Bob Mastin is disappointed more business operators aren’t supporting athletes vying to represent Canada at the Olympics.
And Mastin, a registered seed grower in Sundre, Alta., is putting his money where his mouth is.
After sponsoring four athletes competing in the 2012 London summer Olympics, he’s making another contribution as the winter games in Sochi in February approaches.
Mastin, who works with Action Talent Sports Management, which links athletes and businesses, was disappointed at a recent meeting when the number of athletes greatly outnumbered the businesses interested.
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“It doesn’t take an awful lot. A couple of thousand dollars can really help these athletes,” said Mastin.
Connie deBoer, president of Action Talent Sports Management, said the organization represents almost 150 athletes.
She said high level amateur athletes can require as much as $15,000 in funding — in addition to federal funding — to focus on training in their Olympic year without having to work a day job.
“Farming can be tenuous, but it’s even more tenuous than farming. A lot of the favourites never made it. Just goofy things happened and they spent four years training and got blindsided by some goofy event,” said Mastin.
“I thought, ‘wow, that makes me more relaxed about farming because I get a crop every year. These guys get a crop once every four years.’ “
For his $5,000 contribution in London, the athletes he sponsored donned Mastin Seeds hats at the games.
“For companies that really need the exposure it would be great. For myself, I don’t really need the exposure. I could work at sponsoring young and promising athletes that have got a real good shot of making it but no guarantees,” said Mastin.
“If they don’t make it, that’s no big loss of myself other than being a good patriotic Canadian and trying to do my part.”
Sponsorship dollars often come from larger corporations or multinationals. DeBoer, who arranges deals ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, said she typically works with businesses in the oil, gas and mining sectors. As an independent agribusiness operator, Mastin is the exception.
“Other agribusiness groups are coming and asking questions to us and I think that is just phenomenal” said deBoer.
