7 original financing ideas for your sports team

Sports sponsorships are generally the safest way to finance a club. However, if you’ve run out of opportunities in this area, there are still other ways to finance your team! Let’s face it, the sale of chocolate, although a classic in sports team financing, is déjà-vu! Why not be creative and opt for something new? Your players will probably be much more motivated to raise funds for their team if you vary the ways in which you do it.

Since fundraising is an integral part of sports team management, we thought you might need some original ideas for the current season. Here are a few that might inspire you.

If you can have access to certain sports facilities at little or no cost for an entire afternoon, combine business with pleasure and organize a friendly game of soccer, field hockey or softball. Ask each participant for a donation, and have fun! Not only will you have fun, but you’ll be getting your neighbourhood moving.

Some companies that sell practical products (plastic dishes, kitchen gadgets, household products, etc.) offer to donate a certain percentage of their profits to any fundraising campaign. Why not take advantage of this opportunity to stock up on useful items rather than buying treats?

If you really want to sell edible products, homemade cookies and cupcakes are a great alternative to the usual chocolate bars. Set up a kiosk at your sporting events and ask your players to make a few sweet but healthy snacks to sell at half-time. Why not revolutionize the offer by also offering healthy snacks made with love to athletes and audiences who may be concerned about their diet? Fruit, homemade granola bars, yogurt… get creative!

Organize treasure hunts in a park and ask for a donation in exchange for participation. Form teams, hide clues or surprises and award prizes to the winners. Fun guaranteed!

It’s a well-known fact that people hate having to return their cans and bottles to the grocery store. So do it for them, in exchange for the deposit on the returned containers. It’s a tried-and-tested method in the Boy Scouts, so do the neighbourhood a favour and fill up your till at the same time.

Partner with a paintball center or, if you’re more traditional, a bowling alley, and organize a tournament. Form teams and charge a half- or full-day entry fee. Include door prizes and bring your friends and family.

We all have objects or furniture that we don’t need and that we’d like to get rid of so that others can enjoy them. Ask your players and their parents to provide some of these items, and organize a garage sale. It’s a great way to fill your coffers and empty your attic or garage of all that unwanted junk.

There are many other ways to finance your sports team that are off the beaten track. Be creative and have fun! These activities are not only good for your team’s financial health, they also help to strengthen the bonds between players, which is bound to be reflected on the field. Go for it!