Naming rights

A business pays to have its name on a competition, trophy, event, room or facility.

Typically raises

$3,000

$500–50,000 per sponsorest.

About $120 per organiser hour

Based on one trophy, event or facility name

Is it right for us?

Money: $2,000–10,000
Work: Weeks, part-time
Helpers: 1–2 people
Lead time: 4+ months
Red tape: None

Uncommon: mostly big clubs and events; rare for small groups

People: 1-3
Organiser time: 10-40
Lead time: 3-12 months
Up-front cost: Nothing up front
Risk: low
Who can use it: Long-term facility naming needs an entity able to sign a multi-year contract.

Suits: Sports club or team

Less usual for: High school, Charity, Community group, marae or service club, Kapa haka, choir, theatre or band

When: Summer (Dec–Feb), Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), Spring (Sep–Nov), Start of the sports season

How big a job: Several weeks, part-time, 1–2 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one trophy, event or facility name is about $3,000 per sponsor.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

ESTIMATE: a trophy or day event (low) up to a facility (high). Huia Rugby lists a 'Gold Naming Right' sponsor but no price.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

Decide what can be named and for how long.
Check your constitution and any funder conditions (some grant-funded assets limit naming).
Set a price per year and a minimum term.
Approach the 3-5 businesses most likely to value it.
Write a contract: term, renewal, exit, what happens if the business is sold or disgraced.
Update signage, website and fixtures.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: A member who knows the business owner to make the ask.
Ask people to buy: Local businesses to sign up as sponsors.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 6–8 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: Not neededNone needed
Landowner’s permission: Not needed
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling

Multi-year deals need a legal entity that can sign the contract. Sponsors spread prepaid multi-year deductions over the term (IRD).

Tips

Name trophies and day events first; low risk and easy to sell.

Watch out for

Locking in a cheap long-term naming deal on a valuable asset.

Naming rights: checklist

0 of 9 done

Before

Decide what can be named and for how long.
Check your constitution and any funder conditions (some grant-funded assets limit naming).
Set a price per year and a minimum term.
Approach the 3-5 businesses most likely to value it.
Write a contract: term, renewal, exit, what happens if the business is sold or disgraced.
Update signage, website and fixtures.

After

Bank the money and record it in the books.
Thank donors, sponsors and helpers, by name where they’re happy with that.
Tell supporters what you raised and what it will pay for.