About the Event
Teams from local corporations, small businesses and nonprofit organizations join forces to raise money for the local charities of their choice by competing in a one-day kickball tournament organized by Alachua County Emerging Leaders (ACEL). Since its 2007 debut, the tournament has raised over $45K for local charities and has become the most highly anticipated fundraising event of its kind in Alachua County—particularly among young professionals. Sponsoring this tournament places your organization in front of hundreds of local professionals and leaders and, most importantly, provides an opportunity to show support for our community. See our 2012 Fact Sheet for a rundown of last year’s tournament.
Participants
With around 30 teams entered in the tournament, the teams alone represent around 500 participants and attendance edges up toward 800 with sponsors and charities tabling at the event plus volunteers and spectators. The co-ed teams consist of 7-15 players with a requirement of 3-6 women per team. The tournament attracts active, engaged and community-oriented young professionals who organize their teams through their workplace networks and collectively choose the charities who will benefit from their winnings.
Buzz
The tournament routinely garners media attention from most major local outlets as well as several specialty and community print and online publications:
- Community Impact with a Kick: Alachua County Emerging Leaders’ Annual Charity Fundraiser - The Village Journal at Haile Plantation
- Locals team up for charity - Gainesville.com (Also featured in The Gainesville Sun Sunday print edition)
- Teams play kickball to win money for charities - The Independent Florida Alligator
- The tournament generally gets television coverage from the TV20 and GTN networks as well.
ACEL, tournament participants, spectators and even local news media chatter on social media and generate significant online media engagement, multi-media content and support:
- #ACELkick Twitter hashtag
- Facebook post by Scott Costello, publisher of HOME: Living in the Heart of Florida
- Facebook post by the Village Journal of Haile Plantation
- TOI employees gear up for ACEL Champions for Charity kickball tournament - The Orthopaedic Institute (TOI)
- 2011 CrossFit Gainesville SmugMug photo gallery
ACEL’s Engagement & Reach
In addition to exposure garnered through our partners and various local media, sponsors benefit from ACEL’s ongoing and engaging event promotions through its online and social media channels:
Search engine optimized, dedicated kickball
- Sliding web banners
- Home page blog features
- Web pages
- Over 900 page likes
- Over 650 followers
- Dedicated #ACELkick hashtag
ACELerator email newsletter
- Distributed monthly to almost 300 subscribers
- Average open rate exceeding that of all industry categories by as much as 21%
- Average click-through rate exceeding most industry categories by as much as 7%
- Tournament documented by professional event photographer
- Participants upload mobile photos directly to Flickr during event
Want to contribute to this dynamic event? ACEL makes it easy. Just review our sponsorship levels and complete this brief commitment form.
ACEL is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization, and this is our signature fundraising event. We hope you’re impressed with what this tournament and ACEL has contributed to Gainesville and Alachua County over the years. If you are, why not join us as a member?
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