One of the most common questions we hear from athletic directors considering add-a-year banners is “What size do most people purchase?”. It’s a straightforward question, but one that depends on a few factors. Below are the things that have the greatest effect on the size banners needed for your gym.
THREE FACTORS THAT AFFECT BANNER SIZE
1. Desired Viewing Distance
The desired viewing distance is the largest factor that determines the appropriate size for an add-a-year banner. Font height is the primary factor to pay attention to when considering viewing distance. We usually recommend a 3” year height for a typical high school gym. This size offers approximately 100’ of readability for most people. There are other factors that affect readability such as color contrast and font choices, but font height is a good starting point. Download our Banner Buying Guide to view the full font size legibility chart to compare font height to average viewing distance.
2. Number of Accomplishments Recognized
Banner size also depends on the number of accomplishments you would like to track. You will obviously need larger banners if you would like to record conference, district, regional, and state wins versus just displaying state victories.
3. Level of Past Program Success
Every program has a different number of championship wins to display. Some schools are starting brand new programs and some have a 100-year athletic legacy. Likewise, every school has some sports that are more successful than others. The number of wins that need to be displayed will help determine the overall size needed for your banners.
ROOM FOR FUTURE GROWTH
It is important to leave the right amount of room for future championship wins. After time and financial resources are committed to a banner project, the last thing you want is to have the banners filled up too quickly. On the flip side, by leaving too much space your banners may appear empty, diminishing the accomplishments of your program.
When deciding how much extra room to provide, you must strike the balance between the more and less successful teams. Team Fitz recommends shooting for approximately 10 years of growth on average across the entire project.
THE MOST COMMON SIZES
All Team Fitz Add-A-Year Banners are custom designed and manufactured. As a result, they can be made at virtually any size. That being said, there are specific sizes that we recommend for most customers. The most common sizes we sell are 4’x6’, 4’x7’ and 4’x8’. Determining the right length largely depends on the factors outlined above.
Team Fitz is ready to recommend a size for your specific project. Simply send over the information you would like to include on your banners and our in-house design team will take care of the rest. Using best practices, we will put together a design proof of each banner detailing the full banner size, approximate viewing distance and illustrating the space available for future growth. Once you receive your proof, you will have every opportunity to review and make changes until you are ready to move forward.
Reach out today to speak with a sales representative about banners for your gymnasium. We would be happy to go over options and answer any questions you have.