Blackburn United offer shirt sponsorship up as raffle prize

Sep 16 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

BLACKBURN UNITED have come up with a novel way of securing a shirt sponsor for the new season which could cost just £20.

After struggling to secure a new shirt sponsor, club bosses decided to offer up the prized place on the front of the club strip as top prize in a raffle.

Ian McGinty, President of Blackburn United, said: “We have been working hard to find a new shirt sponsor but, after failing to secure a deal, we decided to try and involve local businesses and the local community in the club.

“We have invited companies, groups and individuals to take part in a raffle-based arrangement where a payment of just £20 will gain one entry into a draw to win shirt sponsorship of the team kit for season 2010/11.

“The winning entrant will have their logo on the front of the team’s shirts and displayed prominently on the club website at www.blackburnunited.co.uk as well as in the pages of the club's award-winning match programme.”

Other prizes up for grabs in the innovative raffle include programme advertising and season tickets.

And every entrant will receive a special mention and a weblink in a directory of local businesses and supporters that will be placed on the website and which will be included in each home programme during the season.

McGinty said: “We have been looking at ways to form new links with local businesses and with the local community in general and in the current financial climate we decided that perhaps it was time to be creative and to try something different.

“This scheme will give any size of business or, indeed, any individual or group of individuals an opportunity to receive the exposure that shirt sponsorship can bring at a fraction of the price.” United Secretary Paul Meechan added: “By including a new directory of local businesses in our programme and on our website even if an entrant doesn’t win the main prize, £20 for a season’s worth of advertising represents great value.”

The closing date for entries is Thursday, September 30, at 7pm and the draw will be made in the Blackburn Bowling Club an hour later.

To request your name be entered into the draw contact either Ian on 0776-4681679 or Paul on 07540-434899 or email blackburn.united@googlemail.com