Football as a sport has the power to bring multitudes together for a common cause. Be it that winning a bug match against rival teams or just supporting a good cause in the community, it is always a beautiful game! Now, raising a club at a local and grassroots level can be easier said than done. Your local football club will need money to stay operational and competitive.
So, you might be wondering how you can raise the funds to support your football team. To answer this, we have compiled this guide to cover some creative ideas you can try out.
Find a Commercial Sponsor
For starters, you can find a commercial sponsor for your team! Well, sponsorship deals can be lucrative, but they are often the most challenging deals to strike. Still, the strategy is one of the most popular fundraising ideas you can try. All you need to do is to learn how to do it.
Remember, your prospective sponsor wants to know what they will get in return. So, you have to create a pitch detailing how the sponsor will benefit from the partnership. For example, you can approach the local business to raise funds to buy a uniform for your football club. In return, you can offer to print the company’s logo on the t-shirts, giving them some publicity as you play!
If you have a good following on social media, you can offer to promote the sponsor brand through your social media handles. You can mention them as your sponsors or partners for your fans to know about them. You can also offer to erect billboards around the pitch, with their products advertised on them for the people to see.
The idea here is to develop the value your team will offer in exchange as you scout for commercial sponsors.
Make Good use of Match Days
Match days present an opportunity for your football team to cash in on the support of your fans. Depending on your competitions’ popularity, you are bound to have fans flocking in as your team plays. This where you need to come in and creatively convert that support into money for the benefit of your club.
For example, you can collaborate with a local supplier to create football kits and shirts for your team and sell them to supporters. These may include t-shirts, socks, caps, shirts or even hoodies for your team. Most loyal fans tend to buy the kits from their favorite local football team to show support.
It is an excellent way to make some cash and sell your team as a brand out there!
Host a Quiz with a Football Theme
Many fans love to show off their knowledge and analytical skills of football. So, one of the creative ways to raise money is to host a weekly quiz in a lovely spot around the area. Say, you can partner up with a local pub where you can host the quiz post-training or during match socializing.
Tip: It is best to do a bit of research and find out the day and time that is most suitable to attract more fans.
It is a way to maximize attendance and raise the fundraising potential.
You can take it a notch higher and scope online to increase the number of participants. You can have an online quiz with the rewards sponsored by a partner brand. Again, this will not only raise funds for your football cause. It will also increase the popularity of the brand.
Screen Major Football Matches
Another way to raise funds is by screening big football matches in the clubhouse bar for your fans to enjoy. You know that kind of hype and excitement around big games such as the World Cup, Champions League and other major competitions. You don’t have to go big. You can simply organize simple live streams to attract viewership and fans to your team.
Make Money Via Club Facilities
Another creative way of raising funds is by renting out your facilities or maximizing them to your financial advantage. For example, you could find out if a tournament or league is looking for a nice pitch for the event. You can then offer them the terms of membership so they can utilize your pitch at a fee. You may also use the opportunity to recruit new talents to your football club.
You can also offer some space to local businesses at an agreed fee. For example, if businesses would like open space to exhibit their goods and promote their businesses, then a football pitch can be an ideal space. The idea is to ensure that you maximize the use of the facilities owned by your football club when you are not using them for training and games.
Find a Grant Scheme
You can raise funds through grants that are offered to football teams by various corporations. For example, top sporting brands like Nike or Adidas, likely to provide your club financial support, albeit with the right pitch. The truth is, there is high competition for the grants, but you can be a lucky beneficiary and raise money for your sports team. Again, you don’t have to go for the big brands. Why not go for similar brands that are also looking to penetrate the market?
Wrapping up
Starting and sustaining a football team takes a lot of effort. You need funds to grow and stay afloat. That is why you ought to be creative and find ways to source for sustainable support.