Operating a youth sports team can cost $10,000 to $30,000 per season, and those expenses have climbed 46 percent since 2019, outpacing inflation. In DeKalb County, local restaurants are helping fill the gap for high school football programs.
NFA Burger, the smash burger spot Billy Kramer built from a pop-up into a Chamblee Dunwoody Road fixture inside a Chevron station, is among dozens of DeKalb businesses that regularly sponsor school football teams, The Champion Newspaper reported Monday, Aug. 24. Matthews Cafeteria and Ford's BBQ, both in Tucker, and a Chick-fil-A location in Tucker were also named.
The sponsorships cover more than banners. Businesses fund uniforms, equipment, travel, field rentals and tournament fees through grants, donations or in-kind contributions, according to the report by Kathy Mitchell. Award and recognition costs alone run $500 to $3,000 per program each season, a line item where restaurants often step in with team meals or banquet sponsorships.
NFA Burger's Dunwoody track record
NFA Burger's support of Dunwoody High School goes beyond typical sponsorship. On March 29, the restaurant opened on a Sunday for the first time ever, donating the full day's proceeds to the Bring It Home Dunwoody campaign, which is raising money to build 2,000 new seats, a press box, restrooms and concessions so the Wildcats can host varsity football on campus.
The football program also held a golf outing fundraiser at The Country Club of Roswell on April 27 that exceeded its goal, according to a post on X from the program's account.
What businesses get back
For restaurants like NFA Burger, the return is brand loyalty built one team meal at a time. Online payment platform Cheddar Up, cited in The Champion's report, noted that sponsoring youth sports connects businesses with local families and reinforces a family-friendly image. Children often remember the brands that supported them, the platform said.
Kramer's restaurant, known for its housemade "Sassy Sauce" and a strict no-ketchup policy, has drawn national attention from Southern Living, Food & Wine and Eater Atlanta. Local football sponsorships keep the brand rooted in the neighborhood where it started.
As we reported Sunday, Aug. 23, Marlow's Tavern is hosting its own Dunwoody football fundraiser dinner, another sign that restaurant owners see value in backing the program.
The 2026 DeKalb County football season opened Saturday, Aug. 22, with the Kickoff Classic at Hallford Stadium. DeKalb County Schools lists 19 public varsity squads; The Champion's count of 22 includes private schools.
