Keeping sponsors will be a challenge for clubs

Bundaberg clubs are set to not only have a challenge this year but next year as well when it comes to support

Takalvans owner Dale Rethamel says sponsors will find it tough to support clubs in the next 12 months. Photo: Mike Knott.

SPORT: One of Bundy’s biggest investors through sponsorship in sport says this year will not be the year clubs need to worry about sponsors.

It will be next year when clubs chase them to pay and support them.

Dale Rethamel owns Takalvans, a caravan sales and servicing business, which supports multiple sports, events, and organisations through sponsorship and support.

Name any sport, then somewhere, somehow, Takalvans is involved.

But Rethamel admits how he spends sponsorship next year will be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our turnover has been drastically decreased,” he said.

“We will have to be sensible where we invest.”

Rethamel does not have to worry about that this year.

He is already paid up for the sponsorship to clubs for this year after payments were required in January, February and March.

Rethamel said that would be the situation with almost all sponsors paying up to prevent them not paying at the end of the season and getting the money to pay upfront.

This means that clubs next year will have to fight harder to keep or gain sponsors as businesses think twice about investing.

Rethamel is one of them and said he would be loyal to ones that were loyal to him.

He’s also hoping that other Bundy businesses, which have done well out of the pandemic, can help while others recover.

“They have a civic responsibility to put their hands in their pocket to help out while they’ve been doing well,” he said.

“Some have been having good little boom periods so hopefully they can give back.”

Rethamel is confident his business can go back to normal once the restrictions are lifted.