Top Fundraising Ideas for Sports Clubs: Maximizing Funds for Athletic Success

Did you know your little league team or even your school’s swim team can become a tax free charitable organization by applying for IRC 501(c)(3) or IRC 501(j) status? That means you can enjoy tax free status legally which means you’re allowed to ask for donations and sponsorships, all without paying any taxes on the funds you receive, plus your donors and sponsors enjoy a tax free deduction for their personal or company taxes. It’s truly a win-win for everyone involved!

If you haven’t registered your team as a nonprofit, you can read about how to start your own non-profit here. And yes, even a minor can start a nonprofit! So you really don’t have any excuses if your team is in desperate need for constant funding and sponsorships. Because let’s face it, running any sort of sports team isn’t cheap whether it’s a children’s team or an adult’s team, you’ve always got uniforms to buy, equipment to maintain, travel costs to cover, and let’s not forget some sort of facility upkeep and paying coaches. All of these expenses add up quick, and without enough funding to keep you going, a club can really struggle to even survive let alone thrive.

This is where fundraising comes in. Fundraising plays a super important role in the success of any type of sports club, whether it’s a youth soccer league, a high school basketball team, or a local adult baseball team. With a bit of creativity, your sports club can tap into its own local community, and even local businesses to raise the necessary funds needed to keep your club going. Whether your team needs a new set of jerseys or money to cover travel for an upcoming tournament, holding a fundraiser is always a great idea to come up with the cash you need.

But let's be honest, organizing a fundraiser isn't always easy. It's not just about asking for money, it's about finding ways to get your community engaged and get people excited about your team and its commitment, and then offering them something valuable in return for some sort of contribution. And in order to make all of this as easy as possible, we’re going to walk you through some of the best fundraising ideas for sports clubs, ranging from traditional methods to more modern, online-based approaches. Whether your team is large or small, competitive or recreational, these ideas are designed to help you raise the funds your team needs to reach its own goals.

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do," said Pelé, the legendary footballer. This sentiment rings particularly true in the world of sports clubs where every penny counts and every fundraiser can make a difference.

Understanding the Basics of Sports Club Fundraising

Running a sports club? It’s like juggling a soccer ball with one foot while balancing a tennis racket on your head—complex and demanding. That’s why fundraising is essential, not just a nice-to-have. Sports clubs, whether for youth teams or adult leagues, face a laundry list of expenses. Anything from equipment costs, travel expenses, facility upkeep, and sometimes even coaching and training staff to support. That means every single dollar raised could be the difference between a thriving or a merely surviving club.

The Role of Fundraising in Sports Clubs

First, let’s talk about why fundraising is so important to any type of club you are involved in. For starters, even the most community-based clubs have real financial needs. Equipment alone? A huge budget suck. From soccer balls to shin guards, basketballs to nets, these things don’t come cheap. The bigger your club, the more gear you need, and the more it costs to keep your athletes in top shape.

Then there’s travel. Some sports teams play locally, sure, but what if your little league team actually makes it to the state finals or even greater heights, that means they’ll need to hit the road for tournaments, away games, or away competitions. And traveling isn’t just about gas money, there’s accommodations, meals, and sometimes even booking venues for things like cheer competitions or swim meets. If your club wants to compete beyond your hometown, that travel budget needs to come from somewhere, and not only your dad’s wallet!

Don’t forget facility maintenance. If your club owns or leases fields, courts, or gyms, it’s not as simple as unlocking the doors and playing. There’s upkeep, utilities, and occasional repairs. And if your field’s grass starts looking like a patchy mess, well, your players are going to feel it in every kick and slide.

Finally, coaching staff! volunteers can only do so much. Professional or semi-professional coaching? It takes a slice of the budget pie, but it’s often essential for taking the club to the next level.

In the world of sports, it’s about balance: balancing the fun of the game with the reality of bills. "At the end of the day, fundraising is what keeps the game alive," said one sports coach. If you don’t fundraise, you can’t grow. And if you can’t grow, you risk your club becoming stagnant.

Common Types of Fundraising for Sports Clubs

Sports clubs have an arsenal of methods for raising funds. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but you do need to choose what works best for your club. The most common methods include donation drives, sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Donation drives are one of the simplest ways to raise money, tapping directly into the goodwill of your local community. This could be anything from good old-fashioned flyers that you and your team pass out at the local supermarket, to social media outreach campaigns asking for direct donations. These simple ideas can get the word out and can bring in quick funds.,

Sponsorships take things up a notch. Many local businesses usually support some sort of sports team or another, especially youth sports teams. This gives them exposure to the local community and demonstrates how they’re commuted in helping the local community. Usually a baseball team will have the local businesses name and logo plastered on jerseys or banners at games. It’s a win-win, your club gets much-needed funds, and the business gets visibility.

Then there are the ever increasingly popular fundraising events. Think things like local car washes, bake sales, or fun runs, anything that brings the community together while raising money. For your club or team. Fundraising events not only fill the coffers, but they also strengthen community ties. People love supporting a cause they can see and even root for, and if that means scrubbing cars on a sunny afternoon or running a 5k in support of the team, all the better.

Every sports club’s needs are different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for a youth soccer team might not work for a regional swim team, but by focusing on donation drives, securing sponsorships, and hosting events, most clubs can stay financially afloat.

Can My Sports Club Become a Nonprofit?

An amateur sports organization can qualify for tax-exempt status under three main reasons according to the IRS’ rule IRC 501(c)(3).

1. Educational Reason: The organization can be considered "educational" if it teaches sports to kids or is connected to a school or other educational group. This means it helps people learn, especially through sports.
2. Charitable Reason: The organization can be considered "charitable" if it helps reduce juvenile delinquency (keeping kids out of trouble) or takes on some responsibilities that would otherwise fall on the government.
3. Sports Competition Reason: The organization can also qualify if its purpose is to encourage national or international amateur sports competitions. However, to meet this requirement, the group cannot provide athletic facilities or equipment as part of its activities.

Some of these organizations can also be classified as "qualified amateur sports organizations" under IRC 501(j), which allows them to provide facilities and equipment to athletes.

Top Fundraising Ideas for Sports Clubs

Raising funds for a sports club can feel like you’re running a marathon uphill—but, with the right ideas, that race becomes manageable. Whether you’re covering travel costs, buying new uniforms, or upgrading your equipment, the right fundraiser can make all the difference. Let’s dive into some creative fundraising ideas that can work both online and offline for any sports club, no matter the sport.

1. Host an “A-thon”

This classic fundraiser comes in all shapes, walk-a-thons, swim-a-thons, or even bowl-a-thons (for bowling teams, obviously). The idea? Either the athletes or community at large commits to completing a challenge (walking a certain distance, swimming a set number of laps, etc.) and then they get friends, family, and the community to pledge donations based on their performance.

It works because it’s simple and fun. And here’s a tip, maximize it by making it a community event. Invite local vendors or food trucks to the finish line—charge them for the space and let your athletes perform while the crowd cheers them on!

2. Sports-Themed Trivia Night

Everyone loves a good trivia night, and if your sports team hosts it, you can pack the house! You can either organize this event in person at a local venue or take it online via Zoom or social media. Charge an entry fee for each team, and get a local restaurant or bar to sponsor the prizes. Focus on sports-themed questions to tie it back to your club. Keep it fun and engaging—throw in some bonus rounds where attendees can donate for extra points or hints.

3. Jersey Sponsorship Auction

If you do this right, you can actually offer a bunch of spots on your jerseys that when placed well, can actually look pretty cool. The idea is you hold an online auction for each spot on your jersey. The the businesses offer a bid to have their information on a spot on your jerseys for the season. You can include a couple of different sizes so there is more options as well. Or the higher the bid, the more prominent the logo. You could offer different sponsorship levels too, for example, the front of the jersey could be a premium spot, while smaller sponsorships could appear on the sleeves. It's a win-win, businesses get great exposure, and your team raises money.

4. Host a Sports Movie Night

Depending on what sport your club is involved with, you can easily turn the meeting place into a junk yard movie theater and make some nice coin in the process. Simply get a sheet and a projector and download one of your favorite sports movies that coincides with your sport club. Just a few of the greats that come to mind are Rocky, the Bad News Bears (great for the whole family!), Tin Cup, Any Given Sunday, Rudy and a host of others. You can then charge a small admission as well as sell popcorn, candy bars, drinks and even your own team merch to increase the amount of money you collect. Make it interactive by having a pre-movie talk with the coaches or players, or set up a raffle where attendees can win team-related prizes or other sponsored gear. It’s a fun and laid-back way to bring the community together and raise funds for your sports team.

5. Skills Competition

Why not let your athletes show off their talents while raising money? Organize a skills competition tailored to your sport. For soccer, you could do a penalty kick challenge; for baseball, a home-run derby; for basketball, a three-point shootout. Charge an entry fee for participants and sell tickets to spectators. Add some flair by getting local celebrities or former athletes to serve as judges. To raise even more, offer branded prizes, or let people place small wagers on their favorite athlete to win—just for fun!

6. Team Training Camps

Turn your athletes’ skills into an opportunity to teach the next generation of athletes! Host a weekend training camp where younger players (or even adults) can sign up to get one-on-one coaching from your team members. This is a great idea as not only are participants getting one on one coaching, but they’re also being active and getting to know the team or players on a personal level, excellent for keeping sponsors involved. Great from Football to golf teams. You can charge a registration fee and make it an annual or seasonal event to build momentum if there is a demand. If you want to boost profits even further, sell team gear or offer refreshments during breaks.

7. Team Meet-and-Greet BBQ

This is a great fundraising idea for after a game. Simply host a team meet-and-greet BBQ where fans can interact with players and coaches in a relaxed and social environment. And usually after the game or meet, everyone is up for some food, even the players. You can make this event even more profitable by offering raffles, or even autographs or autographed sports memorabilia like the game ball signed by the entire team. You can even partner with local restaurants or food suppliers to donate the food or sell vendor space at the event. Or incorporate a mini silent auction or a donation drive on the side.

8. Fantasy Sports League Fundraiser

Fantasy sports are a huge deal today and account for billions of dollars. So why not tap into the competitive nature of your supporters by organizing a fantasy sports league of your own. Whether it’s for the NFL, NBA, or even your own sports team, charge an entry fee to join the league and offer a percentage of the pot as a prize for the winner. The rest of the funds go to your sports club. You can keep everyone involved by offering regular updates, league rankings, and opportunities for trash talk. If your team plays a sport that has fantasy leagues (like soccer or football), make it extra fun by having your athletes compete in the league too!

9. Used Sports Equipment Sale

Maybe not as cool as some of our other ideas, this is a great way to both reuse what your team no longer needs as well as bringing in a little extra cash to boot. You can even expand on this idea by inviting supporters to donate their own used sports equipment which you can include in your sale. This could become a nice sized sports equipment sale that can gain a lot of local attention, you can even make it an interactive event by making it an auction that is live as well as online. There’s actually a lot you can do with something like this, and it works for any type of club or team.

10. Sports-Themed Calendars

This could be a fun way to raise some cash. Create a calendar featuring team photos, action shots, and important club dates (like tournament days or special events). Sell the calendars to family, friends, and supporters. This can be especially profitable at the beginning of a new year or season, and it's a fun way for supporters to stay connected to the club throughout the year. Plus you can sell some advertising to local businesses as well to cover ytour costs of printing these up.

11. Crowdfunding Campaign

Crowdfunding is one of the easiest ways to raise money online, but to make it really work, you need to tell a story. People won’t just give money because your team needs it, they’ll give because they feel some sort of local connection or connection to your team specifically. The key? Consistent engagement. Post your team’s progress, share behind-the-scenes moments, especially funny ones or bloopers, and remind donors how their contributions are making a real difference and always express how grateful the team is for their generosity. Use crowdfunding platforms like Paybee or GoFundMe, and get your team to create personalized messages and updates. To add an extra boost of profitability, offer small rewards for different donation levels, maybe a free ticket to the next game or a shoutout on your social media.

12. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising is all about getting your team members and supporters personally involved in the fundraising effort. Each athlete (or group of athletes) sets up their own fundraising page and asks their network of friends, family, and supporters to donate to their personal page. It’s a simple way to spread your reach far beyond the immediate community and with tools like Paybee it’s super easy to collect donations electronically. The best part? A little competition between athletes or teams can help bring in even more donations. Just offer your top fundraisers with incentives like gift cards or public recognition at your next event.

Making Your Fundraisers Even More Profitable!

If you’re going to do all the work of creating a fundraising event, you might as well get all you can for all your hard work. Below we’re going to give you some ideas on how you can make a great fundraiser even more profitable using addons or ways to increase donations. You can pick and choose, use a few or just one. But definitely use some of these ideas so you can raise as much money as your team needs as soon as possible.

1. Offer Sponsorship Packages

There aren’t many sports organizations that don’t get funding from some sort of sponsorship. And these sponsorships can be anything from logo placement on marketing materials, jerseys, or even event banners to running a food booth at your BBQ or team training camp events. This can really help with any upfront event costs and is almost always a win win for everyone.

2. Bundle Events with Merchandise Sales

At any event, whether it’s a trivia night, tournament, or movie screening, set up a merchandise booth selling team gear like T-shirts, hats, or water bottles. To boost sales, offer event-only bundles, such as a “Trivia Ticket + T-Shirt” package at a discounted price. Selling merchandise during high-energy events increases the likelihood that attendees will want to support the team in a visible way.

3. Incorporate a Raffle or Prize Drawing

Add a raffle or prize drawing to any in-person or online event. Charge for raffle tickets, and offer donated prizes from local businesses or team memorabilia, like signed jerseys. For example, at your skills competition or movie night, a half-time or intermission raffle can give your fundraiser an additional revenue boost while keeping the crowd engaged.

4. Utilize Online Donations for In-Person Events

Set up a mobile or online donation portal for all your in-person events. Fundraising apps for sports teams like Paybee can really make the entire process super simple and extremely convenient for your donors. You can use QR codes printed on banners, tickets, and event programs to direct your attendees to donate via online team platforms like ours. This makes it super easy for the crowd to support your team right there during the excitement of the games or meets. You could even offer a public thank-you or shoutouts to donors during the event to make them feel super special!

5. Offer VIP Experiences or Upgrades

For events like the sports-themed trivia night or meet-and-greet BBQ, offer VIP tickets at a premium price. VIP attendees could get early access, reserved seating, or exclusive perks like personal photos with the team or signed memorabilia. At your tournament, for example, sell VIP spectator tickets that come with better seating, complimentary snacks, or a meet-and-greet with the players before or after the game. Anything to make your guest feel a little extra special.

6. Host a Mini Silent Auction

Including mini silent auctions at any in-person fundraiser, such as the team BBQ, sports movie night, or trivia night can have a dramatic effect on your bottom line. It’s best if you can get donated items like sports memorabilia, gift cards, or exclusive team experiences like a pass to your training camp, or even corporate sponsored items. Promote your auction items ahead of time and let participants bid during your event, either through bid paddles or via a mobile app like Paybee to streamline the process and make everything from bidding to collecting winning bids as easy as possible for everyone.

7. Partner with Local Influencers or Celebrities

Boost your crowdfunding campaign, silent auction, or any large event by partnering with local influencers, athletes, or even media personalities. They can promote your fundraiser to a wider audience through their social media platforms, which increases participation and donations. At in-person events, they can make guest appearances, judge competitions, or participate in challenges, which can draw larger crowds and more funds. This is especially beneficial when you can get professional football players for your football team, or an Olympic swimmer for your swim team. The better you can align the guest with your sports team, the better.

How Technology Makes Our Ideas Easier and More Profitable

Technology can help every aspect of your fundraising and even team contact and social media. The right platform like our own, PayBee, can help you by saving a ton of time on communications and updates to players and donors, to increaseing the amount of funding you get with each of our event ideas above. But just so it’s clear just how dramatic an impact this tech can have, we’ve listed a bunch of ways you and your team should be implementing all of this into all of your fundraising strategies.

1. Online Ticket Sales and Registration

Selling tickets online for your games or fundraising events like trivia nights or tournaments, simplifies the purchasing process for attendees and lets you track where all the money is going. Platforms like ours allow people to buy tickets in advance and even make additional donations at the same time. You can also track all of your sales, manage registrations and seating, and gather valuable data on your audience for future events.

2. Live Streaming and Virtual Participation

For fundraisers like auctions, talent shows, or fitness challenges, live streaming can help engage supporters who can’t attend in person. Platforms like YouTube Live, Zoom, or Facebook Live let people participate remotely, increasing your event's reach. Virtual attendees can still donate, bid on items, or engage with the event, ensuring that no one is left out as long as you’re using the right platform. With PayBee you can do all of this and more as we allow you to integrate your entire social media presence right in our own backend. You can create a free account here to see just how powerful our platform truly is.

3. Mobile Payment Options

Mobile payment platforms have really changed the game both for your team and for anyone looking to support you. Payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Venmo allow anyone from anywhere in the world to become a donor instantly and with little fuss and a credit card. Plus with platforms like ours, not only can you integrate these gateways into our backend, you can track what people are doing before and after making their contribution so you have hard data to use so you know their preferred payment options and a whole lot more.

4. Social Media Promotion

Using social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to promote your event can really open your team to the whole world. And while that may not be important for your son’s baseball team or daughter’s cheer team, it is an excellent way for people that aren’t in town to keep up and even participate in your team’s success. Simply create event pages and post engaging content such as player interviews or behind-the-scenes photos to build excitement and keep everyone involved. Then after the event you can share photos or videos and thank-you messages while encouraging supporters to continue engaging with your sports club.

5. Online Auctions

With platforms like Paybee and other auction platforms, you can host auctions not just live, but you can run your auctions virtually and even let bidders bid against those attendees that are at the auction. For example, our hybrid events software allows you to hold an in-person event and a virtual event simultaneously. Your participants can bid and receive automatic notifications when they’re outbid so the excitement stays high as well as the bids! And everything is tracked using our software so you can always see what items sold best and where people where when they bid on them. All of this data can be extremely beneficial when it comes to planning your next fundraising event!

6. Automated Donation Receipts and Thank-Yous

Using donor management software or email automation tools to send instant donation receipts and personalized thank-you messages is a great way to keep your donors happy and engaged. This not only makes everyone satisfied, it also saves you a ton of time you’d otherwise need to spend writing and sending out individually. Plus personal touches like a thank-you email with your event highlights can increase the likelihood that your donors will carry on with their support.

7. Data Analytics for Targeted Fundraising

Using data analytics tools is a sure way to stay ahead of the fundraising game. Just think if you knew exactly which sports fundraising choices were making your team the most money, you could do similar events time and time again. In addition you could see who your biggest supporters were, what type of information they engage with best and what ways they most use to make a donation. All of this hard data can make all of your fundraising far more effective and profitable if you take the time to track and analyze the data.

Wrapping Up

As we have hopefully demonstrated, there are a lot of ways to fund your teams play and possibly even its expansion. From good old BBQ hangouts to getting all techie and including virtual auctions and participation, your fundraising event have the chance to not only be fun and very profitable, they can also help pull your community together in ways that were only previously imagined.

‍