Canada’s future sports stars are offered funding help through site

Pursuit enables fans to directly back the aspiring athletes they want to see succeed.

Two things that a rising sports star needs to progress in their career are a good agent and financial backing. We’ve already seen Need A Sports Agent offer help in the first of those areas and now a new crowdfunding site from Canada called Pursuit is aiming to do the same for funding these athletes’ careers. Much like Kickstarter – or the similar Sportfunder venture that crowdfunds community projects – Pursuit enables Canadian athletes to set up their own funding campaign with a description and video that will encourage fans to donate. According to the team behind the site, campaigns can raise money for “everything from the purchase of a new track bicycle, travel to their next competition, or support for altitude training in a remote part of the world”. Athletes set a funding goal and a time limit and the site imposes an all-or-nothing policy whereby pledgers will not be charged if the goal is not reached, unless they choose to give money regardless. Campaign organizers are encouraged to offer unique gifts to those supporting their future. Pursuit enables supporters to have a direct impact on their favorite young athletes’ success as well as get rewards unavailable to the average fan. Could a similar service help raise the next generation of your nation’s sports stars? Spotted by: RP