“ALUMNI GAMES CAN BE A GREAT FUNDRAISER FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. WHETHER YOU’RE RAISING FUNDS FOR YOUR PROGRAM OR A CAUSE, AN ALUMNI GAME IS A FUN WAY TO DO IT.”
No matter your program size, age group, or sport, athletic programs are always looking for additional sources of funds to keep things running smoothly. We’ve all done fundraisers growing up. Sporting events are a huge part of fundraising.
One fundraising effort that has exploded in recent years are cause games. Addix has always been a proud supporter of cause games and we’ve been excited to see the growth in cause games over the last few years. In our Addix Great American Giveback campaign in 2018, we gave away over $20,000 in cause game uniforms to our six schools who won our social media contest. Cause games, typically played between colleges or high schools, against another team in competition, have become an important part of fundraising for great causes,.
In the summer months, with no school or sporting events going on, cause games are not possible to host. Now there’s another way you can raise money during the summer months! An alumni game.
Alumni games can be a great fundraiser for your community. Whether you’re raising funds for your program, or a cause like a local charity, an alumni game is a fun way to do it. Alumni always enjoy getting a chance to see old teammates, play in a semi-competitive environment, and get to enjoy the sport they grew up with. The best part is almost any sport can host an alumni event!
One alumni game Addix was proud to work with last year was the Lowell High School Soccer Alumni Game. Through concessions, tickets, and donations, they were able to raise over $1,400 for a local scholarship fund.
An exciting part about hosting your own alumni game is getting some cool alternate jerseys! For Lowell, the alumni wore some England-inspired jerseys which you can see photos of in our slideshow below. Another alumni game we work with is the Well Church who hosts their annual game with the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Game each year benefiting Livingston County children’s charities. In addition to tickets, The Well Church raises money through dinner tickets, an auction, and donations. Fans certainly enjoy seeing some of their favorite Red Wings players back on the ice again!
Here are some basic tips to help jumpstart your next alumni game.
Step 1 – Gather Interested Players: Facebook is a great way to do this! Many schools already have alumni pages set up, or have your school’s athletics page post about it!
Step 2 – Set a Date, Opponent, and Rules: This is important for any game. The fun part of an exhibition is you can have a relaxed environment, while maintaining competitiveness. You could even compete against another school’s alumni team if you’re feeling extra competitive. Safety is of course absolutely important in any athletic event, so keep that in mind!
Step 3 – Pick an Organization to Raise Money For: You can raise money for your team, a charity, a scholarship fund, or another cause.
Step 4 – Get Creative and Get Custom Addix Jerseys For Your Game: With our sublimated jerseys, not only can you design anything you want, we also include names and numbers at no additional cost. A bonus part about getting unique jerseys branded for your event is the alumni can keep the jerseys afterwards!
Step 5 – Promote Your Game: The more fans the better! Social media is a great way to do this. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are a great place to get your community engaged.
Step 6 – Have Fun on Gameday! Make it an enjoyable and fun experience for fans and players alike!
