[Archived] Krystal Parker - Blackburn Rovers & NI - Looking for Sponsorship

[footypix]

I'm not sure if it is widely known, but the players of Blackburn Rovers Ladies need to find sponsorship before they can play for the team. They need to find between £350 - £400 each to pay for training kit and travel to games. They do not receive any payment for playing for the team.

Krystal Parker, the Rovers & NI goalkeeper is looking for a sponsor for 2012-2013 season. Without a sponsor, she'll have to find another club, which will mean the club losing a top class keeper.

If you know any company or individual that can help Krystal find a sponsor (or any other player), then please contact the Women's Dept at Ewood Park.

What the club really need is for a company to sponsor the whole team - 1st team and Reserves. Without sponsorship the club will lose some of it's more promising players.

HELP THE ROVERS LADIES - SPONSOR A PLAYER FOR 2012/2013...

[mark1875]

I have put this up on our website, trying to circulate it around our supporters, this is something that should not be allowed to happen in a multi million pound industry, in my personal opinion.

When you say contact the Women's Dept, is there any specific number/email address we can attach to the article?

Lets hope people come forward and support this.

Article

[Stuart]

The Raos will (allow the club to) pay Kean millions to relegate us but won't find a few thousand to pay for the amateur ladies' kits and expenses?

[Paul]

But isn't this their hobby? My hobby costs more than £400 pa and no one sponsors me.

[Stuart]

But isn't this their hobby? My hobby costs more than £400 pa and no one sponsors me.

They are part of a professional football club - or used to be - and represent Blackburn Rovers. It's more than just a hobby surely.

[Paul]

I don't know really Stuart I was genuinely asking the question. I can see you're point and tend to agree but I do think it is a hobby much like thousands of others who play non-league.

[Sparky Marky]

My son plays for an academy and it costs us miles more than £400 per year to ferry him here there and everywhere...she should get a job.

[footypix]

Krystal, like the majority of the players is a student. The club really needs a 'principle sponsor' to cover these costs. The players shouldn't have to pay to play. Women's football is semi-pro and some clubs do play players expenses. If anyone knows of any company willing to sponsor the women's team, then please contact the Commercial Dept (or Derek Shaw might be a better option).

i'm hoping someone like Wayne Wild will be able to use his contacts to help the club get a sponsor for the entire club.

[Stuart]

There are a lot of amateur clubs looking to try to get sponsorship as they aren't owned by a super-rich family.

Venkys should stump up.

[Sparky Marky]

yes...if I were her, Id tell em to pish off

[OJRovers]

How much does a private chauffer, bodyguard and numerous flights to Surrey/India/Switzerland/Portugal cost the club?

[footypix]

players at non-league clubs get paid for playing, the players in the Rovers Ladies do not. They are amateurs....

[Steve Moss]

How much does a private chauffer, bodyguard and numerous flights to Surrey/India/Switzerland/Portugal cost the club?

A very good point.

[Puffsan]

If someone sets up a PayPal for the cause I will chip in 10£

[Rishton blue]

If someone sets up a PayPal for the cause I will chip in 10£

Same here, she can then be sponsored by BRFCS. Happy days!

[John]

Is this the norm for ladies teams? Has there been a change in stance pre/post Venkys takeover?

[WaKKo-]

perhaps the senior mens team should dip there hands into there own pockets and offer 50% of one weeks wage each to the ladies team!

[footypix]

I can't blame Venky's for this as, they probably don't even know that Rovers have a Ladies Team. The team is chaired by the Football Secretary and the Women's Football Development Officer. I'll be writing to Derek Shaw (if anyone has an e-mail address please let me know) to ask if he can get proper sponsorship.

Rovers are slipping behind the big clubs as players will leave to go to better financed clubs. Basically this has to be sorted quickly or she'll be off to another club. She wants to play for Rovers, but has had an offer from a club 2 leagues higher i.e. FAWSL.

[Biddy]

You've got to question her ambition if she wants to stay at Rovers being unpaid when she's had an offer at a better club!

[Stuart]

Same here, she can then be sponsored by BRFCS. Happy days!

Whilst I firmly believe the Raos should pay, this is a great alternative idea!

Provided it can be done as a BRFCS sponsorship, count me in.

[arbitro]

Have you tried asking any of the players. David 'Blue & White' Dunn and some of his cohorts should be approached to se if they want to help.

[trueblue]

Put me down for a tenner if the site is sponsoring her.

I do think though that the club shoul be sponsoring ALL the players - after all they ARE Blackburn Rovers Ladies.

[footypix]

Krystal, wants to play in the FAWSL with Rovers, but the club wouldn't fund a bid for a FAWSL licence. Women's football is developing at a fast-pace and Rovers are being left behind. The club struggle to attract quality players and the good players we do have are being targeted by other clubs.

One of the teams England U19Internationals has already left to join Liverepool in the FAWSL.

The first team will probably lose 4 players this summer and it will be difficult to replace with the same quality. The team needs considerable investment.

One weeks wages from the 1st team men's squad would fund the Women's club for years to come.

[Blackburn Ender]

Surely, if Blackburn Rovers wants a ladies team then Blackburn Rovers should financially support one?

With the huge sums of money going to the male players, it can't be beyond our owners (the priniple of them being female) to fund the ladies for what must surely be a relatively modest amount?

We have got our priorities seriously wrong here if the general fanbase/local business is being expected to cough up when millions upon millions are being spent on the first team squad.

[footypix]

Rovers put in around £35k a season, down from around £75k a season a few years ago, following relegation to the Northern League. Funding from the FA has reduced. When FAWSL started Rovers lost an entire team of players to other clubs in the NW because they stopped paying wages (£30 per week) or travel expenses.

The younger players in the reserve team (16 & 17 year olds) are expected to find sponsorshiip of around £300-£400 a season. This goes to the club and pays for referee's, administration, travel and pitch hire. If a player is booked or sent off it'll cost them a Lancs FA fine of around £10 for yellow or £50 for a red card. The players have to travel to Accrington and Brockhall for training twice a week and to Manchester for games.

The biggest problem is that apart from the players parents attending games, the club only has 4 supporters (who attend on a regular basis). I've been watching the team for the last 6 season's, but if the club is to ever return to the top flight of women's football it'll need the backing of the clubs fanbase.

The fans are reluctant to travel to Radcliffe or don't know anything about the club. The club needs more support if it is to compete financially with the bigger clubs.

The club's 1st home game is v Leicester City followed by an away game at PNE (Bamber Bridge)...

If we can get 100+ fans at every game, it;ll help the club in the long run.

Rochdale Ladies folded this week, they played in the same division as Rovers, as they couldn't get the finance to continue.