Basketball is the most popular major sport to play. In 2021, over 27.1 million players ages six and over reported playing at least once.
While basketball can draw interest simply because many have love for the game, having a good youth basketball website is important for growing your team. A strong online presence promotes the team to a bigger audience and supports fundraising campaigns, so you can earn money for operations, uniforms, and travel.
This guide will walk you through creating a basketball website from the ground up, with examples of successful leagues and teams along the way.
How to create a basketball team website
1. Get a sports website builder
A sports website builder simplifies creating and managing a website for your youth basketball league. Platforms like Jersey Watch are made specifically for sports and have user-friendly features designed for your sports teams.
Sign up for a free Jersey Watch account today to use our basketball sports website builder.
2. Plan your website
Determine what you want your basketball website to achieve. Do you want to provide news, scheduler, online registration, or a communication platform?
Here are a few popular categories we see on youth sports websites:
Organization information:
- Logo and other branding
- Contact information for board members and other important volunteers
- Mission statement and history
- Field and facility locations
- Current sponsors
- Social media accounts
Player registration information:
- Dates of registration
- Prices
- Age requirements
- Tryout information, if applicable
- Fundraising requirements
- Waivers, codes of conduct, and any other required acknowledgments
Coach and volunteer information:
- Time requirements
- How to register
- Necessary certifications
- Background check policy
💡PRO TIP: Check out other youth basketball websites in your area. See what works well and what could be improved. This will inform your website and make sure it's the best for your team.
3. Customize your website template
The best part about Jersey Watch is that you don’t need to build a website from scratch. Simply log in to your account and start editing your basketball website template.
Start by modifying the color scheme of your website to match your team or league colors. Add your log, fonts, and adjust any other web design elements you want. Upload high-quality images of your team, players, and events to make the website visually appealing.
See how DFG Basketball added their own logo and brand colors to its website. The homepage even features an image of the team and announcements for the upcoming season.
With Jersey Watch’s drag and drop builder, you can move website sections like “announcements” or “upcoming events” around your homepage. This gives you a personalized look and feel for your organization. You can even create new modules to make it truly yours.
Learn more about our new sports website builder here.
4. Add content
Let's check out some webpages you can make now that you know how to customize your site.
Your website will become more informative and engaging when you add the following sections, which will help you connect with players, parents, sponsors, and the community at large.
Homepage
Set up your homepage with an introduction to your league, important announcements, or highlights of upcoming events.
Use dynamic images, possibly a slideshow or video highlights, that represent the spirit of your league or team. Jackson Basketball is a great example of this. High-quality, action-packed photos can make a strong first impression.
Notice how Jackson Basketball also has announcements and upcoming events on the homepage to keep visitors informed. Another perk: If a parent or guardian is on the website to register an athlete, the banner with a “Register Now” button tells them exactly how to do it.
About page
Provide detailed information about your basketball program, history, mission, staff, and contact information.
Brick Sports has a great About Us page on its basketball league website that tells visitors what they do, and how they do it.
Share the story of how your league or team was started, the challenges you've faced, the successes you've celebrated, and your future goals. This narrative can help build an emotional connection with visitors.
Registration page
Use Jersey Watch's registration management system to set up online registration for basketball players. Include all necessary details about the registration process, fees, and requirements.
Notice how Fort Cherry Youth Basketball has a whole landing page dedicated to registration. The page covers all the information a visitor needs to make a decision about registering.
If you click “Register Now”, you’ll be taken to another page where you can sign up for the league online. It’s much easier than going down to a hall or school to register in person.
Team pages
If your league has more than one team, you can create individual pages for each team with rosters, schedules, and statistics. Wisconsin Power Elite has different pages for each team on its site. You can also browse recorded games, player information and stats, and testimonials from happy athletes.
Present your rosters with photos of each player and brief stats or fun facts. You can even create a “Coach’s Corner”, where coaches share updates, training tips, or highlight player achievements.
Schedule and results
Make sure schedules are easy to find and read. Consider integrating a calendar visitors can download or sync with their calendars.
News section
Create a space for updates, articles, and news about your basketball club or league. Feature stories from your community, such as successful alumni, dedicated parents, or significant community events in the area.
Contact page
Ensure there's a section with contact information, including an address, phone number, and an online contact form. You can even add FAQ to your contact page to help people find answers themselves.
Lebanon Girls Biddy Basketball, for instance, has a simple, yet effective contact page that gives visitors the option to call or email the league with any questions.
Sponsorships
If you have sponsors, create a section to acknowledge them, display their logos, and provide links to their websites. Offer information on how new sponsors can support your organization, the benefits you offer, and who to contact for more information.
Ecommerce store
An ecommerce store isn't just a point of sale—it's a way to deepen fans' connection to the team. By owning team merchandise, fans can feel a more personal attachment and become part of the community.
You can sell team-branded apparel, like jerseys, t-shirts, hoodies, and hats to earn revenue for the team. Think beyond clothing to items like basketballs, water bottles, keychains, or stickers. These lower-cost items are accessible for all fans, so everyone can show their support.
5. Choose your domain
Your domain name should reflect your basketball league or team's name. For example, if your league is Sunrise Youth Basketball, your domain might be sunriseyouthbasketball.com.
Domains should be easy to remember, type, and share. Don't use complex spelling, long phrases, or uncommon words. A memorable domain name makes it easier for people to find your website.
6. Review, test, and launch
Test all the features on your website before launching. Make sure everything works on desktops and mobiles. Try it out on a few others (like other coaches, parents, or players) and see if they like it.
Once you're satisfied with everything, go live with your site. Announce the launch to your community through social media, email, or other communication methods you have in place.
7. Optimize your website for Google
Identify keywords relevant to your content so people can find your website on search engines. For a youth basketball website, this might include terms like "youth basketball league," "junior basketball sign-ups," "[Your City] youth basketball.”
Create original, valuable content that incorporates your target keywords naturally. This could be news about the league, game recaps, player spotlights, etc. When you upload images, use the alt text attribute to describe images. This helps Google understand what the image is about.
If applicable, create a Google My Business profile for your league. This can help you appear in local search results and provide essential information like your location, hours, and updates.
8. Manage your new basketball website
Your basketball website isn’t a one-and-done thing. Regularly update and maintain it by:
- Updating your site with news, scores, and upcoming events.
- Monitoring registrations, communications, and any posted content for issues or updates.
- Interacting with your community through the site.
- Encouraging players, parents, and fans to visit and share it regularly.
Build your youth basketball website with Jersey Watch today
Creating a basketball website is more than just a task, it’s a chance to unite your community of players, parents, and volunteers around the sport they love. It’s about building a digital home for your team where everyone can find the latest information and communicate as needed.
Jersey Watch provides a platform to build your youth basketball website. The best part? You don’t need to be a tech wizard to improve or manage it.
