How to Get Sports Tickets Donated At Fundraisers

Fundraisers are a great way to support a charity, organization or university. But if you're hosting an event, you'll need to attract attention. One way to create buzz is by auctioning off sports tickets. Buying them, however, could eat a chunk out of your budget. Instead, try to get them donated to your function. It's easier than you might think. Sports teams are part of a community, and ownership likes to give back. Sometimes, all it takes to get sports tickets donated is to simply ask. But some creativity doesn't hurt either.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Call teams directly. Many front offices include a community relations manager or a community outreach coordinator. Ask the operator for the right person to speak with.

2. Contact a current or former player associated with the fundraiser. For example, former baseball star Curt Schilling has a foundation that fights against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. If your fundraiser will be donating money to an ALS charity, contact Schilling's foundation and ask for tickets. Or if an athlete's alma mater is having a fundraiser, he might be willing to donate tickets to help his former school.

3. Ask around your organization for tickets. It's possible a board member or a past president's brother has season tickets for a team and would be happy to donate some tickets.

4. Approach local businesses. They sometimes own season tickets to take clients and potential clients to games. Tell them if they donate tickets it's a form of free advertising and a sign of goodwill to the community or charity.

Tips & Warnings

• The donated tickets could be tax-deductible, depending on the fundraiser. Be sure to check with your accountant or the organization regarding tax rules and how to properly fill out forms.
• Consider asking for high school sports tickets in addition to professional and college teams. High school football teams in some communities could easily draw 5,000 or more fans a game, and the team brings pride to the town. Ask the high school if the winner of the fundraising auction could also be the honorary coin tosser before the game.
• It's possible weather conditions could result in the postponement of the game.

References

• Curt's Pitch for ALS

Resources

• Internal Revenue Service