Best Sports Crowdfunding Campaigns
At PledgeSports, we are counting down the top crowdfunding campaigns involved with sport over the past few years. Crowdfunding in sport began with reward based platforms like PledgeSports and had more recently progressed to equity crowdfunding where platforms such as Seedrs host campaigns by companies who want to raise equity by selling their shares to the public.
Below we have added a variety of sporting inviduals, sports teams and companies who have had great success by crowdfunding.
Glencoe Mountain Ski Resort
To the best of our knowledge this is the first time a ski resort has used crowdfunding to fund the lease and purchase of a snow factory. Glencoe mountain ski resort in Scotland had the worst ski season on record in 2016 with only 32 days of skiing. So they decided to try purchase a snow factory which would help Glencoe guarantee winter snow and an annual ski season.
To date the campaign has raised more than £62,000 from over 540 supporters. Check out how they achieved their goal right here – http://gku.swr.mybluehost.me/website_d4eaa78c/projects/glencoe-mountain-snow-making-project/
Jamaican Bobsleigh Team
I guess we can call this one “cool fundings”. A remarkable story unfolded back in 2014 as they Jamaican bobsleigh team needed money as they qualified for the Sochi Winter Olympics. A team that charmed the world in the 1988 Winter Olympics with its unlikely appearance in the games, attended the Winter Olympics in 2014 but if it weren’t for the generosity of the crowdfunding community this would not of been possible. There was one problem, the team lacked funding and needed money fast in order for them to fulfil this opportunity. The cryptocurrency Dogecoin community helped raise $30,000 of the $40,000 that the team sought out for within two days. After, an online campaign was set up, seeking to raise an additional $80,000 through Tilt.com. When the campaign came to an end, the final total raised was over $129,000. It was a truly remarkable achievement and remains of the best sports crowdfunding campaigns ever.
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CARV – Sports Wearable Crowfunding
One of the most interesting and most successful sports crowdfunding campaigns to date. The CARV team raised $275,196 – $225,196 well over it’s original target of $50,000. It all started on a kickstarter campaign in 2016, where the CARV team set out to raise money for their digital ski coach. This device was the first sports wearable that was going to aid your skiing with analysis and vital information on what you are doing right or maybe wrong whilst you ski. It just goes to show that a great idea with great support can lead you in the right direction.
Who can set up crowdfunding campaigns on PledgeSports
Tifosy – Crowdfunding Campaigns for Sports Industry
Tifosy is a sports crowdfunding platform that enables supporters to invest in clubs that they are passionate about. Co-founded by former player and manager Gianluca Vialli and former investment banker Fausto Zanetton. Tifosy have reached over over £1 million with their very own crowdfunding campaign in order to support their business. The £1 million Tifosy has raised will be used to find its expansion into France, Germany and other European markets and will then explore opportunities in China and the US.
The campaign’s target was smashed within 6 weeks and also over 4,000 shares were also sold in the company, making this one of the best sports crowdfunding campaigns we’ve ever seen.
Irish Hockey Team
On October 25th, 2015 the Irish Men’s Hockey Team, or the Green Machine, became the first Irish hockey team to qualify for the Olympic Games. In doing so, they also became the first hockey team in history to qualify for the Olympic games since London 1948.
There was just one problem – a major funding shortfall! And so the Irish hockey federation set up a crowdfunding campaign on PledgeSports. Irish hockey fans rallied behind the team and over €51,000 was raised on PledgeSports making it the most successful and best sports crowdfunding campaign for Rio 2016 globally.
If you want to see how they did it you can check it here – http://gku.swr.mybluehost.me/website_d4eaa78c/projects/obsessed/
Crowdfunding for minority sports
Jonty Evans Raises €500,000 to buy Olympic Horse
Irish eventer Jonty Evans, has achieved a target of raising €500,000 to buy his Rio Olympics horse Cooley Rorkes Drift. Jonty had secured some funding towards the horse’s purchase and decided to start a crowd-funding campaign to attempt to make up the shortfall, with the aim of raising €500,000. He set up a website, jontyandart.com, through which people could donate. Over €63,000 was raised in the first 24 hours and he had reached an impressive €100,000 in donations by one week. This is one of the best stand out sports crowdfunding campaigns that we have ever seen. (PledgeSports helped Jonty in a marketing and PR capacity on the above)
Some classic do’s and don’ts when crowdfunding
U.S. Speedskating Team
The U.S. Speedskating team have turned to crowdfunding to participate in the Winter Olympic Games. The team managed to receive over 2,000 donations tallying to a total of $65,000 on RallyMe. This campaign was a huge success and it allowed to the U.S team to fly to the Winter Games and provides meals to all the athletes. More than 100 hopefuls flew to the Sochi Olympics with 28 making it to the Games, and five earned medals.
More examples of successful sports crowdfunding projects
If you can think of something else to add to our list of best sports crowdfunding campaigns, get in touch and let us know.
PledgeSports is the global leader in crowdfunding & sponsorship for sport.
Are you or someone you know raising money for sport? If so, get in touch with us via
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, or visit www.pledgesports.org and hit “Create A Campaign” to start raising money today!
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