Easy DIY Silent Auction Basket Ideas For Baseball Fans

These silent auction basket ideas for baseball fans are a fun and unique way to contribute to an organization’s fundraising event.

I don’t know about you, but I have some family members who had been anxiously awaiting baseball’s opening day this year.

After last year’s abbreviated season, baseball fans everywhere are really excited to see their favorite players get back into the beloved game. And it’s finally here!

Major League Baseball’s opening day is today, April 1 (no joke!) and in case you don’t already have it bookmarked, here is the MLB’s full 2021 schedule.

Youth Baseball Is Back In The Game Too

As you might expect, MLB players aren’t the only ones returning to the field. Across the United States, many little leagues and youth baseball clubs are resuming their seasons too.

So with all of these baseball seasons getting back into full swing, team fundraising is also ramping up and trying to make up for lost time. Where many organizations typically hosted in-person events, this year requires a different game plan.

Silent auctions are one of the few things that work both in-person and online.

So this post not only provides some silent auction basket ideas for baseball fans, but also ideas for baseball-related handmade items you can make to add an extra special touch.

Silent Auction Basket Ideas For Baseball Team Fundraising

Small shopping card with gift box inside. Image is a cheeky hat tip to the fact that silent auction baskets don't have to be wicker or a basket.

They’re called silent auction gift baskets because, typically, items were showcased in a beautiful wicker basket that the winner would just pick up and take home at the end of the event.

Current-day silent auction baskets, however, don’t always use a real basket as part of the auction item. So you can use your imagination when it comes to how you’d like to display your items.

To get you started, here are two different themes you could use for your baseball-inspired silent auction baskets along with the items you might include to make it as enticing as possible.

After all, you want your basket to pull in the highest bid possible, right?

Silent Auction Basket Theme: A Baseball Fanatic’s Movie Night

Graphic of people watching an outdoor movie which is the possible idea for a baseball silent auction basket.

Spring is already here and summer is just around the corner.

This means outdoor events could be a lovely option to start hanging out with friends again as restrictions are lifted and more people are feeling comfortable in a multi-family get together.

What better way, then, to enjoy baseball by watching a daytime MLB game along with showing an outdoor movie once the sun goes down?

This idea was the starting point of the “Baseball Fanatic’s Movie Night” Silent Auction Basket theme.

In this silent auction basket, you might include the following:

– A mini projector that includes an outdoor screen

A mini projects can connect with a variety of streaming devices and because its size and weight, it’s easy to carry and doesn’t need much set-up space.

Many of the projectors also include an outdoor screen to use for your movie so you don’t have to go looking for an old sheet or a blackout curtain that you tucked into the back of a closet years ago.

– An Amazon gift card so the winner can rent or purchase baseball-inspired movies.

There are a variety of services where people can rent and stream a movie rentals. One of the easiest is Amazon Video* because so many people are already very familiar with the interface and Amazon Video has an extensive catalog.

As part of the basket, I recommend helping people get a head start with their baseball nostalgia and include a list of your baseball movie favorites.

My recommendations would be the following baseball movies: The Rookie, The Sandlot, Field of Dreams, and Bull Durham.

Outdoor picnic blanket with red and white squares with a picnic basket as part of the silent auction basket ideas.

– An outdoor blanket

A variety of seating options is always nice to have when you know people may be sitting for a long period of time. So even though it’s a backyard movie and the person likely has some furniture, a blanket is also nice to have.

So, why not include an outdoor blanket with one side that is waterproof so people can sit on the ground comfortably or even lay down to stare at the movie and the stars if the mood strikes them?

– A decorated wood serving tray

It’s always nice to keep things organized, so a wood serving tray will allow someone to bringing all the movie candy goodies out in an organized way.

– Individual popcorn buckets

Popcorn is a must-have for movie night! Staying with the movie theme, your silent auction gift basket could include the standard paper popcorn buckets or cute reusable ones.

– Movie candy

Every movie night should have both salty and sweet options so you basket could include an assortment of candy. The Dollar Store is a great place to go because you can get a variety of options at a good price.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon affiliate, I receive a small commission if you purchase a product using one of my text links marked with an asterisk (*) or using one of the product links below.

Silent Auction Basket Theme: “Nothing But Dingers”

Tshirt with dingers all day and baseball player.

When I envision the “Nothing But Dingers” silent auction basket, it is a treasure trove of baseball-focused everyday items that allow someone to decorate their home (or themselves).

– A wood sign with a tried and true baseball saying

There are so many options when it comes to prefab blank wood signs that you could have a lot of fun with this. A smaller wood sign could be placed anywhere around the house – in a study, the kitchen, or a person’s bedroom.

If you already use a Silhouette Cameo or Cricut, pick a font or two to create a textual design of your favorite baseball phrase.

Here are some baseball phrase ideas in case you’re afraid of striking out:

– Three up, three down.

– There’s no place like home.

– A family that plays together, stays together. (Include a baseball and bat as part of the design.)

– Nothing but dingers.

If you would prefer to purchase an SVG cut file, take a look at Whimsical Walney’s Etsy shop.

Light colored bat with a black sharpie and orange vinyl as an idea for a silent auction basket.

– A customized baseball bat for display

You can easily customize a baseball bat with the the team or league name and the year to include in your auction basket. If it’s a smaller club, you could have all of the coaches sign the to make the basket even more unique.

– Reusable “seeds” bags and a variety of flavored sunflower seeds

A reusable sunflower seeds bag is a fun and original auction basket item. You could purchase a gift certificate to the Seed Sack website or make your own reusable snack bag from baseball fabric.

Then, include a variety of flavored seeds to help top them off!

– A baseball-themed fabric key fob

A fabric key fob is easy to make (more below) and something anyone can use. For people who love key chains, the fabric wristlet is a fun way to showcase their love of baseball.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a small commission if you purchase a product using one of the links below.

4 Handmade Items Baseball Fans Will Love

When you include handmade items in a silent auction basket it makes it more unique, and therefore more desirable. Here are 4 handmade items you can easily make that baseball fans will love.

Handmade Item #1: Customize a wood serving tray.

Wood serving tray that has customized baseball saying on it.

Since baseball stadiums are not operating at full capacity, many fans will be watching their favorite baseball teams from home.

And when there is a family watch party, that means snacks and drinks. A serving tray therefore makes a great addition to a silent auction basket.

I customized this wood tray using a bamboo tray from Walmart, chalk paint, Orcal stencil vinyl, and a Silhouette Cameo.

(By the way, if you’re a newsletter subscriber, be on the lookout for this month’s newsletter with some free SVG cut files! If you haven’t signed up yet, please consider joining my crafty crew!)

Recommended Products

As an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a small commission if you purchase a product using one of these links.

Handmade Item #2: Make reusable “seeds” bags from baseball fabric.

Resuable snack bag in cotton fabric with baseballs on a red background..

Today is the MLB’s opening day and later this month we’ll mark another important day: Earth Day.

So these reusable snack bags are great for your auction and the environment. Not only can someone use these snack bags be used for sunflower seeds during a game, but also snacks for a road trip or even school lunches.

A reusable snack back takes less than 10 minutes to make so it’s an easy way to contribute to the silent auction.

Video Tutorial: Make A Reusable Baseball “Seeds” Bag

Handmade Item #3: Throw together baseball-inspired drink coasters.

Glass on a drink coaster made from turf.

I realize not everyone has artificial grass lying around, but I just happened to have some cast offs available to me and wanted to find a purpose for it.

Enter turf drink coasters!

These are a cheeky hat tip to a baseball super fan, don’t you think?

The best part of these coasters is that even if you don’t think DIY is your thing, all you need is some turf, cork squares, and a glue gun.

In fact, there are sample squares available at Home Depot (if you only need a few) that are free so you don’t even have to cut anything!

If you are looking to make more than a few, you can purchase turf based on the length you need. For these coasters, I used this putting green artificial grass.

PRO TIP: Even though the cork is self-adhesive, use the glue gun to secure them permanently. The adhesive on the cork doesn’t stick well to the plastic backing of the artificial turf.

Drink coasters made from artificial turf and cork.

Handmade Item #4: Make a baseball fabric key fob/wristlet.

Key fob from fabric with baseball on a red background for a silent auction basket with baseball theme.

The beauty of fabric key fobs (also know as a wristlet) is that they can be used by anyone. Fabric key fobs are also multi purpose because they can be used as key chains or zipper pulls.

After you make one of these, it will be hard to stop because the fabric options are endless.