A game-changer for football team fundraising

Many youth football leagues rely on jersey and helmet sponsorships from local businesses to ... fund new gear. Even the NFL does it! Entice sponsors to contribute to your team by offering to display their brand name or logo in a prominent spot, such as on a jersey sleeve or the back of a helmet. Ultimately, sponsorships are a win-win: the team gets new gear, and the business gets live advertisements. 

There’s no doubt about it—people love fantasy football. Fantasy football fundraisers usually ... involve charging an entry fee, as well as allowing family and friends to make donations on behalf of teams. Encourage students, parents, and teachers to form their own teams to foster a little healthy competition. To up the ante even further, offer a small portion of the proceeds to the winning team. Fantasy football does require a bit of planning—from recruiting teammates to selecting a draft—but it can pay off in the end.

Field goal competitions can be one-off fundraisers for football teams or incorporated into an ... existing home game. You can charge an entry fee for each kicker and let attendees place bets on participants. You can also allow kickers to “buy” extra kicks to improve their chances—all’s fair in fundraising, right? Encourage players to invite friends and family, and designate spaces for picnics and lounging for the non-sporty attendees. A community contest like this also provides the perfect opportunity to set up a concession stand, sell T-shirts, or raffle off football memorabilia.

Let’s be real—some fans are just in it for the tailgate, making a tailgate fundraiser one of the ... most popular fundraising ideas for football teams. A tailgate is both a crowd-pleaser and a profitable revenue stream. There are also many ways to organize a tailgate, such as charging an entry fee or providing customers with a food and drink package. Alternatively, you can offer unlimited food but charge for alcoholic beverages. A tailgate is also a prime opportunity to sell team T-shirts and other branded items like water bottles, lanyards, or bumper stickers.