Baseball Fundraising Ideas

by Louie Doverspike

Overview

With uniforms, balls, umpires, grounds keeping and many other expenses, baseball doesn't come cheap. It's a game of passion on the diamond, so you need to bring a similar passion to your fundraising. No one wants to sell chocolate. A perfect fundraiser will energize your team, involve local businesses and draw in money in unexpected ways. Check out these ideas to try and get the ball rolling.
Pizza Eating Challenge

Baseball-playing youths universally love pizza. In many small towns, the pizza parlor is the go-to destination immediately after a game. So why not involve them in your next fundraiser? Hold a pizza eating contest, with every member of your team as a contestant. Your team members will then seek donors to support their run at pizza-eating glory. Turn the actual contest into a community event and call for donations before and after the show. This way you'll collect money from the donor support and at the event. Finally, award the pizza-eating winner's donors with pins that read "Pizza Eating Pit Crew," or something to that effect. This way, your fundraising drive seems more like placing bets, rather than just handing out money.

Concessions

Run a concession stand at baseball games throughout the year. This could offset or even obviate the need for a one-off fundraising drive. Solicit help from parents on the team to serve hot dogs, pop and chips at your team's home games.
Hit-a-Thon

Rather than the walk-a-thon held by many schools, consider a hit-a-thon, particularly if you have a cooperative batting cage in town. Like a walk-a-thon, your team members will be expected to seek pledges. These pledges could be a flat-rate donation or a pledge to donate a certain dollar amount for every hit. Give each member of your team 30 swings in the batting cage to determine how much they should collect from their donors.