Jersey and playing-kit sponsorship
A business pays for, or towards, playing kit in return for its logo on the jersey.
Typically raises
$3,000
$500–5,000 per sponsorest.
About $200 per organiser hour
Based on one club or junior team kit
Is it right for us?
- Money
- $2,000–10,000
- Work
- A few evenings
- Helpers
- 1–2 people
- Lead time
- 2–4 months
- Red tape
- None
Everyone’s done it: almost every team shirt carries a sponsor logo
- People
- 1-2
- Organiser time
- 10-20
- Lead time
- 3-4 months (kit has a manufacturing lead time)
- Up-front cost
- Nothing up front
- Risk
- medium if you order kit before the sponsor has paid
- Who can use it
- As for any sponsorship.
How it works
The money, as an example sum
Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one club or junior team kit is about $3,000 per sponsor.
From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.
Where the money figure comes from
Northland Rugby (provincial union) advertised jersey spots at $5,000 + GST (high). Low and typical are ESTIMATES for club and junior teams.
Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.
Step by step
- Get kit quotes including logo print costs.
- Set a price that at least covers kit cost plus a margin.
- Offer front, back, and sleeve positions at different prices.
- Get the logo files and sign-off before ordering.
- Collect payment before ordering kit.
- Send the sponsor a team photo in the kit.
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
- A member who knows the business owner to make the ask.
- Ask people to buy
- Local businesses to sign up as sponsors.
- When to start
- Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 6–8 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
Get payment before ordering kit. The club owns the jersey; IRD treats the sponsor's payment as advertising.
Tips
- Training tops and hoodies are cheaper extra spots for smaller businesses.
Watch out for
- Ordering kit before payment; the logo outlives a sponsor who stopped paying.
Jersey and playing-kit sponsorship: checklist
0 of 9 done
Before
While it runs
After
Get payment before ordering kit. The club owns the jersey; IRD treats the sponsor's payment as advertising.
* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide