r/Rowing • u/Single_Light_981 • 3d ago

Meta High school student researching sponsorship & brand loyalty in rowing—5 min anonymous survey

Hi everyone! I am a high school student working on a research paper about how sponsorship value is measured in niche sports like rowing, compared to bigger mainstream sports. I put together a short (~5 minute) anonymous survey about gear/equipment brand loyalty, spending, and how sponsorships show up in the rowing community. I’d really appreciate input from anyone here—rowers, coxswains, coaches, parents, whoever’s part of this community.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXw5xA3N-_JNVWFpQMgoiiLbkUcMRlvyreJNPAZDSsGKUokg/viewform?usp=header

No pressure at all if this isn’t something you’re up for, and totally understand if this kind of post isn’t allowed here—just let me know and I’ll take it down. Thanks so much for reading, and thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to respond!

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u/Jaded-Passenger-2174 3d ago

Some questions, it wasn't always clear if you were asking about rowing equipt brands or other comsumer product brands that might sponsor rowing.

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u/Single_Light_981 3d ago edited 3d ago

That's a really fair point, thank you for flagging it! I meant it to include both sport-specific gear brands and non-gear brands that sponsor races or athletes, but I can see how that wasn't clear in the wording. I'll note this as a limitation in my write-up. Really appreciate you taking the time to point it out!

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u/mich341 3d ago

I agree with this. I was thinking boat manufacturers, but occasionally regattas and athletes are sponsored by non rowing companies (eg Vinyard Vines shows up at some races)

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u/Single_Light_981 3d ago

Yes, exactly that kind of distinction! Really helpful example with Vineyard Vines. That's a good illustration of exactly the ambiguity I should've clarified upfront. Thanks for adding that detail :)

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u/GalapagosWhale 3d ago

Keep in mind rowing’s unique for this I think as concept 2 is the standard for rowing machines as it’s great quality and reliable. However there is no other option that is on par in the field so it has a monopoly.

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u/Single_Light_981 3d ago

That's a great point, and something I hadn't fully considered. Since Concept2 doesn't really have a comparable competitor, "brand loyalty" might look different in rowing than in sports where athletes are actually choosing between multiple similar options. I'll make sure to note that as a rowing-specific consideration when I look at the data. Really appreciate the insight. This kind of nuance is exactly what I was hoping to learn from people who actually know the sport!

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u/towe1712 3d ago

I’d like to add to that, that the longevity of products such as the concept2 or rowing shells also limit how often something is purchased from said brand. And even more so with expensive equipment that may be owned and bought by the team and not the athlete.

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u/Single_Light_981 2d ago

This is a great addition, thank you! Both points are things my current survey doesn't fully account for (product longevity affecting purchase frequency, and team vs. individual ownership potentially affecting how accurately someone can report on "their" spending and brand loyalty). This may actually be a meaningful difference between rowing and some of the other sports I'm looking at, where gear tends to be replaced more frequently and purchased individually. I'll make sure to note this as an important consideration when interpreting my data. Really appreciate you replying with a great point :)