Fill My Jersey (pick-a-number jersey)

A training jersey printed with numbers 1-40; a family picks a number, pays that many dollars, and its name goes on the jersey. Selling every number raises 1+2+...+40 = $820.

Typically raises

$820

$300–820 per campaignest.

About $117 per organiser hour

Based on one fully filled 1-40 jersey

Is it right for us?

Money: $500–2,000
Work: An afternoon
Helpers: 1–2 people
Lead time: 2–3 weeks
Red tape: None

Uncommon: a clever novelty most people haven't seen

People: 1-2
Organiser time: 4-10
Lead time: 2-3 weeks plus print time
Up-front cost: $60
Risk: low (one jersey print)
Who can use it: Anyone can run it. Treat it as a donation with recognition (no prize, no chance), so it is not gambling.

Suits: Sports club or team, Team going to a tournament or tour

Less usual for: High school, One person (athlete, performer, student)

When: Summer (Dec–Feb), Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), Spring (Sep–Nov), Start of the sports season

How big a job: An afternoon, 1–2 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Take about $880, pay about $60 of costs, and you keep about $820 per campaign: the typical result for one fully filled 1-40 jersey.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

Arithmetic: n(n+1)/2. 1-40 = $820; 1-50 = $1,275; 1-60 = $1,830. Low is an ESTIMATE for a partly sold jersey. Known overseas as 'Fill My Jersey' / 'Who Has My Back' (Teamfi templates).

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

Decide how many numbers (1-40 = $820; pick the range to fit the target).
Post a shareable jersey graphic with the numbers.
Take bookings in a shared sheet so nobody double-books a number.
Cross off numbers in the graphic as they're paid and repost.
Make the cheap numbers go first, then push the big ones ('Who'll take 40?').
Print the names on a training top or a framed jersey for the clubroom.
Photograph the team with it and thank everyone by name.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: Members to share it with people they know.
Ask people to buy: People to buy a square, a number or a brick.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: Not neededNone needed
Landowner’s permission: Not needed
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling

No prize and no draw, so it is not gambling. Adding a prize draw turns it into a lottery. No tax credit where the jersey benefits the donor's own child.

Make more from it

Run a pick-a-date calendar afterwards
up to $496 a month (arithmetic)
the same supporters, a fresh format

Tips

Run it online too (Givealittle donation + reference = number).
Grandparents and local businesses often take the top numbers.

Watch out for

Promising printed names before you know the final list; print once at the end.