SFA Advice: Networking with Teams and Leagues in Sports Tourism
When hosting a sports tourism event, there are many ways to think about who your customers are. Of course, the fans who come to attend the events are your customers. And the athletes who play in the events are also your customers. But it is important to remember that the team managers and league representatives who plan the event are your customers as well.
Developing excellent customer service for each of these three groups is critical to ongoing success at your facility. In today’s blog, the experts at Sports Facility Advisory will discuss the importance of networking with team managers and league representatives.
League Reps and Team Managers Pay the Bills
Often, it will be the league representatives and team managers who ultimately decide to have their event at your facility and pay the bills for the use of your facilities. Audience members may pay an admission fee, but it may be the league and the teams that pay the lion’s share of the operating costs. If the league reps and team managers don’t decide to have their event at your facility, there will be no audience members at all. So, dedicating a serious effort towards excellent customer relations with league reps and team managers is critical to paying the bills.
League Reps and Team Managers Set the Tone
Team managers and league representatives are leaders at their organizations, and in this role, they have a big impact on the athletes and audiences that attend your sports tourism event. They will be informing athletes and audience members about the rules and expectations at your event. Team managers and representatives will also be planning a lot of the practical details of attending the event, from the hotel reservations to the parking situation. So communicate clearly and provide excellent customer service. Setting a positive tone for these leaders will encourage them to set a positive tone for all of the participants at your sports tourism event.
League Reps and Team Managers Move Up and Out
The team managers and mid-level league representatives that you will be interfacing with are often just beginning their own careers in the industry. Develop strong and long-lasting relationships with these professionals, because they may soon move up in their organizations and out into other organizations as well.
A high school coach today may be a college coach tomorrow, and a Director of Event Planning may be the VP of Operations down the road. So, cultivate great business relationships based on excellent customer service, efficient operations, and clear and honest communication.
Build Your Network with Sports Facilities Advisory
With so many details of day-to-day operations at your sports facility, it can be difficult to take a long-term view and plan for success decades down the road. Networking with league representatives and team managers is essential for future success, but it can be difficult to do. The team at Sports Facilities Advisory is here to help, with established networks, exceptional advice, and operational resources you simply can’t get anywhere else. Contact our trusted team today.
