Walk into almost any local footy, cricket or rugby club on a Saturday afternoon and there’s a good chance you’ll see a few stubby holders around the bar or clubhouse.

That’s why they work so naturally as club merchandise.

They’re useful, they fit the setting, and they can be used for more than just giveaways. A well-designed stubby holder can help with fundraising, sponsor visibility, membership packs, finals events and even limited-edition club merchandise.

The main thing is getting the order right.

A small club selling 50 holders at an awards night has very different needs from a larger club ordering 500 for the season.

Why Stubby Holders Work So Well for Sporting Clubs

Sporting clubs already have something most businesses need to work hard to create: a strong sense of identity.

There’s the club logo, colours, mascot, history, players, sponsors and local community around it.

That gives you plenty to work with when creating merchandise.

A stubby holder can carry that identity without needing to feel overly promotional.

Members might use one at:

• the club bar
• match day
• BBQs
• finals nights
• camping trips
• home
• club functions

If the design looks good, it can stay in use for years.

Where Clubs Actually Use Them

Custom stubby holders can work across a lot of club activities.

Membership packs

A holder can be added to a membership pack alongside things like scarves, stickers, caps or drink vouchers.

It gives members something useful without taking up much space.

Match-day merchandise

They’re easy to sell from the club bar, canteen or merchandise table.

A simple club-colour design often works well here.

Finals events

Finals are a good time to create a limited design.

You could use:

• Finals 2026
• Road to the Grand Final
• Finals Series
• Club Finals Edition

That gives members a reason to buy something different from the standard season design.

Awards nights

A smaller run can work well as:

• player gifts
• volunteer gifts
• sponsor gifts
• table favours

Sponsor events

If a sponsor is hosting or supporting an event, the holder can carry both the club and sponsor branding.

Premiership celebrations

This is probably one of the best reasons to create a limited-edition run.

A premiership design feels more like a keepsake than standard promotional merchandise.

Stubby Holders Can Work as a Fundraiser

For clubs, fundraising merchandise becomes much more useful when it can generate money rather than simply being given away.

A common approach is to order a batch at a wholesale or bulk rate and then sell them to members at a retail price.

The important part is making the design feel like club merchandise, not like a sponsor advertisement.

People are much more likely to pay for something that looks like:

> “2026 Club Edition”

than something that looks like:

> “Presented by 7 local businesses”

Sponsors can still be included, but the club should remain the main focus.

Pre-Orders Can Reduce the Risk

If you’re not sure how many will sell, pre-orders can be useful.

You could:

• show the artwork to members
• take orders for two weeks
• add a small number of extras
• then place the production order

This can reduce the risk of ending up with boxes of unsold merchandise.

It’s especially useful for:

• anniversary editions
• premiership holders
• finals designs
• junior team designs

How Many Should a Sporting Club Order?

There isn’t one right number.

A useful starting point is:

If you’ve never sold stubby holders before, it can make sense to start smaller.

A slightly higher unit price on 100 pieces can be better than a cheap unit price on 500 pieces that never sell.

Don’t Order More Just to Get a Better Unit Price

This is an easy trap.

The 500-piece price might look great compared with 250.

But if the club only realistically sells 180 per year, the lower unit price doesn’t help much.

Think about:

• current membership
• supporter numbers
• past merchandise sales
• upcoming events
• whether the design is seasonal

Then order around what you can realistically use.

3mm or 5mm for Sporting Clubs?

Both can work well, but the purpose matters.

3mm holders

A lighter 3mm holder can suit:

• large giveaways
• sponsor promotions
• match-day promotions
• fundraising where price matters
• event packs

They’re easier to pack and transport in larger quantities.

5mm holders

A thicker 5mm holder can suit:

• club merchandise
• premium member packs
• awards night gifts
• limited-edition releases
• premiership merchandise

If members are paying for the product, the thicker feel can add more perceived value.

Club Merchandise Should Look Like Club Merchandise

This is one of the biggest design points.

The club logo should usually be the hero.

That doesn’t mean it has to take up the entire front, but someone should be able to recognise the club immediately.

Good design elements can include:

• club logo
• club colours
• established year
• season
• mascot
• team name
• premiership year
• short club slogan

You don’t need every bit of information on one holder.

Simple usually looks better.

How to Handle Sponsor Logos

This is where sporting club artwork can get messy quickly.

A club may have:

• major sponsor
• apparel sponsor
• local business sponsors
• event sponsors

Trying to make every logo equally large can ruin the design.

A better approach is to create a hierarchy.

For example:

Front: Club logo and colours

Back: Major sponsor + supporting sponsors

Or:

Front: Club branding

Back: Sponsor panel

The club should still feel like the owner of the merchandise.

Major Sponsors Can Have More Prominence

If a sponsor has paid for naming rights or helped fund the merchandise, it makes sense for them to receive more space.

A simple hierarchy could be:

1. Club logo 2. Major sponsor 3. Supporting sponsors

This usually looks more intentional than placing six logos in the same row.

Different Teams Can Have Different Versions

A club doesn’t have to use one design for everyone.

You could create separate versions for:

• Senior Team
• Reserves
• Women’s Team
• Juniors
• Social Club
• Veterans or Past Players

The base artwork can stay consistent while the team name or colour changes.

That gives each group something more personal without redesigning the whole product.

Player Names and Numbers Can Be Added

For smaller team orders, individual personalisation can work well.

You might add:

• player surname
• nickname
• jersey number
• captain or coach title

This is more relevant for gifts or small team runs than mass fundraising orders.

If every holder needs different artwork, make sure that’s discussed before quoting because variable personalisation can involve extra setup.

Limited Editions Can Sell Better

A standard logo holder is useful.

A limited design gives people a reason to buy another one.

Ideas include:

• 2026 Season
• Finals Series
• Premiership Edition
• 50th Anniversary
• Legends Day
• Past Players Day
• Indigenous Round
• Sponsors Day

These designs can feel more collectible and can work especially well for fundraising.

Premiership Designs Are Different

If the club wins a premiership, don’t just add the year underneath the normal logo.

Treat it like a proper limited release.

You could include:

• premiership year
• final score
• team name
• trophy graphic
• season record
• player group reference

That can turn a simple holder into something members genuinely want to keep.

What About Juniors?

Junior clubs can use stubby holders too, but the target buyer is usually the parent or supporter rather than the player.

Good uses include:

• fundraising
• parent merchandise
• end-of-season events
• sponsor packs
• coach gifts

A clean club design usually makes more sense than something overly adult or beer-focused.

Club Colours Matter

If your club has specific colours, send proper references where possible.

A navy blue on one computer screen can look quite different on another.

If the club has:

• Pantone colours
• CMYK values
• brand guidelines

send them with the artwork.

This matters even more if the merchandise needs to match jerseys or other club gear.

What Should You Send When Asking for a Quote?

For a sporting club order, it helps to have:

• quantity
• event or finals date
• delivery postcode
• club logo
• sponsor logos
• club colours
• preferred holder style
• whether the holders are for sale or giveaway
• any team names or player details

Sponsor logos are often the thing that delays artwork, so it’s worth collecting them early.

Make Sure Sponsor Files Are Usable

One blurry sponsor logo can hold up the entire design.

Ask sponsors for:

• AI
• EPS
• SVG
• high-resolution PDF
• good-quality PNG

rather than screenshots from Facebook or copied website logos.

That makes the artwork process much easier.

How Early Should a Club Order?

If the holders are tied to a fixed date such as finals, awards night or an anniversary event, allow enough time for:

1. collecting sponsor artwork 2. preparing the design 3. artwork approval 4. production 5. freight

Club committees often need several people to approve artwork, which can add more time than expected.

Build that into the schedule.

Common Sporting Club Ordering Mistakes

The biggest design mistake is usually too many sponsor logos.

The biggest purchasing mistake is ordering too many because the bulk rate looks attractive.

Other common issues include:

• ordering too late
• low-resolution sponsor artwork
• not checking names or dates
• making sponsor branding bigger than the club itself
• creating one generic design when a limited edition would sell better
• not ordering a few extras

Most of these are easy to avoid with a little planning.

Our Take

Custom stubby holders work well for sporting clubs because they can do several jobs at once.

They can be:

• merchandise
• fundraising products
• member gifts
• sponsor merchandise
• event keepsakes

But the strongest club designs usually have one thing in common:

the club comes first.

Keep the branding strong, give sponsors appropriate space and create a design members actually want to use.

For fundraising, start with a realistic quantity rather than chasing the lowest possible unit price.

And when there’s a special reason — finals, an anniversary or a premiership — consider making a limited version instead of simply reusing the standard club logo.

FAQ

How many custom stubby holders should a sporting club order?

A small club might start with 50–100, while larger fundraising or season merchandise orders may be 250, 500 or more.

Can sporting clubs sell stubby holders for fundraising?

Yes. They can be sold as club merchandise, added to membership packages or offered through pre-orders.

Can multiple sponsor logos be printed?

Yes. It usually looks better to give the club logo the main position and place sponsor logos together on the other side.

Can different teams have different designs?

Yes. Senior, junior, women’s and other teams can use different names or colours while keeping the overall club design consistent.

Can player names and numbers be added?

Yes, although individual personalisation may require additional artwork setup.

Is 3mm or 5mm better for sporting clubs?

3mm can be useful for larger giveaways and fundraising orders, while 5mm may feel more suitable for club merchandise and premium member gifts.

How early should we order before finals?

Allow enough time for sponsor artwork, design approval, [production](https://clinkies.com/how-are-stubby-holders-made/) and freight. Club approval processes can also add time.

Can we create a premiership edition?

Yes. Premiership, anniversary and finals editions can work particularly well as limited club merchandise.