Sport-Tek Apparel as a Booster Club Fundraiser: The Real Numbers

Booster clubs run bake sales, car washes, and the occasional raffle, but the highest-margin fundraiser most programs overlook is the one already sitting in the equipment closet: team apparel. Every parent buys a shirt or two anyway. The only question is whether that money goes to a print shop or to the booster fund. Here is the actual math on running a Sport-Tek program shop as a fundraiser.

Per-Piece Profit on the Core Pieces

Piece	VIP base	Typical retail	Booster profit per piece
Men's Moisture-Wicking Tee	$23.86	$30	~$6.14
Ladies' Moisture Wicking Tee	$25.88	$32	~$6.12
Men's Performance Polo Shirt	$34.88	$50	~$15.12
Men's Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve	$29.88	$40	~$10.12
Men's Performance Quarter-Zip Pullover	$29.88	$45	~$15.12

Boosters set the retail price themselves, there is no restriction from Bear Grips on markup. The default recommended profit built into the platform is $10 per item, but polos and pullovers routinely support more.

A Season Projection for a Mid-Size Program

A program with 55 football players, 30 track athletes, 12 coaches and staff, and 150 booster-club households in the mailing list:

• 85 player tees at ~$6 profit: ~$510
• 20 coach and staff polos at ~$15 profit: ~$300
• 30 booster-family tees at ~$6 profit: ~$180
• 15 cold-weather quarter-zips at ~$15 profit: ~$225

Total for one season across those four categories: roughly $1,215, without a single car wash or bake sale shift.

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Where the Booster Fund Sees This Money

Programs typically route apparel-fundraiser profit into travel costs for away meets and playoff games, equipment that falls outside the school budget line, and senior night or banquet expenses. Because there is no upfront cost to the booster club, the margin is closer to pure profit than a bake sale where ingredients eat into the take.

Who Actually Runs the Shop

Most programs assign the shop to one booster parent or an assistant coach, not the head coach. That person uploads the logo, sets retail prices once per season, and answers the occasional sizing question. It runs closer to a part-time task than a job. Bear Grips also runs a built-in affiliate program: 10% of any referred vendor's subscription plus $1 per unit they sell, paid bi-weekly, in case a booster wants to refer another program to the same setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bear Grips take a cut of what we charge?

No. The vendor (in this case the booster club or coach) sets the retail price and keeps everything above the base cost. Bear Grips charges the platform fee only ($0-$105/mo depending on plan).

Whats the highest-margin piece to push for fundraising?

Polos and quarter-zips carry the widest markup room, typically $15 or more per piece against a $50 or $45 retail price.

Do we need to buy inventory upfront to run this as a fundraiser?

No. Every piece is printed and shipped per order. The booster club never fronts cash for inventory.

Can the same shop run every season without rebuilding it?

Yes. Update the design and reopen the store each season. The shop, pricing, and product list stay in place year over year.