The Club as an Object of Sponsorship and Its Status
A club sponsorship agreement fits within the framework of the Georgian Law on Sport, whose Article 8 defines public and other non-state sports organizations: these are sports federations, associations, clubs and other unions aiming at the development of sport. The state supports the development of these organizations' activity and involves them in the governance of sport; where necessary, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport may, within its competence, transfer individual powers to them and supervise their exercise. Article 11 sharpens the club's status: a sports club conducts its activity in accordance with the law, the legislation in force and its own statute; it is a legal entity; and club status is granted to an organization whose founding documents satisfy the requirements of Georgian legislation and of the relevant national sports federation. For a sponsor, this means that where the counterparty is a club, establishing its status requires a double check — both state registration and conformity with the federation's requirements. A club without valid status is a risky object for a long-term sponsorship investment.