Roller Derby Fundraising Ideas

Now that your roller derby team is in place, you'll need some fundraising ideas to cover team expenses. Try brainstorming with your team. If you need a few ideas to get you started, consider partnering with team sponsors, holding garage sales, partnering with home-based businesses and selling team merchandise. Before long, you will have a long list of fundraising ideas.

  1. Bar-Sponsored Events

    • Try to get a couple of bars in your hometown to sponsor your derby team. When bars sponsor your team, you can host fundraising events right in the bar. You can hold flip-cup tournaments, taco feeds, grill outs, bean bag tournaments, and all-you-can-drink events. The team charges a fee to participants, which is a quick and easy way to raise funds. Advertise these events on your team's website and on your team's online networking sites. Create events on the online networking sites and invite people to the events.

    Garage Sales

    • Have your team members go through their basements, garages and closets to find items they no longer want or need. Gather the items together and host a garage sale at a centrally located home or perhaps where you practice. Advertise, advertise, advertise. See if you can advertise the sale at any business that sponsors your team. Announce the garage sale at derby bouts. Use online networking sites and your team website to advertise the garage sale.

    Partnership Proceeds

    • Chances are someone on your derby team or someone you know sells merchandise --- home goods, makeup, accessories --- through a partnership with a major business, either door-to-door or by hosting parties. Speak with the business owner and set up an arrangement to host a party featuring the business and partner, with the business owner donating a certain percentage of the sales to the derby team. Use word-of-mouth advertising. Mail out invitations. Make use of your team's website and online networking pages.

    Team Merchandise

    • Make appealing team merchandise available at bouts and on the team website. Use the team logo and colors on T-shirts, can holders and hats. Have buttons created with pictures of the team members and team officials. Sell sparkly headbands in team colors. Survey people in the audience and ask them what they would be interested in buying, and then see if you can order those items to increase sales.