Johan Cruyff Institute evaluation committee awards Evans and Gómez a scholarship for the Postgraduate in Sport Sponsorship Online, for being the best of the more than 500 proposals submitted
David Evans and Rubén Gómez were responsible for the two winning projects from all the 2016 editions of the free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Sport Sponsorship offered by the Johan Cruyff Institute, in collaboration with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and GlobalSportsJobs. More than 500 final proposals were presented to meet the challenge posed by the course: the activation of a sponsorship for a Cruyff Court of the Cruyff Foundation.
The winners will receive the prize of a scholarship to study Johan Cruyff Institute’s Postgraduate in Sponsorship Online, and thereby expand their knowledge in an area in which they have learned, through the MOOC, the first basic notions. Johan Cruyff Institute will start soon with a new course: Sponsorship 360 for a Changing World.
Ruben Gómez opted for Nike as a sponsor of his activation project. According to Cinto Ajram, professor of sport marketing at Johan Cruyff Institute and tutor of the Spanish edition of the MOOC, “it is a project that deserves to be the winner because it has been able to link perfectly the chosen brand with the Cruyff Courts project, thinking not only of different activations both internal and external, but also of the rationale of the case, which has benefits for the brand and for the Foundation, and the budget is realistic. A very good project that, without a doubt, could become a reality”.
Pati Roura, director of the Cruyff Foundation Spain, believes that “choosing a sponsor like Nike fits the Cruyff Courts well because it is able to reach many young people and its origins are linked to sport. In addition, slogans like Nike’s ‘Just do it’ reflect Johan’s character very well – act decisively and aim for clear objectives. I can clearly see synergies between the two institutions and a sharing of values”.
The David Evans project takes the Cruyff Foundation’s Cruyff Courts to Australia, introducing a sponsorship activation with Woolworths Supermarkets, an Australian supermarket chain that promotes children’s health and wellbeing. According to Richard Denton, professor of sport marketing at Johan Cruyff Institute Amsterdam and tutor of the MOOC in English, “the Evans concept perfectly aligns with the values and principles of the Cruyff Foundation. The project focuses on promoting the health and wellbeing of children, the main mission of the Foundation and the Cruyff Courts, and promotes children’s education and social inclusion through sport. These concepts mean the commercial activation does not have so much weight, but it does still allow the sponsor and its products to benefit from this association.”
According to Richard Denton, “finding the right balance in a sponsorship partnership is critical to the success of the project. The Evans project allows its sponsors to contribute additional skills, resources and services that will contribute to a sustainable partnership with the Cruyff Courts.”
Sander Waare, manager of the Cruyff Courts project, believes that “David Evans demonstrates he has undertaken a thorough investigation into the synergy between Woolworths’ social responsibility strategy and the Cruyff Foundation’s social values, and also includes some creative ideas that could enrich our current approach for the Cruyff Courts official 6vs6 championship. It is interesting to read about a possible expansion of the Cruyff Court project to Australia, where, because of the existing sports culture and social awareness, the project would have a good chance to thrive. It is clear that David has put much care and time into his project”.
NEW PROGRAM: SPONSORSHIP 360 FOR A CHANGING WORLD
In September Johan Cruyff Institute Amsterdam will start a new program Sponsorship 360 for a Changing World with Richard Denton. Click here for further information.
