Oax Sport Thursdays: Planning Athlete Sponsorship for 2027

Original language: Spanish (radio segment on Tribu al Extremo, 106.1 FM).

By Juan Zurita Victoria, MBA
Oax Sport. Athlete Support and Programs.

This blog series

This post is part of Oax Sport Thursdays (Jueves de Oax Sport), our written series based on selected Tribu al Extremo broadcasts on 106.1 FM.

Oax Sport transcribes and publishes selected broadcasts. Not every broadcast is transcribed, and not every transcript is published, so gaps between written entries are normal.

A previous published entry, Episode 11, already discussed Oax Sport’s athlete-support planning for 2027. The July 30 broadcast continued that discussion with more detail about selection, athlete responsibilities, possible support, public communication, and the role of our athlete-led running experiences.

Broadcast details

• Host: Juan Zurita Victoria
• Guest: Desiree Dánae Ramírez García
• Sport: Basketball
• Guest social media: Instagram and TikTok
• Show: Tribu al Extremo, 106.1 FM
• Segment: Oax Sport Thursdays
• Air date: Thursday, July 30, 2026
• Focus: A planned athlete sponsorship program opening in 2026 for 2027
• Listen live: every Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Oaxaca time

Focus of the week

Desiree joined me to discuss how Oax Sport was preparing a more structured athlete sponsorship program for 2027 and why we planned to begin the selection process during 2026.

We discussed what Oax Sport had learned from earlier athlete-support models, what the planned program could provide, what participating athletes would contribute, and why public communication matters when support depends heavily on donors.

30-second recap

• Oax Sport has been supporting athletes since 2020 and has changed its support methods based on experience.
• The planned 2027 sponsorship program would begin its selection process during 2026.
• Possible support would include competition costs, training equipment, and help building a broader professional support team.
• Applicants would need an established competitive record, clear objectives, and commitment. Elite or high-performance status would not be a requirement.
• Juan explained that our athlete-led running experiences help athletes meet people who may later become donors or support a fundraising campaign.
• Juan said support for other athletes and clubs would continue, and that Oax Sport would assign only part of its incoming resources to the planned program.

What Juan said on air

1. How Oax Sport’s support model changed since 2020

I explained that Oax Sport has been supporting athletes since 2020. The way we provide that support has changed as we have learned what athletes need, what our resources can sustain, and which approaches produce continuity.

Different stages have included direct help for specific needs, fundraising campaigns, athlete participation in Oax Sport activities, and longer relationships with athletes who stay involved. Some people in Oaxaca still take us for a club. We are not one. We support athletes who train and compete with their own clubs, schools, and coaches.

I also described taking these early ideas to Fahad Hizam, President of the Board. He told me some of them might not work. I wanted to test them anyway, so we could see what changed, what held up, and what to drop.

2. The Atleta Voluntario stage and why most of that first group left

I joined the Atleta Voluntario model in 2022. At that stage, support was not guaranteed. An athlete could request help with transportation, lodging, food, registration, or another competition expense, and fundraising campaigns could sometimes cover a larger part of the need.

The model also expected athletes to stay involved with Oax Sport. I said most of that first group eventually left. Some did not want to continue without guaranteed support, and others later stopped competing.

I continued participating, testing fundraising methods, joining activities, and sharing what I was doing. Over time, the support I received became more consistent.

3. Why public visibility became part of the model

Public communication became necessary because donors need to understand who receives support and what that support helps an athlete do.

I explained that there were periods when support for me was frequent and substantial, and we deliberately kept some of it quiet. That created another problem. People repeatedly saw me in Oax Sport projects and began to assume that Oax Sport was supporting only one athlete.

That experience helped us understand why athletes need to communicate their training, competitions, goals, and support in a reasonable way. Oax Sport can also help athletes who do not have much experience creating content.

4. Emily Barrera and the difference continuity makes

I used Emily Barrera as an example of continuity.

Oax Sport has helped many athletes with a specific request. In many cases, the relationship ends after that support. Emily took a different approach. After receiving help, she asked to stay involved and continue participating with Oax Sport.

For the planned 2027 model, that kind of continuity would matter because the goal would be to work with athletes over a longer period.

5. Where donors are actually met

Q (Desiree): What other activities does Oax Sport have for athletes to take part in?

A (Juan): Right now, one of the main activities is our athlete-led running experiences. That is where we often meet people who later become donors. Athletes can meet visitors, talk about their training and goals, and build relationships that may later support a competition or fundraising campaign.

I explained that most of our donors are in the United States and that Oax Sport also has recurring monthly donors abroad. In my own experience, people I first met through those experiences later supported fundraising campaigns when I prepared for competitions.

6. What the 2027 program could offer and what it would ask in return

I said Oax Sport was preparing a more formal process for athletes who would be interested in the planned 2027 sponsorship program.

Juan, translated from Spanish: “We focus on athletes who want to move forward, who have clear objectives.”

• Planned support: transport, lodging, food, registration fees, running shoes, uniforms, training supplies, help assembling a support team with a physiotherapist, sports doctor, nutritionist, and psychologist, and support for competing outside Mexico.
• Planned requirements: a competitive record, clear objectives, a written agreement, an interview process, medical analyses, and a commitment to remain publicly active about training and competition.
• Elite status: elite or high-performance status would not be required.

I also said Oax Sport would help with communication when an athlete did not have the time or experience to manage social media alone.

7. The gap for athletes still developing

I spoke about my own experience to explain why we wanted the planned program to include athletes who were still developing.

I said that by 2024 I was receiving more through Oax Sport than the scholarship and support Oaxaca gives to athletes who win gold at CONADE. That support runs for one year. If the athlete does not repeat the result the following year, the state withdraws it. Athletes who are still developing receive nothing comparable.

For athletes working toward that stage, Oax Sport also maintains the Path to Nationals program.

The planned 2027 sponsorship model would be another attempt to provide continuity while athletes are still building toward larger competitive goals.

8. Support for other athletes and clubs continues

I made this point more than once during the broadcast. The planned sponsorship program would not replace Oax Sport’s other athlete and club support.

Oax Sport would assign only part of its incoming resources to the planned program. We would keep reviewing other athlete and club requests, running fundraising campaigns, and supporting activities outside the selected group.

Our work with supported athletes and teams would continue alongside the planned program.

What Desiree said on air

9. Why some people distrust the word asociación

Desiree said some people hear that an organization is a nonprofit and immediately question how money is being handled.

From her perspective, public communication can help answer that concern. Social media gives people a place to see what Oax Sport does, who participates, and how athlete support works.

She also said that before speaking directly with Juan, she had seen Oax Sport’s work online without fully understanding its processes or realizing that athletes from sports beyond athletics could become involved.

10. What competing actually costs an athlete

Desiree described the practical costs athletes face even when they are already able to pay for much of their own sport.

Transport, lodging, food, registration, shoes, uniforms, and other competition expenses add up. International competition can create an even larger expense because an athlete may also need flights and longer stays.

She explained that athletes can end up choosing between competitions because they cannot pay for every event they would otherwise be ready to enter.

Desiree, translated from Spanish: “You are not asking for free money. You are working toward something.”

Her point was that support can cover one part of a real sporting expense and allow an athlete to continue working toward a competitive objective.

11. Commitment, discipline, and the requirements

Desiree said a future sponsorship process would need clear responsibilities on both sides.

She described commitment and discipline as important factors. She also discussed reviewing an athlete’s sporting history, confirming that the athlete remains active in competition, conducting interviews, and requiring medical analyses as part of the planned process.

She said written responsibilities would help make the arrangement clear for the athlete and for Oax Sport before support begins.

12. Social media as a route to other opportunities

Desiree said social media has become useful in her sporting and professional life even when direct platform income is limited.

She described receiving opportunities through collaborations, events, project invitations, video work, and sponsorships. In her view, an athlete can use social media to show training, competitions, projects, and other work that may lead to new contacts.

She encouraged athletes to see regular public communication as another practical part of their development. She also said that athletes can use their own opportunities to leave more doors open for younger people coming after them.

What is next

The July 30 broadcast did not announce support amounts, the number of places that would be available, or an application opening date.

Oax Sport said it would prepare the selection process and publish the call through its own channels. The intention announced on air was to begin that process during 2026 so the planned support structure could start in 2027.

Quick Q&A for athletes, families, and donors

Has the planned 2027 athlete sponsorship program opened?

No. The July 30 broadcast described a plan. Oax Sport said it would publish the application process through its own channels once the requirements were ready.

Would an applicant need to be an elite or high-performance athlete?

No. Juan said the planned selection would also consider athletes with an established competitive history, clear objectives, discipline, and a willingness to participate in Oax Sport activities.

Why would medical analyses be required?

The broadcast described medical analyses as part of the planned review process for athletes receiving financial and sporting support. Our privacy policy covers any personal information an athlete gives us.

Will Oax Sport still support athletes and clubs outside this program?

Yes. Juan said that support would continue. Oax Sport would assign only part of its incoming resources to the planned program, while other athlete requests, club requests, and fundraising work would continue.

How you can help

Oax Sport supports athletes in Oaxaca through direct support, fundraising campaigns, public storytelling, and athlete-led running experiences.

Readers can make a general donation, review our current fundraisers, or contact us about support, partnerships, or athlete referrals.

Transparency

Everything about the 2027 program in this post comes from the July 30 broadcast and describes a plan that had not opened.

Oax Sport Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 86-3407818). Oax Sport A.C. is a registered Mexican nonprofit (RFC: OSP-230216-SG0). Contact us for receipts or tax documentation.

Listen every Thursday

Oax Sport Thursdays on Tribu al Extremo (106.1 FM) airs every Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Oaxaca time. Follow Tribu al Extremo on Facebook.

What would make the biggest difference to an athlete in Oaxaca preparing for their next competition?

Last updated: September 2, 2026