Sports teams

[Big Mike]

I'm sure this has been asked before, and I'll do some research when I have some time.
But if anyone can help out, that would be great.

I need to put together a quote for shooting a bunch of soccer teams (5 or 7), each with 10-12 players. Typical sport package, each player gets a team photo & individual portrait.

Anyone do this sort of thing? It's pretty common but I've never talked to anyone about it.

Any tips/help would be appreciated.

 

[CCericola]

Ask them what they paid last year so you don't low ball yourself or go sky high. As a reference in my area you have packages that range from 10 -$50. The group picture alone is $5. A memory mate is $15. I do groups and individuals. The coaches and sponsors get a free team photo. Some leagues also buy plaques from me for the sponsors to hang up ($50 each).

As far as taking the picture. It is pretty straight forward. Watch out for shadows on the faces caused by the caps. I have everyone tilt it up just a bit. I use 3 speedlights but have also done groups with a speedlight on a bracket. Depends on the location. Make sure there are no cars/people in your background. Bring a large muslin and background stand in case you have to take them indoors because of bad weather.

Delivery needs to be fast (1 week at most) Well that is what they expect around here because photos are taken near the end of the season in some leagues. Your neck of the woods may vary.

If you are going to do indiviuals and offer sports cards, bring an assistant to verify stats and spellings so you can minimize the reprints.

 

[MLeeK]

I have a bunch of stuff at home on it and some local pricing. I am on my phone so I will have to get that to you when I get home.
I do two options: fund raiser or standard team rates. The fund raiser is obviously more expensive to the parents.
For "my" teams-my husband coaches and my kids teams-I give back a little more than the standard fund raiser amount.
They aren't really a ton of $. Its cheap they are looking for. But its easy. You set up and file them thru like an assembly line. Post takes all of about a minute. Sorting orders can be a PITA, but that's about the most work intensive part of it.
Make sure you are getting paid on picture day and not on delivery (for obvious reasons!) I send an order envelope home a week ahead. I probably get about 1/4 of them back, so have them on hand.
I also always include a "coupon" for a mini family session for uber cheap (or free in the case of "my"teams-my teams) which results in a flurry of fair/cheap easy business.

 

[Big Mike]

I'll have to confirm this, but I think they are looking for a price to supply each player with the folio...team photo and individual shot. That would make the order process a lot more simple for me, I'd just put together all the folios and hand them over to the organizer to give/deliver to the teams/players.

But it seams that it's more common to sell directly to the parents? I could put them on my Photocart and just have the parents each sign up and order their package. I (hopefully) wouldn't have to have each player's name assigned to their photo, I could just leave it up to the parents to choose the photo of their child.
On the good side, I may get a few extra print orders, on the bad side, many parents may choose not to order at all.

It's easy enough to price the prints & folios etc. But if I'm selling directly to the parents, should I also have a sitting fee? Or just build the profit into the print/folio price. If I'm quoting based on a package that just included one for each player....how would I handle extra copies/prints etc?

I'll work it out but any more advice would be great.

 

[Tony S]

Most often for T&I photos a package is given to the players to order and packages are ordered and paid for at the time of the shoot. Package info goes out to the coaches a week or two in advance of the shoot so players can get the package to mom. It's been a while since I've done one of these, but it usualy took at minimum two other people to help wrangle kids (it's like trying to herd cats) and take the order forms. Your sales after the shoot will be woefully low, that's why packages are paid for before hand.

Here's a link to a company that has many contracts in my area (they have the contract for state championships too) for sports packaging and their pricing to give you an idea....
they are based out of Oregon but do both Washington and Oregon teams.
Northwest Sports Photography Store. Photo Packages