I've been kind of passively seeking sponsorship or trying to get on staff with a company/site to simply improve my professional reputation.  I already work in a pro shop and get plenty of perks, so I'm not after cheap stuff, but even if you work in a shop, being on staff with somebody is another level of perceived success or proficiency.  Just working in the local shop where everybody knows you sometimes doesn't get the job done, but if you're with a national company or nationally known site, that carries extra weight with it. 

I've recently been thinking about applying to one of the major bowling sites on the internet, but as I work in a shop, wouldn't that be a rather large conflict of interest?  I've heard of several shop employees/owners that are on staff with the various internet retailers, but that doesn't make much sense to me.  I haven't talked with any of them though about the specifics, but does anyone see this any differently?  As a staffer, I'd obviously want to recommend the site to people, but I already have that commitment to the shop I work at . . I can't see how other people can be double dipping like that.  Help?