How Much Should You Be Spending on Custom Racing Team Apparel?

Stylish racing team apparel can help teams create a lasting look that looks fantastic when crossing the finish line. Even better, with a dynamic racing apparel strategy, teams can also establish a profitable merchandise system. With an end-to-end system, teams can get great apparel while driving sales and maximizing their investment. So, what does it take to create this type of strategy?

In our experience, setting your team up for success with apparel comes down to your goals and budget. You can approach the process with a well-thought-out strategy by understanding how much apparel can cost and what you hope to achieve. Before you know it, your team will be on the track with apparel that makes them look and feel like winners.

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Custom Racing Apparel Cost - What Should it be?

Whether your team is investing in custom racing apparel for the first time or expanding your fan apparel, staying within your budget and meeting your goals is possible. However, when it comes to determining how much you should spend on apparel, the answer isn’t always straightforward.

The short answer to “How much should I be spending on custom racing apparel?” is as little as possible to keep your crew and partners happy so that you can focus on the racing… the long answer is a little more complicated…

In our experience, many unexpected costs can come from inexperience or choosing items that don’t align with your team’s unique needs. However, when designing racing apparel strategically, you can get exactly what you want and need while maximizing your investment. There are a few general questions that you can answer to outline a rough estimate.

A few questions that we recommend to start with include:

What are your goals with your race apparel?

Do you want to put a logo on a shirt and call it good, or do you want to start developing a brand? When you look at racing apparel as an opportunity for growth, you can thoughtfully invest in a curated brand image. With a compelling design, custom racing apparel can represent what you want your team and, by extension, the fans in your racing community to stand for.

What different climate areas do you race in?

The climate that your team races in is a rigid factor that can severely affect your budget. Similar to any other sport, the more climates you perform in, the wide variety of apparel styles you want to provide to your team. For example, teams and crew members will need matching outerwear in colder climates. Cold Weather essentials such as sweatshirts, coats, jackets, and cold weather gear and accessories will add cost. Planning for this increase in cost will help ease some sticker shock.

Do you have sponsors/series regulations that require you to have certain budgets?

Sponsor and series regulations may be out of your control, but they will definitely affect your apparel's cost. Understanding these regulations from the beginning of your custom apparel process is important to avoid unexpected challenges.

Can you increase or offset your apparel budget through fan apparel sales?

Fans love showing off their pride for their favorite racing team. If you have a strong fan base you can offset your cost through retail apparel sales. By providing products such as long-sleeved and short-sleeved t-shirts, baseball and knit hats, or cold or warm weather-specific items, you allow your fans to show their team spirit.

General Estimates for Racing Apparel

The cost of racing apparel will depend on the vendor, but broadly speaking, a logo on a nice t-shirt can cost between $15 and $20 per person. For many teams, this is minimal in terms of creating a consistent team look. As you go to more climate variations, the budget will go up. When creating a kit that includes a sweatshirt and a rain jacket, for example, your budget may jump to $50 - $70 per team member. To help manage these costs, many teams invest in fan apparel, as mentioned above.

Top teams will offer multiple pieces for different days, jackets for weather from snow to tropical rain, travel day polos, and hats of multiple varieties. When trying to elevate the team brand and have the team fully outfitted and ready for every imaginable situation, that budget could reach as high as $300 - $400 per person.

The final answer is that there is no right amount of budget to spend. However, working out your apparel goals will help steer you to the correct answer. In order to minimize error and streamline the process, many teams choose to work with outfitting partners. The right partner can bring you through the entire racing apparel process, helping you to understand what you are looking for and fill those needs.

Your Brand is More than a Logo on a Shirt

Want to save money outfitting your team and make money from your fan merchandise? Stop working with people that don’t understand your business. When you partner with a company that understands motorsports, you can create an end-to-end solution for your team apparel and fan merchandise. Need assistance creating your budget and filling your unique custom apparel needs? We can help! Schedule a free discovery call today.