Every championship banner deserves the proper respect in terms of design and craftsmanship. It will hang as a symbol of a team’s cumulative effort and accomplishment. This means that those who have input into the banner design should sweat the details.
There are a few key considerations to keep in mind when designing a new championship banner or updating a current collection of banners. It’s crucial to get all of the elements correct so that the banners can be displayed and properly honor your athletic program.
Leading the list of critical factors is the banner’s type. You must decide between an individual championship banner or an add-a-year banner. The individual variety is ideal to highlight the accomplishments of specific teams and players. The add-a-year variety allows you to group multiple championships together to preserve space and money. Oftentimes, schools choose individual championship banners for difficult and more significant wins like state championships.
Another key consideration is the size of the banners. Banners can be designed in a vertical or horizonal manner and can be as small as 2’x3′ and as large as desired. Individual championship banners are often times smaller than add-a-year banners. The most important factor in deciding the size of your banner is making sure that the audience can clearly read them. The individual championship banner style are usually around 3’x5′ or 4’x6′ for a typical sized gym. The add-a-year variety will likely have several championships listed, so it should have more space and a larger font. Add-a-year banners are typically 4’x7′ or 4’x8′. A 2.5”-3” font size can be seen from 80′ to 100′ and is ideal most gymnasiums.
The banner’s material is also important. The vast majority of banners are made out of vinyl or nylon. Vinyl banners work well in outdoor and indoor applications. They are usually digitally printed, so they can include photo realistic images. They are also a budget-friendly option. Nylon banners are usually a premium style banner with a high-end look. They are only suitable for indoor applications and are often considered an updated version of the old style felt banners. Unlike felt banners they are easy to maintain because they don’t naturally attract dust ensuring they look great for years. Another great feature is that they are easy to update. Update years can usually be added while the banner is still hanging on the wall rather needing to be shipped to the banner company to have the updates sewn. They combine the best of vinyl and felt banners, being easy to clean and update, but with the look and feel of classic banners everyone is familiar with.