Printed Programs vs. Digital Programs: An Honest Guide for Athletic Directors and Booster Clubs

From the team at 701 Print

Printed Programs vs. Digital Programs

Written by a print shop that does both. No agenda — just an honest look at when each one earns its money.

Every athletic director and booster club president eventually asks the same question: are printed game-day programs worth what they cost, or should we go digital? As a shop that produces both, here's how we help schools decide.

The short version

Most programs win with digital as the primary and print as the keepsake. Digital reaches every fan in the bleachers and beyond — print still matters for senior night, playoff runs, and sponsors who want something they can hang on the wall.

Head-to-head

Printed Programs

Best for: keepsake moments, senior night, formal events, sponsors who want tangible proof.

Reality check:

  • Real per-program cost: $1–$3 depending on quantity and paper
  • Print run of 300 for a home game: $500–$800 all-in
  • Rosters go stale as soon as an injury or transfer happens
  • Fans grab one, glance at it, and half end up on the bleacher floor
  • Sponsors get a fixed spot they can point to — which some love

Digital Programs

Best for: season-long reach, fresh weekly content, sponsor ROI, wider engagement.

Reality check:

  • One-time setup + a small monthly maintenance fee
  • Rosters, scores, and schedules can be updated in a day
  • One shareable link — text it, post it, print it on the ticket
  • Sponsors get a full-screen page (not a corner ad) and clickable links to their own site
  • You can add photos, polls, and player spotlights after every game

Where each one actually wins

Print wins when …

  • It's a signature event. Homecoming, Senior Night, playoffs, a state title game. Families want a keepsake.
  • Your sponsor already paid for print specifically. Some sponsors want a physical artifact and will fund the print run.
  • Your crowd skews older. If the majority of your attendees are grandparents, print gets read more.
  • You want the visual moment. A stack of glossy programs on the ticket table sets a tone.

Digital wins when …

  • You want the same program to work all season. Roster changes and schedule swaps happen mid-season — with digital, you fix them the same day.
  • Your sponsors care about ROI. Digital sponsor spots are trackable and clickable. Print isn't.
  • You need to reach fans who couldn't come. Grandparents in Arizona can pull up the same program the family in the bleachers is looking at.
  • You want to raise more money. Digital programs cost less to produce, which means a bigger cut of sponsor revenue stays with your program.

The honest hybrid answer

For most schools we work with in North Dakota and the region, the smartest move looks like this:

  • Digital program for every regular-season game. Weekly updates. Sponsors get season-long visibility.
  • Printed program for 2–3 signature games (Homecoming, Senior Night, Playoffs). Smaller print runs, higher-quality paper, keepsake-worthy.
  • Both link to the same sponsor page. Fans can scan a QR code on the print program to open the digital experience for that game.
Bottom line: print is not dead — it's just no longer the everyday workhorse. Digital is the workhorse now, and print is the special-occasion outfit. Most programs need both, but in different roles than they used to.

What this actually costs

Our pricing for both is on the same site, so you can compare side by side without an email exchange:

  • Digital programs: Setup $250–$850 depending on tier + $15/mo during the season. See tiers here.
  • Printed programs: Quoted per project — depends on page count, paper, quantity, and finishing.
  • Hybrid (both): We bundle these and take 30% off the digital setup when you also print your program with us.

Not sure which fits your program?

Tell us about your season and we'll put together an honest recommendation — print, digital, or both.

See Digital Programs Email orders@701print.com

Written by 701 Print & Design Co. — a Jamestown, North Dakota print and apparel shop that produces both traditional printed programs and interactive digital programs for schools, athletic programs, and community organizations across the region.