- Concession Stand
I know you already have a concession stand. The real question is ..... are you getting the maximum return on the effort involved? Many high school baseball groups actually serve a meal in their concession stand. For example a hot dog or hamburger, bag of chips and a drink for $5.00. As McDonalds will tell you .... there is more profit in a combo meal. But the better stands serve a real meal! Pinto beans, cornbread, a drink and a slice of home-made cake for $5.00 - $6.00. Maybe chili at an early season game when it is still cool. I have seen stands that serve homemade bar-b-que. So many ways to be creative.
No items will sell better than classic baseball hot dogs (and/or brauts) and hamburgers. The best idea is to have a grill outside.... allow the smell of the food to bring the customers to you. If a grill is not an option I have seen stands that use a George Foreman grill.
- Program Ads
In our program this item was our second largest fund raiser. Each year we averaged between $9,000 and $11,000 in ad sales for the baseball team's program. Too many programs make it the baseball player's responsibility to sell the ads. While I agree this is a good life lesson it usually results in a failed fundraising campaign. The parents and yes, the coaches should be active in the advertising sales.
Examples of ad costs are as follows:
$100.00 for a full page ad
$50.00 for a 1/2 page ad
$25.00 for a 1/4 page ad
Don't forget Mom and Dad and the Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles that would all like to buy an ad and wish "Johnny" a successful season.
Too many high school groups get bogged down in the printing costs of a program and spend any possible profits at the printer. With today's easy to use desktop publishing programs most team's have a parent or someone at the school that put together a program for very little cost.
One rule of thumb that we always used ..... If the team purchased items from a vendor and that vendor did not purchase a full page ad the next year we found a new source for that item/product.
- Yard Sales
First you find a church or business that will agree to let you use their parking lot for a Saturday. Preferably the location is on a busy street. If the school is located in a well traveled area this is fine as well. Location location location. Next you give all of the families on the team plenty of time to gather up all the "treasures" that they have accumulated around the house.
Run an ad in the local newspaper (these are usually free or very inexpensive for groups). Publish both a date and a rain date for the sale.
Don't forget tables and chairs .... this is where a church or the school can be helpful by loaning some to the team.
If the weather cooperates and if you have the right kind of junk a yard sale can raise a surprising amount of money
3-01-2008