RTM Sports Marketing is a division of the RTM Group, a marketing consultancy with contacts across business and sport. Established in the spring of 2005, primarily as a non-profit making service for Sevenoaks RFC, RTM Sports Marketing has grown quickly and now represents a range of clubs and associated businesses.
RTM Group is owned by Roger Mckerlie, a keen, but old, rugby player and long time marketing expert. As Roger says;
“we set this business up because we realised that grassroots sport is often undersold to potential sponsors. My experience is that clubs rely on willing volunteers to raise revenue and, although this army of people are dedicated and passionate about their clubs, they often lack the time and skills to pitch to sponsors in the right way. We have applied our sales and marketing expertise to the task and the results have been impressive.”
However, RTM Sports Marketing isn’t just about bringing more money into grassroots sport. We want to se a huge increase in the numbers of people, regardless of age, participating in sport. As Roger explains;
“everyone who works in this business has to have a passion for sport. Having played rugby at an amateur level for over 30 years I know how important sport is to the very fabric of our society. It creates bonds and friendships for life and gives kids discipline and structure. I am appalled by the lack of government investment into sport in this country, especially when we constantly read about the increasing fragmentation of society; sport brings communities together and anything that does that should be applauded and supported.”
We believe that there are massive opportunities for businesses in supporting grassroots sport. The people who play and support local sport are emotionally involved with their club and as such any sponsor’s brand is automatically elevated in their eyes. Supporting grassroots sport demonstrates that a business does more than pay its rates in a local community; it shows that they are part of it.
