Most booster clubs run on a small group of volunteers and a long list of needs: new uniforms, a bus for the away tournament, a senior scholarship, a scoreboard repair nobody budgeted for. The fundraisers that last are the ones families would have bought anyway, sold in a way that takes little volunteer time. Here are practical ideas, from the classics to personalized items that families keep for years.
The classics, done well
- Program and sign sponsorships. Local businesses buy an ad in the season program or a sign on the fence. Offer clear tiers, send a thank-you after the season, and renew early next year.
- Concessions. Still the steadiest income for many programs. A simple menu and a card reader often move faster than a big menu and a cash box.
- Restaurant nights. A local restaurant gives back a share of the night's sales. Low effort, and families get dinner out of it.
- Alumni game or golf outing. A good way to reconnect former players with the program, and they often become sponsors.
- Raffles and 50/50 drawings. Popular, but rules vary by state, and some require a license. Check with the school first.
Personalized items families already buy
Parents buy yard signs, car magnets and senior banners every season anyway. When the booster club organizes it, families get one deadline and one place to order, the program gets a group discount, and everything matches. Schools and booster clubs get 30% off prints and 15% off clothing on orders of five or more pieces through our team orders page. Some clubs pass the whole saving to families. Others charge the regular price and put the difference toward the program. Either way, tell families which one you are doing.
Idea 1: A senior banner for every senior
Banners along the fence or in the gym make the whole program look cared for. The Senior Banner is a 2 by 4 foot vinyl banner with SENIOR and the class year, the number huge, the name, school, sport and position, up to five career highlights and a message. Collect details from senior families in the summer, hang the banners for the season, then give each one to its family on senior night. From $89.
Idea 2: Car magnets at the start of the season
A Sports Car Magnet carries the player's number and name with the school and sport, or #12's MOM. Offer them at the first parent meeting, when families are most excited. A parking lot full of matching magnets also tells the town when the season has started. Teams ordering for every family get 30% off. From $16.
Idea 3: Game day pins
Team Pin Buttons are round badges with a player's number (or your own team or booster logo), name, school and sport. Grandparents especially like them. Sell them at a table near the gate on the first home game. From $22.
Idea 4: Senior parking spots
Some schools sell reserved senior parking spaces as a fundraiser, and families pair them with a sign. The Senior Parking Sign reads RESERVED with the number, last name, SENIOR and the class year on a 12 by 6 inch aluminum sign. After graduation it goes on the bedroom or garage wall. Check with the school before selling spaces. From $29.
Idea 5: The program's history, for alumni
Alumni and longtime fans are often the most generous donors, and they respond to the program's history. Every Banner shows a program's championship history as the banners in the gym, every title with its year and a count of every banner up top. The School Records Board lists every record with the mark, who holds it and the year. Use one as a raffle prize, a thank-you for top donors, or a gift to a retiring athletic director. Each from $45.
Running orders without the headaches
- Name one coordinator. One person collects every order and places them together.
- Use a simple form with the player's name exactly as it should print, number, sport and class year.
- Set one deadline and collect payment up front.
- Let families check their own details. Most players are minors, so names and numbers should come from parents, and every order gets a proof to approve before printing.
- Plan delivery. Hand items out at a home game or practice rather than shipping to every house.
Shop this guide
Senior BannerFrom $89
Sports Car MagnetFrom $16
Team Pin ButtonsFrom $22
Senior Parking SignFrom $29
Every BannerFrom $45
School Records BoardFrom $45
Ordering
Each item is personalized on its product page, or through the team orders page for a group. Every order is checked by hand, and proofs go out before printing. Allow about two weeks from the final order to delivery, and build that into your deadline. School names print as the words you type; we do not reproduce school logos.