You can’t call yourself a super sports fan you have official team memorabilia! Your room should be decked out in posters, you should have a jersey you rock during every game, and you should decorate your car with an obnoxious amount of bumper stickers.
The merch is part of the experience at a sports game, whether you’re going to watch the professionals at a stadium or sitting in a lawn chair to cheer on your kiddo during a little league tournament. It’s important and downright fun to show your team spirit!
Here are the best sports promotional items of all time. This swag can be bought at the concession stand, purchased at the gift shops, or given away as freebies to dedicated fans.
- Helmets Filled With Ice Cream
Mmm, nothing says “summer” quite like creamy ice cream inside a baseball helmet! You can enjoy this sweet treat while sitting in the bleachers, and then bring the tiny helmet home later as a souvenir. Dairy Queen even started selling their own promotional helmets in the mid-1970s. These are still collectible items to this day! - Custom Team Apparel
Fans are likely already wearing a logo t-shirt, sweater, and hat (and maybe some face paint) to a sports game. But that doesn’t mean they won’t want some new custom team apparel to add to their wardrobe!
The following team apparel is a must for your sports team:
Jerseys
T-shirts
Hoodies
Sweatshirts
Tank Tops
Hats
Vests
Scarves
Jackets
Gloves
Onesies
- Pennants and Flags
Flags and pennants symbolize pride and dedication to an organization. You’ll often even see a team’s flag waving right next to the American flag during the “National Anthem.” Bringing these flags home as souvenirs after a game is just the icing on the cake. Fans can show their team love by hanging them outside of their homes, or using them to decorate their kid’s bedroom. It’s the best way to encourage another generation of fandom! - Foam Fingers or Wavers
We’re #1! We’re #1! Show everyone your team’s a winner with classic custom foam fingers or foam wavers. These squishy hands and sticks are a great way to hype up everyone in the crowd.
In 2016, the Denver Nuggets gave away free foam fingers to all the fans at one of their home games. The fans were then asked to do a “finger wag” in honor of Hall of Famer, Dikembe Mutombo. His jersey was retired during the same game, so fans (and their fingers) got to be part of an important moment in NBA history!
- Bobbleheads
A Milwaukee entrepreneur named Danny Goodman invented bobbleheads for the LA Dodgers in 1963. They sold for only $3 at Gilmore Field and went on to inspire other teams in not only the MLB, but also the NBA, NHL, and NFL to create special bobbleheads of their own players. The history of sports merchandise was forever changed! - Keychains & Magnets
Keychains and magnets are staple items in any gift shop! They’re some of the most affordable sports promotional products, which is great for fans who come to the game, but are on a budget. - Pint Glasses
Beer is part of any professional sports game if you’re 21 or over. It’s filling up the stadium cups at the pregame tailgate, and it’s being poured like crazy in glasses at the stadium. Is it any surprise that 48% of sports fans love beer?
Football fans are perhaps the booziest in the bunch, which is exactly why Budweiser is a big supporter of the NFL. One of their best campaigns came in the form of LED beer glasses, which could be synced up to a fan’s phone via Bluetooth. The personalized pint glasses would then light up when their team scored a touchdown.
- Promotional Koozies
After a few ice cold drinks, your hands can start to look red and raw. That’s the beauty of stadiums that sell or give away koozie can coolers! These holders slip right over your drink can or bottle.
Can sleeves have a ton of personality, especially when they’re in a unique shape. Take for example the jersey bottle holders handed out by the Arizona Coyotes in 2019 for their “College Night.” These promotional giveaways were handed out for the game against the Vegas Golden Knights, who had only been in the NHL for two years at the time!
- License Plate Frames
You can still support your team, even while sitting in traffic on your way to the game! It’s as easy as screwing on a personalized license plate frame. Or if you’re feeling really frisky, you can follow in this Washington super fan’s footsteps and deck out your entire car with a themed paint job! - Mascot Teddy Bears
The kids are sports fans, too! With that in mind, every stadium, arena, or league should sell promotional stuffed animals. These furry friends will be held onto as sports memorabilia for years.
Just look at the St. Louis Cardinals! The 11-time World Series champs partnered with Build-a-Bear in 2019, offering 2,000 teddy bears for their home game against the Travelers. Not only that, but they also gave away exclusive teddy bears at a restaurant near the ballpark.
When it comes to fandom, you may as well get them started young. Stuffed animals are a huggable way to make it happen!
- Seat Cushions
Those bleachers and rock hard folding chairs can be brutal on the butt. Your tush will be happier if it’s planted on a custom seat cushion.
The arenas in the NHL in particular are cold and have particularly hard seating. Capital One Arena in Washington posed an excellent solution. Following a Stanley Cup win, the arena started selling seat cushions from the venue where some of the games were played. Fans could then reuse these while attending future games.
- Custom Tote Bags
You can use custom tote bags for so many things – work bags, weekend errands, and of course, shopping for game day snacks like chips and buffalo wings at the grocery store! That’s exactly why they’re some of the best sports promotional items. - Personalized Mugs
Everybody loves caffeine, whether you’re a football, baseball, basketball, or hockey fan. That’s exactly why ceramic mugs and travel mugs are excellent promotional products for any sports organization! - Postcards & Greeting Cards
Trading cards are old-school, and if you got caught up in the craze in the 80s and 90s, you probably have boxes sitting in your garage or attic. Postcards and greeting cards are a much better choice, especially for fans who travel to a different state to see a game. - Team Ornaments
Speaking of the holidays…nothing warms the heart more than a nice ornament. It will decorate the house every season, showing off your fandom to family and friends who come to visit for the holidays.