How to Host a Tournament at Your Sports Facility
Hosting a tournament is a great way to increase revenue and attract newcomers to your sports facility. Regardless of the sport or the age group, tournaments give athletes a chance to take on new competition and form relationships with people from other communities. Unfortunately, a tournament can quickly turn to chaos if not properly organized and managed. To ensure everything runs smoothly next time your sports facility hosts a tournament, follow these tips from Sports Facility Management.
Communicate Effectively
Before the tournament, facilitate communication as much as possible. Using email and text, share dates and schedules with your staff, coaches, parents, and any other necessary parties. Make sure any important information is in writing because people are likely to forget dates and times. Additionally, post schedules on your website and social media accounts for easier access.
During the tournament, effective communication ensures that no one is lost or confused. Remind people of game times and locations with printed schedules and maps of your sports facility. If you cancel games or change times, be sure to update your schedule online and on social media. By using multiple communication platforms, you can effectively organize your tournament.
Prepare Your Sports Facility
In addition to effective communication and organization, make sure your sports facility is ready to host a large crowd. Before the tournament, trim your fields and clean and polish your courts. Take time to stock your concession stands with extra snacks and your bathrooms with extra supplies, and check to make sure every scoreboard, microphone, and any other necessary piece of equipment works properly. Lastly, if necessary, make accommodations for additional seating and overflow parking.
Schedule Your Most Experienced Staff
To avoid any problems during the tournament, schedule your sports facility’s most trusted and experienced staff. Ensure your staff is ready for any situation because parents, coaches, and athletes are sure to have a lot of questions and requests. Depending on the size of your event, you may want to hire some additional staff, such as janitors to keep the facilities clean and parking attendants to direct traffic.
Purchase Trophies and Medals
Many athletes (young athletes especially) like having mementos to remember the tournament and celebrate their victories. Make sure athletes leave your tournament with positive memories by purchasing trophies and medals. Consider engraving your awards with the name of your tournament and hosting an awards ceremony on the last day. Although awards may seem like a minor or frivolous detail, small touches go a long way in planning a memorable event.
Contact Sports Facilities Management
At Sports Facilities Management, we specialize in management solutions for youth and amateur sports facilities. Whether our clients measure success in dollars, community engagement, or children’s access to sports, we produce industry-leading results. To learn more about our services, contact us today!
