Dave Clucas @ClooksIOM has suggested the idea of us all chipping in to sponsor a rider at the TT. His suggestion is roughly that 1000 of us race fans chip in say a fiver each.
I think it is a great idea but would obviously need some coordination. Rider? Treasurer? Account? etc etc.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. I would put the effort in but it would take a squad of us to publicise it enough to get plenty of support.
Please feel free to comment below. Thanks
Interested to know what we could provide a rider with say £5000?
Christmas update
So far the following have made pledges, thanks.
@runwaychris @callumitfc @clooksiom @lozzerlou @millarwalt1198 @fitzjnr @r2aud @orinocho @ecrummy @paddyplumb @bluebullitt @amadeus_iom and Nathan Cooke. We also have a volunteer who can assist with banking matters in IOM.
Thats 13 at the moment. Let me know if I have missed anyone out. Even at £50 a pop we still have a way to go. Lets push the boat out and try our best to get some more pledges and then make a move on a rider/ sidecar team. Cheers.
January Update
I have requested details from 3 riders since Christmas and have today received a response from Crumlin rider Stephen Thompson, which I have attached. Please have a read and let me know your thoughts.
I have also asked Stephen a few questions (see below), the answers to which I will post as soon as I get them. Thanks to @weebuns Margaret for help and support.
How would £1000 be used to help your 2012 season, especially to IOM TT?
How would £2000 be used to help your 2012 season, especially the IOM TT?
Ideally, when do you need to receive sponsorship funds?
What endorsement would we as a sponsor receive – sticker size etc for the above amounts?
Would you be happy for us to produce sponsor T shirts, which may also generate extra funds, especially if we mention T shirt printer on the garment?
If we want to give this ago we all need to raise our game a little and get some more friends, enemies, family, collegues, twitterers etc on board. I look forward to reading your comments. Thanks.
I received a reply from Stephen which you will find below. My views are that we should pull the finger out and agree to at least set up an account, appoint a treasurer and secretary, affirm Stephen as our nominated rider, set ourselves a realistic target and most of all promote the plans rigourously. Please add you comments below so that we call see where we are going. Thanks folks.
Dear Chris
Thank you for your email. As you know any money and help from people is always appreciated.
THe amount of £1000 would help with traveling costs to the Island and also fuel costs as this year I am aiming to compete in four races.
The amount of £2000 would help with my tyre bill, last years tyre bill for the TT alone was £2500. THe bike always needs chains, oil changes for engine forks with the mileage that is done at the TT.
My season will be starting off in March with a few short circuits then the North West 200 and then onto the TT, Ulster Grand Prix and Macau along with other shorts circuits in between. I am currently preparing the bikes for the forthcoming season ahead. Regarding when i would need the funds if they would be avaliable at then end of April begining of May.
The size of a sticker on the bike for £1000 sponsorship would be 20cm by 4cm, for £2000 30cm by 5cm also a patch on my leathers for both amounts.
As for TShirts, coats, hoodies etc I don’t really mind. It would be good if you choose too as this would show more support to the team and raise the profile.
Cheers again hope this helps you understand my racing and costs at the TT.
Stephen Thompson.
January 24th
Hope you have all had time to read Stephens sponsor brief and letter reply. I am keen to push on and maybe start some more ball rolling. I have currently heard from 14 good folk who are prepared to climb aboard. I am now going to propose that we sponsor Stephen the sum of £1000, (£50pp) which means we need a few more pledges. If you are in agreement with this please comment on here as soon as possible.
I also need a treasurer (Laura?), to arrange a free account- maybe even paypal which will be easy for folk to pay in to………
A Marketing Manager……Clooks? Merchandise, logo etc…
Photographer……..Caroline?
I am happy to act as secretary, dish washer, fixer and to post updates on here.
Looking forward to hearing your views.
Chris
February update
I have now received sponsor pack from Hungarian rider Sandor Bitter and link to this is below
Please feel free to have a read and let me know your thoughts.
I havent had any responses to my previous proposal to sponsor Stephen Thompson, with a £1000 target, so I presume that you are not keen. I will only move this forward if I get support in the way of positive agreement to this proposal or indeed a different proposal. I am afraid that if I push things forward without genuine agreement or support I could fall on my face. I am also satisfied that without the support I will postpone arrangements for another time. Thanks a million and I look forward to hearing from you. Chris
nomidlifecrisis 
Count me in mate. Let me know what you want me to do and I am sure we can get something sorted. Guess first thing is to decide who then go from there. Not only support a rider but good fun watching somethingyou have helped put on the grid. Nothing like it….. come on everyone
Now thats the spirit Dave. Lets get some support from the rest of you and get this ball rolling.
How do we find out riders that require sponsorship? I know entries open early in the New Year.
Great idea, id be more than happy to help out a rider for just a fiver 🙂
Sounds good to me. Those brave guys and girls deserve all the help we can give. I cant wait to get all 1,000 of us stood on top of thon container at the start/finish at the Ulster Grand Prix next year. It will be mega!
Oh. Just noticed its only for IOM TT. I guess my dreams of the VIP area at the UGP will have to wait. I guess we will have to make do with 1,000 TT pit lane passes instead. Go Nomidlifecrisis Racing!
Like your style. Come on lads and lasses, that 4 of us up for it, another 996 and we would be about there.
Sounds like a brilliant idea. I’d be up for that no problem. A fiver well spent I reckon.
Count me in!!
Thanks a million Laura
Count me and PaddyPlumb in 🙂
Thanks so much Ed and Paddy. Watch this space and see if we can gather up more support.
I will be happy to help, Great idea
Cheers Nathan mate 🙂
1000 fans sounds like a lot to collect a fiver from. Might be worth asking for more and reducing the number or required sponsors in the process? If it goes ahead, put me down for 50 quid 🙂
Thanks for the response mate. I hear what you are saying, especially as the response has been slow so far. I think your suggestion of reducing the numbers and increasing the amount is also a very sensible suggestion. I too would go £50 and suspect that some of those already pledged may do also. At this stage I would be interested on how to find out riders who are seeking sponsorship, race class, amount required etc etc as well as then arranging an account, treasurer etc. What do the rest of the team think?
Can go to £50 as well but lests not put a limit on it. How about any amount. I think that we could do a pack. Maybe up to £50 a sticker and anything above a t-shirt limited to 25. I could have a word with the guy who runs the promenade t-shirt place and see if he can do them for us. We would have to ask the rider to put the Prom t-shirt name on the bike as well. What ya think?
I know a local side car crew who are struggling at the moment. I think they can do well and am sure we can do a meet up and a closer look at the outfit and maybe get pictures in the local press to back up the people like promenade if we can the t-shirts for nowt just throwing it in there. We could do with knowing who as this might increase interest as well from friends and family of the rider or riders. We could pick a good Irish rider but not sure who as we don’t get much info over here about good up and coming riders in ireland.
What ya think?
Great ideas mate. Personally I wouldnt mind who, within reason. Imagine a NI or IOM rider/team would be ideal as at least ther could be some meetings, discussions etc without someone having to travel too far?
Love the idea of Prom T shirts. They have had a few of my quid in the past :). Stickers and T shirts sound excellent too. Reckon you have done this before.
Really need someone with more contacts than me regarding riders seeking help. I wouldnt really know where to start other than twitter/ fb etc
Fantastic idea, we would definitely like to donate and help sponsor/support a racer. Just let us know what we need to do!
Cheers 😉
Thanks folks. Appreciate the comments. Watch this space and as we gather momentum will keep you informed.
Just tweeted it again to see if we can get it going. Guess what, 6 re-tweets so its going well
Would also be happy to help where I can with banking etc as have been involved in committees as treasurer & secretary in the past-guess we’d need some kind of structure?
Excellent, thank you.
Keep up the good work 🙂
I’d be up for chipping in some money to help towards sponsering a rider at the TT and will do my best to help promote it
Thanks a million Caroline. Glad to have you on board. We can but try.
Good work so far team. 129 days to go.
….your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Cheers mate. We need to get a shifty on then 🙂
I’m happy with that. I’ll start looking into accounts etc and will keep you posted… 🙂
Thanks Laura
Agree that there is a need to start the wheels in motion. Can I suggest that we don’t fix the amount per person? Some may be able to meet the subscription increase, no worries, some may not. Some can help with their time, some may not. Some may have commitments to other clubs, etc. Just trying to keep the dream open to all.
I agree with your comments mate. I was rash suggesting what each supporter should donate but I do think it is vital to set ourselves a target amount to aim for. I will stick my neck out and stick with the £1000. All help with time or funds will of course be very much appreciated. Cheers.
Do we have a rider yet?
Hi mate, we had only two riders respond and Sandor has now unfortunately retired. We also got very little response from supporters so I am in a mind to postpone the idea, for this year anyway. I would still like to help support a rider myself and have been in touch with Cargo for the MGP. Of course others can do the same. I simply hope to get him some money and expect nothing in return and trust him how to use it best. The idea of yours is certainly a good one but does need a dedicated bunch of supporters and a few who can cover all the legal angles regarding bank accounts etc. What do you think yourself?
Yep sounds good. I know Cargo really well and we have been friends for years. He is a good lad and has always dreamed of a rep. If there was someone out there that deserved support then it would have to be Cargo
After much thought I have decided to pull the plug on the TT rider sponsorship. To be honest I felt that I really only had decent support from a couple of folk and rarely got responses. I also only heard from two riders, one, Sandor Bitter, has unfortunately retired. I also felt, along with some others that the setting up of accounts and keeping everything completely transparent was going to prove quite difficult.
However I have decided that I am personally going to do a bit to help an IOM rider at this years MGP. Since I began this blog, #96 Stephen Carr has been very kind in giving up some time to provide me with an interview. I hope you managed to have a read or a listen. Cargo funds himself for the MGP and doesnt proactively seek sponsorship, so I have decided that I will help him out in any way I can. It may not be a huge amount but I know he will be grateful. I do not expect anything in return and do not need to know exactly how any money is spent. I know he will spend it wisely and is the least I can do to help someone who puts so much into the sport I love.
I hope you understand my thoughts and if you feel you would like join me please dont hesitate to get in touch.
I will of course keep you all updated with Stephens progress at the MGP