Being a sponsored archer, eh? If you follow the sport, it sometimes seems as if the hashtags will never end. Reading about your favourite archer’s achievements on social media might be followed by a long list of “I couldn’t have done it without…” and a long list of products, right down to their underwear. Maybe.
You might be thinking: it must be great to get all that free gear, just for shooting. While the costs of taking up archery compared to many other sports is sometimes overstated (especially with a thriving second-hand market), it is true that once you start moving up the ladder — competing nationally at the top level, chasing Master Bowman scores and higher, or trying to make an international side — gear expenses start increasing dramatically, especially as you often need two of everything.
Some archery equipment manufacturers list their sponsored ‘pros’ on their website. On the bottom rung, people get a discount on equipment. The next tier up get free gear. A handful may receive a stipend or assistance with tournament
