Donkey Basketball F.A.Q.s
Got a question for us? See below!
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 500 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. With this we would receive 25% of any type of advertising proceeds up to $4,000. If you
sell more than $4,000 in advertising, then you keep 100% of anything above and beyond $4,000.
• Both programs (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 have to sell for you to come?
• No, only a minimum seating capacity in your gym (500 seats).
• If there are less than 500 seats, we may be able to work with you by raising ticket prices slightly tocompensate-just let us know what the actual seating capacity is.
What are the ticket prices?
• We set the minimum price you may charge: $7.00 in advance and $10.00 at the door-preschool free.
• You may raise these prices but not lower them.
What about advertising the show, who does that?
• This is your job!
• We provide FREE to you: tickets, posters, newspaper ad slick, media ballyhoo, promotional tips,
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 riders along with elbow/knee pads.
Do I need to provide a referee?
• No, our unit manager will referee the show.
Do I need to provide an emcee?
• Yes, you will need an emcee to introduce riders and donkeys, welcome your attendees and
interject every now and then throughout the course of the show, play-by-plays not needed.
• Our unit manager will also provide color commentary while on the court.
How many teams do we need?
• For our normal game format we play with 4 teams. You will need 8-12 riders per team minimum,
the more the merrier, everyone will get a chance to ride and riders substitute on the fly!
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 participates, riders, cheerleaders, and coaches.
2) General Liability-As per our contract, the sponsoring organization is automatically added
as additional insured to our general liability policy. This policy does not cover riders. Any
additional entities such as the school district, etc.., may be added as additional insured.
Certificate of insurance provided upon request.
Will riders sign a waiver of liability?
• Yes, all riders are required to sign a waiver of liability which will protect your organization, us and
the school district. Those under 18 will need a parent’s signature.
Do you provide rules and riding instructions for riders?
• Yes, all riders 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
“Buckmaster”, “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 riders’ donkeys (maybe someone who wants to be part of the show but cannot ride) but if
there is no such group of people, your riders 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 60 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 we will pay for
the repairs out of our pocket.
• We are so sure your gym floor will not be damaged by our donkeys; we even GUARANTEE it in our contract!
What if the donkeys “poop” 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.
Will our facility be taken care of while you are here?
• YES! We strive to leave your facility better than we found it! Our goal is to come back to your
school/facility 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 unit manager 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 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?
• 2022 is our 18th year in business! The fun part is that donkey ball goes way back in our family to
the original company started in 1934!
How far in advance should we book our date?
• We book a maximum of one year out.
• 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 19-state area and we will only drive a maximum
of 180 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: [email protected]