When Ellen Noble pedaled to first place in the Under 23 division of the European World Cup Series—the equivalent of the Tour de France for cyclo-cross, or cross-country cycling—the logo of Irvine-based Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP law firm was prominently visible on her shoulders.
She ended up finishing second in the World Championship race in Luxembourg in late January, and Knobbe leadership feels they won based on inroads the firm’s sponsorship of the professional Aspire Racing team is helping it make in the cycling industry. Knobbe already had cycling clients, is now enhancing its name recognition in that world. It hopes to increase clientele among those with a shared passion for cyclo-cross, Knobbe Partner Curtiss Dosier said.
“We’ve seen tangible results in terms of meeting people that we otherwise wouldn’t have met, just because of the access.”
Cross-Pollination
Knobbe’s Irvine headquarters has its own amateur cyclo-cross team, which started in 2009 with about six attorneys. The team now numbers 20, including administrative staff and friends. It competes each fall via races every weekend after practicing from late summer through mid-September at a local park in Mission Viejo.
The team grew in a grassroots manner and eventually became a major sponsor of SoCalCross, which puts on the local races in which Knobbe’s cyclists participate, Dosier said. Sponsoring a professional team was the natural next step, he said.
Dosier then met Aspire Racing founder Jeremy Powers through a mutual connection with Lake Forest-based Oakley Inc., a former Aspire sponsor. Powers is a four-time U.S. National cyclo-cross champion. The two discussed the potential of Knobbe becoming a sponsor, and the firm sealed the deal in September for a one-year, mid-level sponsorship in the lower tens of thousands of dollars, said Partner Mauricio Uribe, who declined to disclose the exact amount.
Knobbe is one of more than 20 sponsors, Portland, Ore.-based Rapha being the lead sponsor.
Pedaling Promise
The firm’s most directly achievable goal is to continue to grow its clientele in the cycling industry, Dosier said, giving an example of Specialized Bicycle Components in Morgan Hill as a client Knobbe had before it sponsored Aspire Racing. Its former representation of Japan-based Shimano Inc. and Scotts Valley-based Fox Racing Shox and current representation of Specialized resulted from personal contacts and its intellectual property reputation, he said.
“It’s easy for us to have a synergy with decision makers in this industry because we’re investing back in an industry that we already participate in,” Uribe said.
Knobbe’s logo on Aspire team apparel enhances the firm’s brand awareness, especially since its name is showing up on multiple national websites that feature race reports every weekend during the season, Dosier said. No other law firms are Aspire sponsors, he said.
High-End Connections
Another goal is to connect with other professionals who participate in cyclo-cross. Data released by national governing body USA Cycling shows that cyclists in the U.S. tend to have higher incomes and higher education than the average person, Dosier said. More research by Knobbe staff revealed that C-level executives in all industries, including biotech, tend to have an affinity for all types of cycling, Uribe said.
Cycling has similar competitive and social aspects to golf, with a more intense exercise component, he said. Cycling enthusiasts can participate at various levels of skill and fitness, which makes the barrier to entry relatively low.
Helmets, shoes, clothing, accessories, and various training applications often incorporate leading-edge technologies, which appeal to many executives, Uribe said. Advanced bicycles can cost as much as $11,000. And group rides, which require commitment and effort, include aspects of competitiveness that tend to attract highly motivated people, such as executives.
“Having this (shared connection) as a common overlap to get into noncycling industries was the hidden gem in this sponsorship,” Uribe said.
Powers, for his part, said he enjoys his role as facilitator among the team’s sponsors.
“It’s a platform for me to deliver value, exposure, digital reach and connecting my partners with each other for business to business initiatives,” he said via email. “For all of this to continue to grow it’s paramount to me to work with the very best. Knobbe Martens checks all the boxes for me.”
Combo Approach
Uribe at Knobbe said the Aspire sponsorship isn’t a substitute for traditional marketing measures, which Knobbe continues to employ.
“What we really hope is the uniqueness of Jeremy and Ellen and Team Aspire allows us to get to people we might not otherwise reach,” he said.
“That’s what gets us excited. Spreading out our advertising, instead of being silo-ed in in one form. Neither is perfect, but it’s the combo of both that allows us to expand our zone.”
Knobbe will evaluate renewal when the year-long Aspire sponsorship ends, Dosier said. He said he feels like it’s been worth it so far.
The firm may even expand its involvement in the sport.
“It’s been fruitful during the (racing) season,” Dosier. “I look forward to the off-season and getting Jeremy and Ellen to do an event here in OC, where we can bring together some fans who haven’t been able to travel to go see the races, who would definitely be interested in meeting them and possibly doing a bike ride on our local trails.”
