to put on 15 pounds of muscle this summer to improve start times and make the sled go faster down the track.
“The mass of the sled is going to be a big factor in going fast in Sochi,” relates Walker, who had his fastest season so far this year with Snith.
Given Canada took World Cup luge team-relay bronze in Sochi this year, a medal performance at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games is a very real possibility.
“We’re all fairly comfortable and confident on that track already,” he says.
“I love the track.”
For complete details on sponsoring Walker and Snith in 2014, visit their website at www.walker-snith.com
