How to Build a Sponsorship Kit That Actually Gets Noticed by Brands

Your Kit Is Your Resume: Treat It Like One

Every week, brands on Rally UP receive dozens of sponsorship inquiries. Most get skimmed in under 10 seconds. The ones that get a response share something in common: a well-structured sponsorship kit that answers the brand's real question: "Why should we invest in you?"

Here's what separates the kits that get deals from the ones that get ignored.

Lead With Your Story, Not Your Stats

Brands aren't sponsoring a DUPR rating. They're sponsoring a person. Your bio should open with who you are and why pickleball matters to you, not "I'm a 4.5 player from Texas." Consider:

• What made you fall in love with pickleball?
• What's your competitive journey been like?
• What do you stand for off the court?

A brand selling premium paddles wants to associate with someone who embodies dedication and progression. A lifestyle brand wants authenticity and relatability. Your story sets the tone for the entire relationship.

DUPR and Tournament Results: Present Them in Context

Yes, your DUPR score matters. But a 4.2 player who won their local open and is trending upward is more interesting to many brands than a 5.0 who hasn't competed in six months. When listing your results:

• Show trajectory: "Improved from 3.8 to 4.5 DUPR in 14 months" tells a growth story
• Name specific events: "3rd Place, APP Austin Open Mixed Doubles" is better than "multiple tournament placements"
• Include recent results: Anything older than 12 months should be moved to a secondary section

Connect your DUPR account directly through Rally UP so brands can verify your rating in real time. Verified ratings get 3x more engagement from brands than self-reported ones. Read our full breakdown in DUPR Ratings Explained: Why Your Score Matters for Sponsorships.

Social Media Numbers: Quality Over Quantity

A player with 2,000 engaged followers who comment, share, and buy products is more valuable to a brand than someone with 20,000 ghost followers. When presenting your social presence:

• List your platforms with handles so brands can check immediately
• Highlight engagement rate, not just follower count. If your posts average 8% engagement, say that
• Show content samples: Link to 2-3 of your best-performing posts that demonstrate the kind of content you'd create for a sponsor
• Be honest: Brands will check. Inflated numbers destroy trust instantly

Deliverables: Be Specific About What You Offer

"I'll post about your product on social media" is vague. Brands want to know exactly what they're getting. Strong deliverables look like:

• "3 Instagram Reels per month featuring product in gameplay footage"
• "Logo placement on tournament apparel for all PPA/APP events"
• "1 dedicated YouTube review video within 30 days of receiving product"
• "Monthly Instagram Story takeover showcasing behind-the-scenes training"

The more specific you are, the easier it is for a brand to calculate their ROI, and the more professional you appear.

Your Ask Range: Don't Shoot in the Dark

Setting your sponsorship ask is uncomfortable, but necessary. Here's a framework:

• Under 5K followers: Focus on product-only deals ($200-$500 value) to build your portfolio
• 5K-15K followers: Product plus $500-$2,000 cash per quarter is realistic
• 15K-50K followers: $2,000-$10,000 quarterly deals with content deliverables
• 50K+ followers: Custom packages, ambassador roles, $10,000+ annually

Rally UP lets you set an ask range rather than a fixed number, which gives brands room to negotiate. Most successful deals on the platform start at the athlete's minimum and get structured up from there. For detailed market benchmarks, see How to Price Your Sponsorship.

Photos and Media: Invest in This

A sponsorship kit with no photos is like a resume with no name. You need:

• A professional headshot: doesn't need a studio, just good lighting and a clean background
• Action shots on court: showing intensity, form, and the environments you compete in
• Lifestyle/casual photos: brands want to see the whole person, not just the athlete
• Any existing brand content: if you've done product photos or review videos before, include them

The Bottom Line

Your sponsorship kit isn't a formality. It's your sales pitch. Brands decide in seconds whether to keep reading or move on. Fill out every section of your Rally UP profile, connect your DUPR account, link your socials, upload real photos, and write a bio that makes someone want to know more about you.

The athletes who treat their kit like a professional portfolio, not an afterthought, are the ones signing deals.

Create your free Rally UP profile and start building a kit that gets noticed. Need to avoid the most common pitfalls? Read 5 Mistakes That Kill Your Sponsorship Chances.