The best sports club merchandise is useful, easy to wear and easy to recognise. Think club polos, caps, drink bottles, bags, stubby holders and low-cost giveaways for game days. Pick items for each group: players, volunteers, supporters and sponsors. Then plan sizes, branding rules and timing before you order.

This guide lists ideas by group and explains how to choose well. It also covers how clubs sell merchandise and what to check with your league. We are PromoShop, and we supply branded merchandise to Australian businesses and organisations. We have written this to help you order with confidence.

TL;DR

• Start with apparel: polos, caps, beanies, jackets and training tops give the most daily visibility.
• Add practical items such as drink bottles, bags and towels that people keep and use.
• Match the item to the group: players, volunteers, supporters, sponsors and new members.
• Check your league’s branding rules and any mandatory suppliers before you buy.
• Ask about minimum quantities, sizing and lead times early, so stock arrives before the season.

Table of Contents

• Start with what your club members already wear
• Practical items people keep and use
• Affordable giveaways for game days and events
• Merchandise for spectators, welcome packs and corporate sports days
• How clubs sell merchandise
• Check your league’s rules first
• What to consider when choosing merchandise
• Sustainable merchandise and giveaways
• Costs, quantities and timing
• Our perspective: plan merchandise around people, not products
• Get your club merchandise sorted with PromoShop
• FAQ
• Sources

Start with what your club members already wear

Apparel is the base of most club merchandise ranges. People wear it at training, on game day and away from the club. Each wear promotes your name.

The AFL’s club guidance lists player and training apparel, plus supporter items like scarves, beanies, polos and jackets as things clubs can sell to members and supporters. The same mix suits netball, cricket, soccer, rugby and basketball clubs.

Player and training apparel

• Playing jerseys and shorts
• Training tops and singlets
• Warm-up jackets and hoodies
• Team socks
• Travel polos for away games

These are worn by one group, so sizing matters most here. Collect sizes with a sample set before you place a full order. Our promotional clothing range covers many of these styles.

Supporter apparel

• Club polos and t-shirts
• Beanies and scarves for winter
• Caps and bucket hats for summer
• Zip jackets and vests

Supporters buy what they would wear anyway. A simple logo on a good basic sells better than a busy design. Caps and bucket hats work well in Australian summers. Beanies and scarves suit winter codes.

Volunteer and committee wear

Volunteers keep the club running. A high-visibility or bright polo helps people find them on game day. Name tags or role labels on the polo make it easier for parents and visitors to ask for help. A matching jacket for the committee gives the club a consistent look at events.

Practical items people keep and use

Useful items stay in bags and cars for years. That keeps your club name in front of people long after the season ends.

Item	Who it suits	Why it works
Drink bottles	Players, juniors, supporters	Used every training session
Sports bags	Players, juniors	Carried to every game
Towels	Golf, gym, swimming, tennis	Practical at every session
Stubby holders	Supporters, sponsors	Cheap and popular at club bars
Umbrellas	Supporters	Useful on wet game days
Key rigs	All members	Small, light and always carried
Reusable coffee cups	Supporters, volunteers	Used at early morning games
Stickers	Juniors	Low cost and easy to hand out

The AFL guidance also names stickers, stubby holders, reusable coffee cups, umbrellas, footballs and key rigs as club merchandise. Footballs, of course, can be swapped for the ball of your own sport.

Drinkware

Drinkware may be the most useful category for a sports club. Players carry bottles to every session. Supporters carry cups to cold early games. Browse our branded cups and bottles for options in several styles.

Bags and towels

A drawstring bag, a shoe bag or a duffel is used weekly by players. Golf and tennis clubs often add towels. For golf clubs, our golf merchandise range includes items such as the small golf towel, the shoe bag and the oval tee caddy.

Affordable giveaways for game days and events

Sports team giveaways do not need a large budget. They need to be small, useful and easy to hand out in volume.

Good low-cost ideas include:

• Pens and notepads for sign-on days
• Stickers and temporary tattoos for juniors
• Wristbands and sweatbands
• Fridge magnets with the fixture list
• Lanyards for volunteers and event passes
• Branded confectionery for canteen and presentation nights
• Mini footballs or stress balls for kids

A fixture magnet is a good example. It carries the season dates, the club logo and a sponsor name. It sits on a fridge for months. Families check it every week.

Give items away with a purpose. Hand them out at registration, at a sponsor day or at a club open day. Use them to thank volunteers and welcome new members. Items given without a reason are often left behind.

Merchandise for spectators, welcome packs and corporate sports days

Spectators need comfort. Folding seats, cushions, sun hats, ponchos, sunscreen and cooler bags all suit a day at the ground. Pick items that fit the weather in your region and season.

For a new member welcome pack, keep it simple:

1. A club cap or beanie
2. A drink bottle
3. A sticker sheet or fixture magnet
4. A printed or digital welcome note

For corporate sports days and sponsor events, choose items with a more polished feel. Think quality polos, insulated drinkware, notebooks, pens and small tech accessories. Sponsors often appreciate a thank-you gift at season’s end. Our corporate gifts and awards range includes items suited to this.

Schools and education groups have their own needs. See our guide to merchandise for the education sector if your club works with schools.

How clubs sell merchandise

Merchandise can raise funds as well as promote your club. The AFL guidance describes three common channels:

• An online store. Members and supporters order any time.
• On-site sales. You sell at training nights and on game days.
• Season-start order forms. You collect orders in bulk before the season begins.

Order forms suit small clubs well. You know the numbers and sizes before you buy. That reduces leftover stock. On-site sales suit low-cost items like stubby holders, stickers and caps.

A mixed approach often works best. Take pre-orders for apparel. Keep a small stock of caps, bottles and stickers for game days.

Check your league’s rules first

Before you buy apparel or merchandise, check with your league whether branding regulations or mandatory suppliers apply. This is guidance for AFL clubs, and other codes often have similar rules. Ask your association about:

• Required supplier lists for playing uniforms
• Where sponsor logos can appear
• Sizes and colours of logos
• Any use of league or competition marks

If you use sponsor logos on merchandise, confirm you have permission to use them. Ask for the logo in a print-ready format. Good artwork matters, and our team offers free artwork design to help get your logo ready for print.

Where to place your logo

Logo position changes how a garment looks and how well it is seen. A left-chest logo suits polos. A back print suits jackets and hoodies. A sleeve print suits caps and shorts. This guide to logo placement on apparel explains the common positions.

What to consider when choosing merchandise

Use these five checks before you order.

1. Is it useful?

Ask if people will use it weekly. A drink bottle passes this test. A novelty item that breaks in a week does not.

2. Will it last?

Training wear is washed often. Prints and embroidery need to hold up. Choose fabrics suited to the sport. Breathable fabrics suit running and field sports. Heavier cotton suits supporter wear.

3. Do the sizes work?

Juniors, women’s cuts and larger sizes all need to be available. Ask about the full size range before you commit. Order a sample if you can. For junior teams, plan for growth over the season.

4. Is the branding clear?

Keep the design simple. One or two colours often print more cleanly than many. Make sure the logo works on both light and dark items.

5. Is it safe and compliant?

If your club sells sporting goods, safety rules apply. It is illegal to sell products in Australia that do not meet mandatory safety standards. The ACCC reported that the Federal Court ordered Decathlon to pay $1.5 million in penalties for supplying sports and recreation goods that lacked required safety labelling, warnings or instructions. Most clubs sell apparel and small items, but if you add equipment, ask your supplier to confirm it meets Australian requirements. You can also contact the ACCC or your state consumer protection agency for advice on a specific product.

Sustainable merchandise and giveaways

Many councils and venues now set waste rules for events. If your club runs a community event on council land, check the conditions.

The City of Sydney’s event guidelines say organisers should avoid showbags and giveaways from sponsors or vendors. If they are needed, the contents must meet its procurement policy, and no single-use plastic giveaways are permitted. These rules apply to events under that council. Other councils set their own conditions, so ask yours.

The guidelines also encourage electronic versions of printed material where possible. Where print is needed, they ask for recycled or PVC-free options.

Reusable items are a simple answer. At the 2024 Australian Open, a partnership to provide reusable stainless-steel bottles to around 800 players led to a 99 per cent reduction in single-use plastic in player areas. A club can use the same idea on a smaller scale. Give each player a reusable bottle and set up a refill point at the ground.

For more options, see our list of eco-friendly promotional products. If you want to check environmental claims before you order, read our guide to sustainable corporate gifts.

Costs, quantities and timing

Prices vary with the product, the number of print colours and the order size. Larger orders usually bring a lower cost per item. Ask your supplier about these points before you commit:

• The minimum order quantity for each item
• Set-up or artwork charges
• Price breaks at higher quantities
• Lead time from artwork approval to delivery
• Whether an express option is available

Work backwards from your first game or sign-on day. Allow time for artwork, a proof, production and delivery. Build in extra days for any reorders of sizes. Order early in the off-season, when your timeline is relaxed.

For a wider view of ordering, our promotional merchandise buyer’s guide covers quantities, print methods and planning.

Our perspective: plan merchandise around people, not products

Clubs often start with a product and look for a use. We suggest starting with the people instead.

Ask who will wear or use the item, and when. A junior player needs a bottle and a bag. A volunteer needs a bright polo. A sponsor needs a quality thank-you gift. Once you know the group, the product choice is simple.

We source directly from factories through a global supply chain. Our aim is consistent quality at competitive prices. If you find a lower price on the same product, our Price Beat Guarantee is designed to help.

Artwork stops many clubs. A volunteer sends a low-quality logo, and the order stalls. That is why we offer free artwork design. Send us what you have, and we will help prepare it for print.

Timing is the other common problem. Our Express Service is there for orders that need a faster turnaround. We suggest you still plan ahead, because early orders give you more choice.

PromoShop

Get your club merchandise sorted with PromoShop

We supply promotional clothing, caps and headwear, bags, drinkware, pens, office items, corporate gifts and awards, and point of sale products. Every order can include custom branding. We also offer free artwork design, an Express Service and a Price Beat Guarantee.

Browse our promotional sports gear to see what suits your club. Or get in touch with our team with your item list, quantities and deadline. We are here to assist.

FAQ

What are the best sports club merchandise ideas for a small club?

Start with caps, drink bottles, stubby holders and a club polo. They are low in cost and easy to sell or give away. Take pre-orders for apparel so you only buy what you need.

What are good sports team giveaways for game days?

Stickers, wristbands, fixture magnets, pens and small confectionery packs work well. Hand them out at registration, open days or sponsor events. Keep items small and useful so people keep them.

Do I need to check league rules before ordering merchandise?

Yes. Some leagues have branding rules or mandatory suppliers for apparel. AFL Club Help advises clubs to check with their league before buying. Ask your own association for its rules.

How early should I order club merchandise?

Order as early in the off-season as you can. Allow time for artwork, a proof, production and delivery. If a deadline is close, ask about express options.

Can sports merchandise be sustainable?

Yes. Reusable bottles, cups and bags replace single-use items. Check your council’s event conditions, as some limit single-use plastic giveaways.

Sources

• AFL Club Help: merchandise
• ACCC: Decathlon pays $1.5 million for selling sporting goods that did not comply with safety standards
• City of Sydney: Sustainable event guidelines
• Australian Open: AO partners with waterdrop
• Types of logo placement on apparel

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