COMMUNITY GOALS

Challenge

District Sports, the largest adult soccer league in DC, serves over 8000 players annually and is an integral part of the DC community. Managing a league for so many players comes with it's many challenges including uniform design, production and distribution to each team especially when each division requires a different number of uniforms. Players were unhappy receiving a standard breakdown of sizes that didn't always fit well. While their focus is on league administration, the District Sports team understood that favorable gameplay depends on an effective uniform program to create a more organized and efficient experience on the field. They also saw an opportunity to grow their brand if the uniforms fit well and could be used again once the season was over. Branded apparel for their players and fans was also an interest but they could not take the extra risk of managing the apparel.

Solution

Each year we work with District Sports to create an exciting new uniform design that's used for all four seasons. We went from cheap cotton shirts to performance shirts that are more functional for active individuals. Then we took District Sports online with a dedicated uniform store that managed the whole ordering process for each of the 4 divisions (each division required a different number of uniforms). Upon registering for each season, the captains receive a unique coupon code that allows them to select their colors and sizes depending on the league they are in. The coupon code allows them to check out at no cost and records their colors, sizes and shipment information. Uniforms are then packed and shipped directly to each captain ahead of the first game. Teams that have uniforms from a previous year can opt to donate their uniform cost to a charitable organization. District Sports receives reports on who has ordered so they record the colors and follow up with a captain that hasn't secured their uniforms. Captains can always add additional uniforms and we added more swag/apparel items available at checkout.

Results

The District Sports team can focus all their energy on creating an amazing league experience with all the extra time they save from not having to worry about uniforms. Everything is handled online and we take care of all the design, production and distribution. They have more insight into who has ordered and what colors each team has selected to help facilitate a better on-field experience. They began seeing more shirts in the community now that the shirts are a better quality and captains can select the appropriate size for each player. They now sell more off-field, lifestyle swag like caps, sweatshirts, beanies and tote bags which only helps grow their brand in the community.