Tennis ball roll

Tennis ball roll

Raffles

Tennis Ball Roll

Another engaging and fun fundraiser is the Tennis Ball Roll and it is about as simple as it sounds.
Participants purchase a numbered ball. These balls are then rolled together down a hill or slope and the first ball across the finish line is the winner.

The balls can be released from a truck or from behind some kind of barrier to ensure all have the same chance at winning the race.

It is an easy raffle to sell tickets for because it is novel and fun while still drawing on the fundamentals of why raffles are so successful.

This could be used as a key activity at a larger club event or as a standalone day.

It’s such a unique event and if promoted well, you may find the local media will pick up the story.

Why Tennis Ball Roll?
Tennis Ball Roll is a great fundraiser to use for all ages and when you want to engage the community (and potentially even the media). It is a fun, engaging, creative way to run a raffle and can make for a really great day out.
This fundraiser can work for all sports clubs and in both city and country clubs.

When should I hold this fundraiser?
The Tennis Ball Roll is an outdoor fundraiser and shouldn’t be held during extreme heat or cold weather. It can be held at anytime during the season and can be used as a key activity during a club event.
Targeted at club members and surrounding public, this event will be quite a spectacle and therefore timing the execution of the event well is very important!

Key Activities
These are the tasks you will need to consider assign to volunteers at our club:

Before the day

• Decide the date of the Tennis Ball Roll and whether it will be in conjunction with any other events.
• Advertise the raffle and make sure it is on all advertising for the day if it is in conjunction with another event.
• Source affordable tennis balls.
• Sell raffle tickets/tennis balls.
• Source and test location with a hill or slope
• Organise your location and how the balls will be rolled (eg from a truck)
• Communicate the timing well to participants.

On The Day

• Set up the finish line and course.
• Prepare the numbered tennis balls.
• Run event
• Present the winner with the prize

After the day

• Publicly thank everyone involved
• Announce the amount of money raised and the winner

Who can help?
It is important to engage your members to help in the running of your fundraiser.
For a Tennis Ball Roll you could approach them to help:

• Promote and sell the tickets
• Secure prizes
• Sourcing tennis balls and a truck or location for the event
• Help logistically on the day

You could also approach current club Sponsors for prizes.

Recruiting your people
It is important to create a culture of volunteering at your club to help not only with fundraising but also across the day to day running of your club. For more on how to create this at your club, click here.

Using technology to making it easier
You may like to consider using technology to reduce the workload on your volunteers and increase your fundraising dollars. For an event like a Tennis Ball Roll, you may like to sell tickets using a platform like TryBooking.

TryBooking lets you sell tickets, take payments and donations for events online.

This takes care of a great deal of the work that is usually left to volunteers and automates the ticket selling process.

You can set up and customise your own event page and a unique URL in minutes. This lets you easily share the event online and engage members and supporters. Your club may also like to use social media, email newsletters and your club website to promote the event.

Financial Considerations
Potential profit this event can generate can be anywhere from $200 to $10000. Revenue raised relates directly to ticket prices and sales. The revenue can vary depending on two things, the sale price and number of tennis balls. Priced at anywhere from $2 per to $45 per ball and the number of tennis balls is only limited by the amount you choose to sell. The cash prize will determine the regulations for gambling licensing.

The upfront investment for this event will revolve around the tennis balls, promotion, ticketing, licensing, and insurance.

It is important to create a budget for the event and identify how much cash you will need before the day. For a Tennis Ball Roll there will generally only be minor purchases before ticket sales begin, including prizes (if not already donated) and tennis balls. If you require a truck this may also be a consideration, if this is going to be a substantial cost it may be worth researching a location (with a downhill area) that won’t require a truck.

Promotion
Promote your Tennis Ball Roll using traditional club resources such as the club website, newsletter and social media pages. If the raffle is part of a larger event, ensure it is also on all of the event’s advertising. Also don’t forget to call on your members to spread the word and make contact with the local media to see if they would like to cover the event.
You may also choose to promote and sell the tennis balls! This makes it even easier for your members, friends and family to share the raffle with people who may like to purchase a ball but can’t get down to the club.

Communication considerations
As a Tennis Ball Roll is essentially a raffle, the winner doesn’t necessarily have to be there on the day. This opens up options for selling tickets via social media and to a wider audience than just your members and supporters. This way people anywhere in the world can buy a raffle ticket which allows for funds to be raised from sources external to the club.
Use social media to sell tickets and live stream the event on the day!

Social, Moral and Ethical Considerations
Supply of Alcohol
It is important to consider whether your club will allow the sale of alcohol at club events. Events can be alcohol free or limits or restrictions set in advance. Clubs need to consider how they will manage the risks of binge drinking as well as the Responsible Service of Alcohol.

What can go wrong? (Risk Management)
Financial Risks
There are obvious financial risks if enough tickets aren’t sold and the prizes and setup costs more than is made.
Weather
The weather can make the day difficult to run should their be extreme heat or extreme rain. Alternative arrangements should be discussed and decided on prior to the day should they be necessary.
Crowd Safety
The health and wellbeing of your crowd should be a focus at all times. It is important that your club takes time to consider all possible risks and how to minimise these, particularly is your location has steep hills or if you are using a truck.
It is also important to ensure all tennis balls are kept within the designated space to avoid trip hazards.

Licenses and Permits
It is important for clubs to take the responsibility and check their state or territory’s gambling regulations to make sure their Tennis Ball Roll fundraiser is a legal event.

Additional Revenue Opportunities
The Tennis Ball Roll is an event that can be run as a key activity at a larger club event or as a stand alone event.

Disclaimer
This procedure should be treated as a guide only. Your club should seek advice specific to the needs of your club and event. Seek further details from authorities and service providers; especially in regards to insurance, licences, permits, spectator and participant safety.