Fundraising Program

Since 1982 we have been the most trusted sports memorabilia company in the Cincinnati tri-state area. Our consignment program has been specifically designed to accommodate the thousands of charitable auctions we’ve worked for with the best return on investment, flexibility, and straightforward process. 

The aim is to help you reach your fundraising goals with each of your events. Our method is providing a consignment system with quality and authentic sports memorabilia, as well as in-house framed entertainment pieces at the lowest possible cost. We are heavily involved with many local religious, school, and charitable organizations in the community, such as SPCA, the Freestore Foodbank, and the Reds Community Fund to name a few. Over 30 years of experience has led to us assisting with over 250 events a year in their fundraising initiatives. 

The way our consignment program works is very straightforward. You take as many pieces as you would like.  Nothing is due upfront.  You make money off the items you sell in auction (averaging 30% profit per item sold when using our suggested minimum bid), and return the pieces that do not go.  This is a no-risk operation and only adds even more excitement to your events. Our wide ranging products include framed records, concert posters, movie posters, Reds, Bengals, FC Cincinnati historic Cincinnati, and many more. We’re sure to have something for your event  attendees. This method also ensures that you also have access to high end and affordable items without relying on donations and provides a price point for every bidder's budget. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  • How do I get started?
    

    Call our store and schedule an appointment with our Auction Coordinator during our store hours. Come to our showroom to look over our products, discuss questions, and get advice. Once you’ve picked your items we will give you a finalized list including the minimum recommended bids. We’ll make plans about item pick up or delivery with possible set up (and how we’ll retrieve the items). After the event, once we have the items we’ll send you an invoice for the cost of the items you’ve sold.

    To contact us by email at ceisportshouse@gmail.com

    Contact our Auction Coordinator, Abby, directly at 513-489-3400 

  • Our event is holding an on-line auction, can you still help? 

    Of course! We'll even send you a photo of each of the items you choose for you to upload to you auction platform!

  • What is the price advantage of the CEI Sports Consignment program?

    Because of our close relationships with manufacturers, agents and many  athletes, we will always offer prices substantially below retail, so your charity earns more money. What’s more, our autographed items are guaranteed authentic, so there’s no worry about the value of auction items. We will have the best prices-guaranteed.

  • Can CEI Sports run our auction? 

    Yes! There is a cost associated with this service, which can be discussed during your consultation.

  • Do you offer delivery?

    We also offer convenient setup and delivery as long as the auction meets our minimum size for this service for an affordable fee. The fee is waivable if certain criteria are met.

  • What kinds of things go into larger auctions? 

    The right combination of products and prices, as well as a sense of what your guests like, all factor into your success. We can advise you on these issues when we work together. We have over 40 years experience developing products that sell in this market. Our consultation and advice will always be free of charge.

  • I can't make it in for a consultation, can my event still take advantage of the CEI Sports consignment program? 

    We can! After an initial phone consultation, our auction coordinator will curate a virtual gallery & price list for you to choose from!

  • Can CEI Sports provide references? 

    Yes, upon request, we will be happy to forward contact information of past clients with characteristics similar to those of your organization. We have successfully completed 40 years of charitable fundraising and are a member of national organization called “The Association of Fundraising Professionals”. 

  • Does CEI Sports make donations to charitable organizations?

    Yes, but due to the large number of requests we receive for donated items, we developed our consignment system. This ultimately benefits charities, because it gives them the opportunity to auction numerous items, making a margin on each, rather than simply receiving a single item donated outright. We will consider donations on a case by case basis.

  • What else should we consider for our consultation?

    Plan to succeed, the saying goes, and it is especially true to ensure the success of your event. We strongly recommend that you determine the following and have your information ready when you contact us:
     
    - Who will be our main point of contact for the event? 
    - Date, time & place of your event. The rough number of attendees is also helpful. 
    - Date you need to have your items in hand.
    - Does your event have a theme for us to keep in mind when choosing items? 
    - Think about price points. We want to provide a range to allow volume bidding on lower cost items and a few big tickets items to intrigue higher bidders and attract interest in your auction.

We look forward to helping you make your event a success!