Custom Ink has been the default group-order path for youth basketball leagues for years. It works: each parent submits a size by the deadline, the order ships in bulk, the jerseys arrive. The trade-off is that the league captures none of the apparel revenue and parents only get one chance to order. Pro Shops is the always-on alternative: the storefront stays open all season, each family orders directly, the league earns a margin on every sale.
The Custom Ink flow: the league commissioner builds a group page, each parent enters size by the deadline, the system gathers payment, and at a minimum threshold the order ships in bulk 2 to 3 weeks later. Strengths: zero financial risk to the league (parents pre-pay), good design tools, well-known brand. Weaknesses: hard deadline (anyone who misses it is out), the league earns nothing, and the storefront closes after the order ships.
The Pro Shops flow: the commissioner builds an ongoing storefront, families check out any time during the season, jerseys ship in about a week per family. Strengths: no deadline, no group threshold, league earns a margin on every sale, multiple SKUs across the season (jersey, warm-up, opening day, championship, banquet). Weaknesses: requires more sustained commissioner attention than one-and-done Custom Ink.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.| Aspect | Custom Ink | Pro Shops |
|---|---|---|
| Jersey retail price | $28-$36 | $36-$42 |
| Lead time | 2-3 weeks from deadline | ~1 week from order |
| Name and number setup | Often included | Always included, no fee |
| Can order after deadline | No | Yes, all season |
| Size exchange | Difficult once shipped | Direct with Pro Shops support |
| Aspect | Custom Ink | Pro Shops |
|---|---|---|
| Front money | None (parents pre-pay) | None |
| League margin per jersey | $0 | $10-$14 |
| Multi-SKU storefront | One design per order page | Up to 200 products on VIP |
| Always-on availability | No, single deadline | Yes, full season |
| Affiliate income | Not offered | 10% commission on referred leagues |
Custom Ink wins for: one-time event apparel where the league does not want any ongoing relationship (a single tournament shirt), leagues that prefer the simplicity of one deadline and one shipment, and very small one-team programs (10-12 kids) where setting up a full storefront feels like overkill. For everything else, Pro Shops is the better long-term path.
Open a free Pro Shops league storefront in 90 minutes. Always-on storefront, league earns margin on every sale, no deadline, no group threshold.
Start FreeYes. Some leagues use Custom Ink for a one-time tournament shirt or banquet shirt and Pro Shops for the always-on jersey storefront. The two tools serve different needs.
Print quality on the equivalent garments (Sport-Tek Performance, Bella+Canvas, Next Level) is comparable. Both platforms use direct-to-garment, screen print, or transfer methods. The garment is what determines the perceived quality, and Pro Shops carries the same garment lines as Custom Ink.
About a weekend. Setting up the storefront takes 90 minutes (see the run a league merch store guide). The transition usually happens between seasons so parents see one platform replace the other cleanly.
Bear Grips Pro Shops