Rally Towels: What They Are and What to Order Instead
By The Velocity Wear Team
Rally towels get about thirty-six hundred US searches a month, peaking around football season, playoffs and graduations. We should be upfront: we don't make classic printed rally towels. This guide explains what they are, who they suit, and when a real embroidered towel is the better choice.
What is a rally towel?
A small towel, often around 11 × 18 inches, printed with a team logo or slogan, waved by fans at games. They're usually lightweight and made to be printed cheaply in large quantities. They're more like a flag than a towel.
When rally towels make sense
- Stadium giveaways for thousands of fans.
- High school playoff games and pep rallies.
- One-day events where the towel is a noisemaker.
- Very tight per-unit budgets.
For those, a specialist rally towel printer is the right call.
When a real towel is better
- Premium seat or suite gifts that fans keep and use.
- Team towels for athletes on the bench.
- Booster club fundraising items that sell for a higher price.
- Senior night or championship gifts.
- Golf tournaments and country club events.
A cotton gym towel, about 12 × 31 inches (30 × 80 cm), with an embroidered team logo is something people use for years.
Cost comparison, honestly
Printed rally towels are much cheaper per unit because they're thin and printed in bulk. Embroidered cotton towels cost more but carry more value. Decide whether you're buying a noisemaker or a keepsake.
Bench towels for athletes
Football, basketball and volleyball benches use absorbent towels. Team-color cotton towels with an embroidered logo look professional on TV and in photos. See our sports team towels guide.
Booster club fundraising
A quality embroidered towel can sell as a fundraiser at a price a thin rally towel can't. Pair with a spirit wear hoodie. See our booster club spirit wear guide.
Quick checklist
- Noisemaker or keepsake?
- Thousands of units or dozens?
- Giveaway or fundraiser?
- Bench use by athletes?
How to find a rally towel specialist
Look for suppliers who specialize in promotional sports products and print rally towels in large runs. Ask about towel size, fabric weight, print colors, minimums and delivery dates relative to your game. For playoff games, confirm they can hit your date before you design, since schedules move quickly.
Senior night and banquet alternatives
For senior nights, a rally towel is a noisemaker for the crowd, while a quality embroidered towel is a gift for each senior. Some schools do both: cheap rally towels for fans and embroidered bath sheets for seniors with their number and graduation year.
Premium seating and suites
College and pro venues with suites and premium seating sometimes give guests a quality branded towel instead of a thin rally towel. It feels premium, matches the seat price, and ends up in guests' homes rather than in the trash after the game.
Booster club comparisons
If your booster club sells towels, compare what families actually want. A thin rally towel sells cheaply on game day. An embroidered team towel sells for more and appeals to families wanting a keepsake. Many clubs find the premium towel raises more per sale.
Being clear with fans
Whatever you choose, describe it accurately in your store: size, material and decoration. Fans expecting a plush towel and receiving a thin rally towel, or the reverse, lead to disappointed buyers.
If a real towel fits
Our minimum is 50 per design, 100% combed cotton, 10 to 15 working days from artwork approval. See wholesale towels.
