No products in the basket.
Most clubs launch new kit the same way. The boxes arrive, someone photographs a shirt on a hanger, and the post gets a handful of likes from the committee.
That's a waste of the best content your club will have all season.
New kit day is one of the few moments when players, parents, sponsors and your local community all care about the same thing at once. Treat it like a matchday, not a delivery, and it can sign up new members, keep your sponsors on board and get your club into the local paper.
Here's how to plan it, what to shoot, the captions to use and how to pitch the local press. Every idea works for football, rugby, netball, hockey and cricket clubs.
| Quick answer: how do you run a good kit launch? Treat it like a matchday, not a delivery. Tease the kit for a week, reveal it at a moment your members already turn up for, get players and sponsors in the same photo, and send your local paper a short story with one strong picture within 24 hours. Then send your best shots to us for the My Club Group Photo Wall. |
Launch the people, not the shirt
A shirt on a hanger tells people you bought kit. A player pulling it on for the first time tells them why they should join.
So every idea in this guide puts a person in the frame: a player, a coach, a sponsor or a volunteer. If your launch photo has nobody in it, take it again.
The second rule: launch before your first fixture, not after. Once the kit has been worn in the mud, the moment has gone.
Your football kit launch timeline
A good launch starts weeks before the kit arrives. Work back from your first fixture.
| When | What to do |
| 6 to 8 weeks before | Sign off your design. Production takes around 5-6 weeks from sign-off, so this is the date that decides everything else. |
| 3 weeks before | Pick your launch moment (see the ideas below). Invite your sponsors. |
| 2 weeks before | Check photo consent forms are up to date for every junior player. Choose one parent or volunteer as official photographer. |
| 1 week before | Start your teaser countdown on social media. |
| Launch day | Reveal, shoot and post your first photo within the hour, while people are still talking about it. |
| Within 24 hours | Send photos and a short story to local press. Thank your sponsors publicly. |
| The week after | Post the best shots, open registrations or your club shop, and send your photos to us. |
6 kit reveal ideas, from easy to all-out
1. The training-night unboxing
Hand the boxes out at the end of training and film the reactions. Younger players opening their own shirt with their name on the back is the most shareable 30 seconds your club will post all year.
- Effort: low.
- Best for: junior sections, where the reactions are the content.
- Watch out: do this pitchside or in the clubhouse, never in the changing room.
2. The walk-out
Save the reveal for your first home game. The team walks out in the new kit for the first time, with parents and supporters already there to see it.
- Effort: low.
- Best for: clubs with a good matchday crowd.
3. The sponsor handover
Your sponsor presents the shirts to your captains, ideally at their business. You get a photo for the local paper; they get content for their own channels. If you're still finalising the design, read our guide on where sponsor logos should go so they're clearly in shot.
- Effort: medium.
- Best for: keeping sponsors signed up for next season.
4. The legend reveal
Ask your founder, longest-serving volunteer or a former player to unveil the shirt. It turns a kit launch into a club story, and local press love it.
- Effort: low.
- Best for: anniversaries and clubs with deep roots.
5. The design story
Show members how the kit came to life: the first sketch, the mock-up and the reason behind the colours. Post one piece a day in the week before launch. Our designers love this part too, so meet the designers behind the kit and borrow a few of their tips for your captions.
- Effort: medium.
- Best for: kits with meaning, like a local landmark, an anniversary or a tribute.
6. The launch day
Combine the reveal with an open training session or registration day. Add a barbecue, a taster session for new players and your sponsors on the touchline.
- Effort: high.
- Best for: clubs that want new members, not just new kit.
Photo tips: shots people actually share
You don't need a professional. A recent phone and these basics will do.
- Shoot outside in daylight. Cloudy is better than bright sun: no squinting, no harsh shadows.
- Pick a clean background. The pitch, a hedge or a plain wall, not the car park.
- Shoot both ways. Portrait for Stories and Reels, landscape for the local paper and your website.
- Use burst mode for reactions and action. You'll find the perfect frame later.
- Unpack the night before. Hang the shirts up so the creases from the bag drop out.
- Get close. At least a few shots should have the badge and sponsor logo sharp and in focus.
Your launch day shot list
| Shot | Why you need it |
| Full squad in the new kit | Your hero image for press, website and the season ahead |
| Close-up of the badge | Detail posts and the design story |
| A player pulling the shirt on, or a reaction | Usually the most shared post of the day |
| Captain with your sponsor | For the sponsor's own channels and the local paper |
| Back of a shirt with name and number | Personalisation posts (adults, or juniors with consent) |
| Coaches and volunteers in kit | Thanks the people behind the club |
| First action shot in the new kit | Something to use all season |
Photographing junior players
Kit day photos go public fast, so get this right first. The FA's guidance on photographing children is clear:
- Have written parental consent before any child's photo goes on social media, your website or in print.
- Don't publish a child's name with their photo unless you have written consent to do so.
- Never take photos in changing rooms, including on phones.
- Leave identifying details, like a player's school, out of captions.
- Images of children shouldn't include alcohol or gambling advertising. Check your junior kit sponsors before you design.
Social media templates you can copy
Swap the details in square brackets for your own. Create one club hashtag and use it on every post this season.
| 7 days out: the teaser Something new is coming to [ground name]. 7 days. 👀 #[ClubHashtag] |
| 3 days out: the design story Why [colour or detail]? [One line on the story behind it]. Designed with @myclubgroup. Full reveal on [day]. |
| Launch day: the reveal Introducing our [season] kit 👕 Huge thanks to [sponsor] for making it happen. First outing: [fixture, date]. Come and see it in person. |
| Launch day: the sponsor thank-you This kit exists because of [sponsor]. They back [number] of our teams this season. Show them some love: [sponsor link]. |
| The week after: the recruitment post New kit. New season. Room for you. We're recruiting for [age groups or teams]. Training is [day, time] at [venue]. Message us to come along. |
How to get your kit launch in the local paper
Local papers and community sites want local faces and a good story. "New shirts" isn't a story. These are:
- A local business backing grassroots sport.
- A kit designed around a local landmark, an anniversary or a tribute to a club member.
- A growing club: a new girls' team, a new age group or a record number of players.
Then pitch it like this:
- Find the right inbox. Look for the sports or community editor on your local paper's website. Try local radio, community Facebook groups and your parish magazine too.
- Send it within 24 hours. Fresh news gets used. Week-old news doesn't.
- Keep it short. Five short paragraphs: what happened, who's involved, why it matters, one quote from your chair or sponsor, and your contact details.
- Attach two or three landscape photos in full resolution, with a caption naming the adults pictured. Only send photos of juniors you have consent for.
| Press release template Subject: [Club name] unveils new kit backed by [sponsor] [Club name] has unveiled its new kit for the [season] season, thanks to the support of [sponsor], a [type of business] based in [town]. The kit was revealed at [event] on [date] in front of [number] players, parents and supporters. [One line on the design story.] "[Quote from chair or sponsor on what it means to the club or community]," said [name, role]. The club now has [number] players across [number] teams and is welcoming new players for [age groups]. Find out more at [website or social link]. Contact: [name, phone, email] |
Turn kit day into a sponsor moment
Sponsors pay for visibility. Launch day is the best chance you'll get all season to show them it's working.
- Invite them to the reveal and get them in the photos.
- Tag them in every launch post and send them the photos to use on their own channels.
- A week later, send a short note with the likes, shares and any press coverage.
That note is next season's renewal pitch, already written. Looking for a new sponsor before your next kit? Kit Funder matches grassroots clubs with businesses that want to back them.
Turn kit day into a membership moment
People are never more interested in your club than on launch day. Make it easy for them to join in.
- Put your registration link in every launch post.
- Hold your reveal at an open session so new players can come and try it out.
- Open your club shop on launch day, so parents can order training wear and supporter kit while the excitement is high.
Share your kit launch with us
We love seeing our kit out in the world. Send us your launch photos and we'll share our favourites on our socials and on the Photo Wall in our Kit Gallery.
FAQs
When should we launch our new kit?
Before your first fixture, ideally at a home game or training session the week before. Allow around 5-6 weeks from design sign-off for production.
Do we need a professional photographer?
No. A recent phone in daylight is enough. Pick one person as your official photographer so the shots are consistent.
Can we post photos of junior players?
Yes, with written parental consent. Follow The FA's guidance: don't name children alongside their photos without consent, and never take photos in changing rooms.
How do we get our football kit launch in the local paper?
Give them a story, not just a shirt: a local sponsor, a meaningful design or a growing club. Send a short release and two or three photos within 24 hours of the reveal.
Can My Club Group share our kit launch?
Yes, please. Upload your images here, and we'll share our favourites on our socials and our Kit Gallery Photo Wall.
Your next kit starts here
The best launches start with a kit worth showing off. Browse our Kit Gallery for ideas from clubs like yours, then design your own custom football kit in our free kit builder or with our in-house design team. Your first order has a minimum of just 5 items.
And when launch day comes, send us the photos.
