How to Choose Little League® Pins for Your Team

Are you managing a Little League® or other youth league baseball or softball team? Then you know how important trading pins are to the team! They’re a cherished aspect of the sport at every big game and tournament. Little League pins in particular are as much a part of the Little League World Series as the games themselves.

It’s no wonder. Trading pins are a great way to meet players from other teams, other states, even other nations. They’re a fantastic way to break the ice and form friendships with players, coaches, officials and fans you might otherwise never meet.

With more than two million Little League players in the U.S. and around the world, and millions in other leagues as well, it’s no surprise that trading pins are huge. Players everywhere love to get together and trade pins and collect unique designs.

A few simple guidelines will help ensure your team gets the best trading pin value. Start with these steps and you won’t go wrong.

Little League Pins: Giving Your Team the Best

1. Start with Brainstorming (Within Reason)

The time to design your team’s pins is before the season starts. Limit the number of people involved to avoid decision paralysis, but do involve a select few players and parents to brainstorm the design. Once you have a design in mind, have ONE designated person to contact the pin manufacturer and deal with revisions.

If you have a team logo or mascot, you can incorporate it into your pin design. Or you can create something entirely new. The experienced artists at any good pin supplier will be happy to help you create the perfect design for your team. And great providers offer free art and revisions, so you can be sure your pins will look exactly the way you want before you finalize your order.

2. Consider Your Budget

It’s important to consider your budget up front. The good news is you don’t have to spend a fortune to get fantastic looking trading pins. You can get beautiful pins that will trade well at the big game, no matter what your budget. Just make sure you order enough pins for each player to have plenty to trade. We recommend at least 35 to 50 pins per player. Don’t forget extras for parents, coaches and siblings too!

3. Choose Your Pin Style

The choice of pin style depends in large part on your design. Two of the most popular styles are soft enamel and offset printed.

Soft enamel pins fill in ridges and valleys in the die-struck pin with enamel paint. The result is a classic style very similar to the look of cloisonné fine jewelry. The ridges of the design separate colors, making this style best for vivid colors and less-intricate designs.

Offset printed pins don’t have the metal ridges separating colors, because the design is printed directly onto the pin material. This is perfect for complex designs and can even be used to imprint photographs on your pins. To protect the image from nicks and scratches, the pin manufacturer applies a clear epoxy dome over the pin, creating a smooth finish.

4. Order Early

In order to be sure your team has its trading pins in time for the big tournament, it’s vital to order early. And by early, we mean no later than June 1.

Why? Simple supply and demand. Remember those millions of players we mentioned earlier? They’re all ordering trading pins too. That causes backups at the manufacturing facilities around the world. By June each year, there’s a massive worldwide backlog of trading pin orders.

If you order in April or May, you might get pins in two weeks. Wait until June and that order can stretch to three, four weeks or more. Wait too  long and you simply won’t be able to get custom pins in time at all.

If you find out late that your team made the tournament, some providers can provide custom rush trading pins. But those are extremely limited styles, and it’s best not to rely on them if you don’t have to.

Get the Pins You Deserve!

Little League pins and all youth league baseball pins are small items that make a huge impact. You don’t want your players to miss out on all the pin trading fun. Trading Pins Direct is your one-stop source for the best pins, the lowest prices and first rate customer service.

Get in touch with us by requesting a free quote. Or you can email us at [email protected], or call us toll free at 866.860.8842. Let’s get your team those trading pins they deserve today!