Sports gear is about the crowd
A team, a league or a charity run needs items that people wear, wave or carry, and that appear in photographs. Printed sports gear does two jobs at once: it makes the event feel like an event, and it carries your name, or your sponsors' names, into every picture and every car ride home.
The best sports items are fun to have and easy to use. Think about what a person does at a game or a race, and give them something that fits that moment.
Match the item to the moment
For spectators, think of things they can hold up and wave, like foam fingers. They are loud, cheerful and impossible to miss in a photograph.
For players and volunteers, think of what they need on the day: towels and water bottles. These are used constantly, so they get a lot of exposure, and a bottle is kept long after the season.
For sponsors and finishers, think of something they will keep: a bottle, a bag or a small keepsake. People remember what they take home.
For fundraisers and booths, small items such as stress balls suit people who stop at a table. They are cheerful and low in cost, and they invite a conversation.
Use your team colors
Many items come in a range of colors, so you can match the team or the event. Choose the item color first, then pick an imprint color that stands out against it: dark ink on a light item, light ink on a dark one.
If your artwork has several colors, full-color print can show it more faithfully. One-color print is cleaner and costs less, and it is a good choice for a simple team name. The product page lists the imprint methods offered for each item.
Sponsors and approvals
If sponsors are paying for the items, ask for their logos early, and send them as vector files if you can (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF). A sponsor is more likely to approve a clean, correct version.
It is much easier to get a sponsor to sign off on a proof than on a box of finished items. Share the free e-proof with everyone who needs to approve it before you approve it yourself, because nothing prints until you do.
How many to order
Count players, coaches, volunteers and a reasonable share of the crowd, then look at the price breaks. The price per item falls at each quantity level, so if you are near the next one, a slightly larger order usually costs less per piece.
Think about what happens to the extras. Undated items can be used again next season, and that makes it easier to order a little more.
Mistakes to avoid
Ordering for the full crowd when only some people will use the item. Choose the items for the people who will really use them.
Using colors that clash with the item. Check the proof for contrast.
Missing the date. Game day does not move. Choose a hard in-hands date and leave room for the proof.
Forgetting the sponsors. Make sure every sponsor sees the proof, and spell every name carefully.
Order for the date
Choose a hard in-hands date at checkout and we will plan the order backwards from it, then confirm the date on your proof. Check the live stock counts on each product page so you know what is ready to print, and allow time for the proof to go back and forth.
How ordering works here
Choose the item and set the quantity. At the cart you add your logo or text, give the job a name, and confirm your email with a six-digit code. There is no account to create.
At checkout you give the delivery address, choose a standard order or a hard in-hands date, pick a shipping speed and pay. You then receive a free e-proof. Nothing prints until you approve it, and you can cancel for a full refund until you do.
Questions we hear
What file should I send? We accept AI, EPS, PDF, SVG and PNG. Vector files print best.
Can I mix colors? You can order the same item in several colors. If it has a setup fee, it is charged once for the item, not once per color.
Can I order text only? Yes. Choose a font and type your team name.
Ready to look?
Take a look in our Sports category and choose what your team will wave, wear and keep.