Donkey Basketball F.A.Q.s

F.A.Q.

How much do you charge?
• This depends if you are sponsoring a show just for fun or putting it on as a fundraiser. If you are doing the show just for fun-please call or email us for a flat fee quote.
• Our fundraising program is based on a percentage of total ticket sales, if you sell less than $3000; we get 60%, you keep 40%. If you sell $3000 or more, then we split the total 50/50. This is provided you have a gymnasium with a minimum of 350 seats; we can make some exceptions to this rule, please call for details…
• Our fundraising program includes an OPTIONAL Advertising, Sponsorship and Rider Entry Fee Program (ASR Program). With this program, we receive 25% of any type of ASR Program proceeds, up to $4,000. If you sell more than $4,000 in ASR Program revenue, then you keep 100% of anything above and beyond $4,000.
• Both contractual agreements (fundraiser or flat fee) require a $125 registration fee which covers 2 insurance policies in force for your event (see below).
Are there a minimum number of tickets or minimum dollar amount we must sell for you to come?
• No, the only requirement is a minimum seating capacity in your gym of 350 spectators.
• If there are less than 350 seats, we may be able to work with you by raising ticket prices slightly to compensate – or guaranteed minimum to us-just let us know what the actual seating capacity is.
What are the ticket prices?
• We set the minimum prices you may charge: $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door - preschool free*
• You may raise these prices but not lower them.
*Minimum prices are subject to change
What about advertising the show, who does that?
• This is your organization’s job!
• We provide FREE to you: hard copy tickets, online ticket sales, posters, newspaper ad slick, media ballyhoo, promotional tips, a detailed timeline of when to do everything and a plethora of other
information to help you plan and host a successful show!
How long does a show last?
• 1 ½ hours of family fun!
What is the show format?
• Our normal format is two 16-minute elimination games with a 15-minute intermission in between the two elimination games. There is ONE 8-minute championship round immediately following the 2nd elimination game.
Do you provide helmets?
• Yes, we bring helmets for all Donkey Jockeys along with a limited number of elbow/knee pads.
• However, Donkey Jockeys are welcome to bring their own riding helmets provided they have adequate padding and functional chinstraps.
Do I need to provide a referee?
• No, our Donkey Wrangler will referee the show.
Do I need to provide an emcee?
• Yes, you will need an emcee to welcome your attendees, introduce Donkey Jockeys and donkeys and interject every now and then throughout the course of the show. Play-by-play style announcing is not necessary but welcome.
• Our Donkey Wrangler will also provide color commentary while on the court.
How many teams do we need?
• For our normal show’s format, we play with 4 teams. You will need 8 - 12 Donkey Jockeys per team, the more the merrier. Everyone will get a chance to ride and Donkey Jockeys substitute on the fly, as needed or wanted, throughout each period of play! Riders must be at least 16 years old and under 225lbs.
What about insurance?
• Your organization will be covered by 2 policies for your event:
1) Sports Accident Insurance - $50,000 limit, supplemental medical policy, will cover registered
participants, Donkey Jockeys, cheerleaders, and coaches.
2) General Liability - Limits up to $2,000,000 each occurrence. Coverage for all third parties excluding participants. As per our contract, the sponsoring organization is automatically added as an additional insured to our general liability policy. Any additional entities such as the school district, venue owners, etc.., may be added as additional insured. Certificate of insurance provided upon request.
Will Donkey Jockeys sign a waiver of liability/permission form?
• Yes, all Donkey Jockeys are required to sign a waiver of liability which will protect your organization, us and the school district. Those under 18, 16 and 17-year-olds, will need a parent or legal guardian’s signature in order to participate. Potential Donkey Jockeys 15 and younger are not allowed to participate in our Donkey Basketball Show.
Do you provide rules and riding instructions for Donkey Jockeys?
• Yes, all Donkey Jockeys are REQUIRED to attend a mandatory pre-game meeting we will hold one hour before your event begins. No one will be allowed to ride unless they were present at the meeting.
When you need to get into the gym?
• We suggest you open the gym up 1 hour ahead for seating, but we will not bring the donkeys in until game time.
How many donkeys do you bring?
• We will bring at least 9 donkeys, we play 4 on 4 with at least one substitute donkey named “Widow Maker”, “Hemorrhoid”, or “Killer” to spice up the Championship Round.
Who cleans up after the donkeys?
• Before and after the show, we will clean up after the donkeys. As far as during the show - if you choose, you can have a “sanitation crew” that is part of the comedy of the show to clean up after the Donkey Jockeys’ donkeys (maybe someone who wants to be part of the show but cannot ride) but if there is no such group of people, your Donkey Jockeys will clean up after their own donkeys during the show!
• Cleanup in the gym after the show is just like cleaning up after any other event for your group or custodial staff!
Will the donkeys damage our gym floor?
• NO! Our donkeys have never damaged a gym floor, they wear a non-marking non-scuffing rubber shoe which protects them from slipping and also protects your floor from any damage. The shoe is nailed on just like a horseshoe but the nails are recessed into the rubber so the nails cannot scratch the gym floor.
• We clean and check each hoof on each donkey before every show as to ensure the safety of the gym floor. These rubber shoes are actually a men’s shoe heel so they are made for this type of activity.
• Rubber shoes have been used for more than 80 years in donkey basketball shows and the quality of the rubber is always improving!
• If something unusual happened and there was damage to the floor, we guarantee in our contract that we will pay for the repairs out of our pocket.
What if the donkey “fallout” on the gym floor?
• There may or may not be any donkey “fallout” during your show. That is strictly up to the donkeys and is out of our control! If it does happen, we stop the show and clean up any manure immediately. The manure is solid and dry, like horse manure, so it is easily and quickly swept into a plastic “gym floor friendly” shovel which we provide. Any manure will be disposed of in the trash can we provide.
All of our clean-up tools are plastic “gym floor-friendly” as to protect the gym floor. We will dispose of any manure after the show from the entire event. Donkeys do not usually urinate on the gym floor but, rest assured, we are prepared for that in case and it will be cleaned immediately as well.
Will your venue be taken care of while we are there?
• YES! We strive to leave your facility better than we found it! Our goal is to come back to your
school/venue year after year. The only way we can do this is if we take care of it as if it were our own.
How many people from your staff will come with the donkeys?
• One Donkey Wrangler is all it takes!
What time will you arrive the day of the show?
• Usually, 3 to 4 hours before game time.
Are your donkeys well-behaved?
• Yes! Our donkeys are very well-trained and trustworthy professionals; they love people, especially kids, and they love to entertain!
How many donkey basketball shows do you play in a year?
• On average, we perform about 200 basketball shows/year.
How long have you been in business?
• 2025 is our 21st year in business! The fun part is that donkey ball goes way back in our family to the original company Buckey Donkey Ball which started in 1934!
Are there ways, via Dairyland Donkey Ball, LLC, to earn money in addition to the ticket sales?
• Yes, our Advertiser/Sponsorship/Rider Entry Fee (ASR) Program is an excellent way for our Donkey Basketball Fundraising Show sponsors to raise lots of extra funds.
o Our ASR Program is optional.
o The ASR Program revenues are pooled separately from the ticket sales and your/our share of the ASR Program revenues are calculated differently than the ticket sales split.
o You keep 75% of the 1st $4,000 that is raised and then you keep 100% of proceeds above $4,000.
o We send you a customized ASR Program packet to help your organization solicit advertisers, sponsors, and rider/team entry fees by selling off our donkeys, games, the event, advertising space on the gym’s walls, bronze, silver, & gold levels of sponsorships, etc…
Do you offer online advance ticket sales or e-sales?
• Yes, we do!
• It is a free option for your organization and ours because the only fees that are charged will be when your ticket purchasers use the emailed/texted link, QR Code, or convenient POS App (face to face with one of your organization’s members) and they will have normal credit/debit card fees added to their purchase at checkout.
• Your advance ticket buyers will receive an email that contains a QR Code to present at the gate the night of your Donkey Basketball Show to gain access.
• This great option:
o Makes it easier for you to reach potential ticket buyers:
▪ Email or text a link for your online advance ticket sales page to potential spectators.
▪ Put the QR Code on our Advertising Posters/Flyers or email/text to all of your ticket sellers to show to potential ticket purchasers so they can scan the QR Code with their mobile
device and be directed to you online advance ticket sales page.
▪ Each of your ticket sales people can download the app, enter a Point of Sale (POS) Code
that we will provide you and they will be able to manually enter credit/debit card info to
pay for advance ticket purchases.
o Cuts out the hassle of delivering tickets to buyers or making sure they can pick the tickets up somewhere before your event.
o Eliminates the need for a will call table or booth the night of your fundraising event.
o Rids you of the chance that advance ticket sellers will lose hard copy advance tickets and/or
cash/checks.
o Makes it easier to track sales.
o It just makes your organization seem hip!
How far in advance should we book our date?
• We can book over a year ahead; although, most sponsors seem to book anywhere from a few weeks ahead up to a year before their agreed upon date.
• Dates are available first-come, first-serve provided they are on our route.
How do we book a date with you?
• The best way is to email or call us with any and all available dates for your gymnasium, we will do our best to give you the date you prefer but we are limited as to the area we are in at any point in time, we go where the bookings are and that is a 26 - state area and we will only drive a maximum of 150 miles between shows so we do appreciate your flexibility and willingness to work with us and our schedule.

How can we reach you?
• Visit our website for more information:
www.dairylanddonkeyball.com
• Call us: 1-888-8DONKEY (1-888-836-6539)
• E-Mail Us: info@dairylanddonkeyball.com