Bear Grips Pro ShopsCustom Ink Alternative for Adult Soccer Leagues
- Custom Ink runs bulk-print orders, usually 12 to 24-shirt minimums.
- Bear Grips Pro Shops runs an on-demand league store, no minimum.
- Per-jersey cost is similar at small volume; the big differences are margin capture and per-player shipping.
- Switching takes under an hour at the free Pro Shops tier.
Custom Ink is the default destination for adult soccer leagues placing bulk team-jersey orders. Bear Grips Pro Shops is the on-demand alternative: no minimum, no bulk pre-purchase, each player buys their own jersey from a league store the commissioner sets up once. Here is how the two stack up on the decisions an adult-league commissioner makes every season.
Minimum Order: 12 to 24 vs None
Custom Ink applies a 12-to-24-shirt minimum to unlock standard pricing. For a 14-player adult team, that just barely clears the minimum. For an 8-player Sunday league team, it does not. Pro Shops has no minimum. A single player buys a single jersey. A team of 8 buys 8. A league of 200 buys 200, one at a time.
Per-Player Shipping vs Single Drop
Custom Ink ships to a single address. The captain opens the box, sorts by name and size, distributes at the next match, deals with the wrong-size kid, tracks down the no-show player. Pro Shops ships each jersey to the player address. The captain stops being the team postal service. Time saved per season: 4 to 8 hours.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.Margin Capture: League Earns vs Players Pay Once
With Custom Ink, the team pays the print shop, the print shop earns the margin, and that is the end of the financial relationship. With Pro Shops, the league sets the retail price and earns the margin on every jersey, hoodie, and warmup sold all season. For a 168-player league, that is $3,000 to $6,000 of margin per season that previously went to a print shop. See: adult soccer league apparel revenue math.
Lead Time: 2 to 3 Weeks vs About a Week
Custom Ink standard production runs 10 to 14 business days. Pro Shops runs about 1 week. For mid-season add-ons (new player joining at week 4), the lead time difference is whether the new player gets a jersey in time for week 6 or week 9.
When Custom Ink Still Wins
- One-time tournament shirts at high volume (50+). Custom Ink handles bulk one-offs at high quantity well.
- The league wants no ongoing store, just a single bulk order. If apparel is a pure expense line and not a revenue stream, a one-time print order is simpler.
Switch From Custom Ink in Under an Hour
Open a free Pro Shops league store with the existing league logo. Players buy directly, the league earns margin on every order, no bulk pre-purchase.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Is Custom Ink cheaper than Bear Grips Pro Shops for adult league jerseys?
At 24+ shirts bulk, per-shirt cost is similar. Below 24, Pro Shops is significantly cheaper. The bigger difference is ongoing margin capture: Pro Shops lets the league earn revenue from every order all season.
How long does the Custom Ink to Pro Shops switch take?
A free-tier Pro Shops launch with the existing league logo takes under an hour. Self-Service VIP launch with the full catalog takes a few hours. Done-For-You VIP launch from logo handoff takes about a week.
Can we use Pro Shops for jerseys and Custom Ink for one-off tournament shirts?
Yes, but Pro Shops handles tournament shirts equally well with the same no-minimum model. Most leagues consolidate to one platform within a season of switching.
What about uploading our existing design from Custom Ink?
Pro Shops accepts PNG, SVG, AI, and PDF. The same design file used at Custom Ink works at Pro Shops. No redesign required.
