Common Questions About Rally Towels

Created: Friday, 26 April 2019 15:25

1. What Is a Rally Towel?

Rally towels are a big part of sports paraphernalia. You frequently see them used as symbolism for various professional sports leagues, like the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and MLS.

Teams commonly hand out rally towels during league seasons. Fans wave them in the air at sporting events, especially when the team has scored, made a great play or is in another crucial moment in the game.

2. What Is the History of the Rally Towel?

Rally towels go back more than four decades — to the mid-1970s, when major-league teams originally began providing them to fans as distractions for the opposing team. After that, they became popular in schools and booster clubs, where you'll still see them today.

Rally towels have grown into an iconic symbol of fans supporting their teams ― for a good reason. When fans begin waving their colorful rally towels, it can make them feel like they’re part of an exclusive crowd, and this positive vibe uplifts their spirits and mood.

The Terrible Towel

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the first football team to hand out rally towels to their fans. They referred to this rally towel as the "Terrible Towel," and it's probably one of the most famous rally towels in sports history. It's even initiated a whole other line of Steelers merchandise known as "Terrible Stuff."

In 1975, the Terrible Towel made its first appearance after Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope came up with the idea. He was seeking a publicity item his fans would appreciate. However, it had to be portable and lightweight so they could take it with them to all the games and visibly display their support as a unified crowd. Little did Cope know he had invented a beloved tradition.

After the Terrible Towel debuted in the 1975 NFL playoffs, its popularity skyrocketed nearly overnight. It became so sought-after that retailers in Pittsburgh started selling out of gold and yellow hand towels, as fans began buying them when they couldn't get their hands on the genuine item.

The rally towel is a staple of today's sporting events, not only for the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and football, but for sports fans across the country. Whipping a towel in the air to support a team has become a tradition, and like many traditions, it had to begin somewhere. In this case, it originated with the Terrible Towel and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rally Towels in the MLB, NHL and MLS

After becoming popular in the NHL and NFL, rally towels began to make their way into the MLB, where they've since found a niche as well. Some moments in baseball worthy of attention include the American flag-colored towels of the Texas Rangers for their home games and the orange World Series towels of the San Francisco Giants.

The Toronto Blue Jays' promoters and managers distribute towels regularly each "Fan Friday," while other teams also partake in the tradition often, such as the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins and more. The rally towels are such a hit in baseball that by 2010, only three MLB teams had not adopted the tradition yet.

Although you're most likely to see hockey, baseball and football fans using rally towels, you do see them in other professional sports leagues occasionally. For instance, Real Salt Lake provided their fans with white towels in the 2010 MLS playoffs to show their support in the semifinals.

3. What Are Rally Towels Used For?

Though the most common use for wholesale rally towels is for sports fans, they have also become popular in several other industries and promotions. Below are the many ways individuals and organizations use rally towels today.

Rally towels for fans at sporting events: The thrill of any game is getting the crowd involved, and logo rally towels are perfect for doing just that. They help fans cheer on school teams and prompt others to do the same thing. You can distribute rally towels during pep rallies, games and tailgating parties to get the crowd excited and ready for the next game. They make great souvenirs as a token of pride for everybody who likes to cheer on their sports team, even when the season is over.

Professional sports teams might sell items like velour rally towels to bolster fan support. However, rally towels don't only apply to the big leagues. You can use them to boost team spirit for your community leagues, high school football and little league teams. Choose your favorite team colors and wave the towels around to spread the word. You can even add your team symbol and name on them. If you are going to a professional game and don't own one of their official team rally towels, purchase your own beforehand in your team colors.

Extremely popular and budget-friendly, rally towels are the perfect handout for promoting schools, booster clubs and sports clubs, since they can uplift community team spirit in a short period. They not only look inspiring in the stadiums and sports stands, but also as displays on your patio, hallway or in classrooms to show support for your local sports team. You can fold them up easily to fit into your purse or backpack, so students can carry them along with them to show school pride.

But it doesn't stop there. Here are some other ways of using rally towels for sports.

• Bowling leagues: Bowlers can use these towels to clean and wipe off dirty — and sometimes a little sweaty — bowling balls.
• Gymnastics or cheerleading: Gymnasts and cheerleaders can use them as hand towels to wipe their hands or faces.
• Gym and fitness: Fitness buffs can always use towels to clean equipment or wick away sweat.
• Marathoners and racers: Runners can use rally towels for staying cool during long runs.

Rally towels for golf: Golf towels are another favorite type of rally towel, since this sport has one of the biggest fanbases in the U.S. Golf towels have an irregular and unique form — they're smaller and more rectangular than standard towels.

Their design specifically allows golf players to keep the towel with them as they move around the course, since they come equipped with a ring — or corner grommet — for players to attach to their golf bag. This feature allows golfers to keep their hands dry while playing, helping them play a better game. If you’re a golf course owner or manager, these towels are an excellent marketing item for your greens.

Rally towels for graduations: As a unique way of supporting a high school graduate or bringing the graduating class together, waving custom rally towels in the air during the commencement ceremony is an easy and exciting way of celebrating. You can choose different school colors for your towels, hand out custom school-inscribed towels beforehand and spread the word throughout the audience.

Rally towels for wedding favors: Getting ready for that special day when you'll be tying the knot? Why not provide these wholesale towels to your wedding guests as a token to bring home with them to thank them for their attendance and support? Although a lot of couples like to hand out edible wedding favors, these towels provide your guests with something permanent and practical that lets you offer your thanks in a more personal way.

By giving custom rally towels to your guests as wedding favors, you're offering a thoughtful and unique item they can use every day in their homes, and whenever they use them, they'll remember your wedding day. Rally towels help add that extra personal touch, whether you decide to monogram your wedding date on the towels or as a reminder of meeting your spouse at a sports event. Your guests can even wave their rally towels in the air to see you off to your honeymoon.

Other Rally Towel Uses

Rally towels come in handy in many other scenarios, too.

• Personal use: Mop up spills on the spot, or use instead of paper towels for household chores.
• Equipment use: Wipe away sweat or moisture for a better grip, or remove grass or dirt stuck in a ball.
• Family reunions: Use as a giveaway at your next family reunion.
• Pet care: Absorb water after baths, or clean up muddy footprints on a rainy day.
• Nail salons: Small towels are excellent for drying off guests' hands and feet after a manicure or pedicure.
• Vehicles: Use to clean and polish your vehicle.
• Company giveaways: Rally towels make memorable promotional items, especially when they have your logo or company name on them.
• 4. What Makes Rally Towels Different From Other Towels?

When towels come to mind, you likely think about their functionality rather than their fun. For many individuals, towels are elegant and luxurious and make useful tools for wrapping up wet hair, drying our hands, washing our face or toweling down after getting out of a pool or shower.

There are notable differences between household and rally towels, and each has its specific uses.

• Absorbency: First, a rally towel isn't as absorbent as a standard towel. Rally towels' primary purpose is to promote different sports teams and events. You can, of course, use them to dry your body or clean up spills, but this isn't their intended use.
• Size: Second, the rally towel is usually smaller than a typical towel, but there can be variations. Depending on who manufactures the towels, you may choose any model, size, pattern or color combination you like, as well as unique designs like hemmed or fringed.

Typically, retailers commercializing rally towels offer a wide range of options for different teams and types of sports like football, golf and rugby. The cost of rally towels is affordable for just about everyone interested in buying them, making them perfect for fans who want to show their support for their hometown team.

5. What Are the Different Types of Rally Towels?

Rally towels are available in several materials and sizes, including velour fingertip towels, velour rally towels and terry rally towels.

6. What Are the Color Options for Rally Towels?

You can find rally towels in a variety of colors, including:

• Black
• White
• Orange
• Pink
• Gold/yellow
• Sky blue
• Lime green
• Navy blue
• Red

Most wholesale rally towels are 100 percent cotton, and you can get them in 9" x 14" or 11" x 18" sizes. You can have them printed and designed with your custom slogan, logo and team name you're looking to advertise.

Buy Your Wholesale Rally Towels to Support Your Team or Event

Rally towels are a fun and exciting way of promoting sports teams, businesses, events and personal milestones. You'll find many different styles you can choose from, so you should be able to buy the perfect towels for your needs.

Whether you're looking to cheer on your favorite team, commemorate your wedding, congratulate new grads or hand out party favors, rally towels are ideal for any occasion. At Towel Super Center, you can find the best towels of any color to suit your team or theme. Made with 100 percent cotton, they're incredibly soft and durable.

Towel Super Center is the leading wholesale towel supplier on the web. Our mission is to offer our customers a broad selection of economy and premium towels, linens and sheets at deeply discounted prices. We cater to a variety of businesses, including spas, hotels, gyms, salons and more.

We not only provide you with high-quality towels at a bulk price, but we also offer secure payment and fast shipping.

Whether you're looking for a rally towel, spirit towel or velour towel with your color, team logo or slogan on it, we can customize it for you. Let us find the perfect rally towels for you. Contact us with any questions or buy your towels here.

We look forward to working with you to ensure you offer your customers or clients only the best-quality towels.