While organizing and running a sports tournament may be stressful, a successful event can provide an unforgettable experience for players, families, and other spectators. These experiences will lay the foundation for your tournament seasons, ensuring that players will return and refer your tournaments to others. If you are interested in learning how to kick start a sports season or increase registration, Playbook has some insights for getting started. Here are five tips to help make your tournament season a success:
1. Stay Organized.Regardless of the size of the tournament, you will need an ample amount of planning time to ensure that every detail of the event is organized. Simple information can provide a positive experience that can draw more players for future tournaments, including having an accurate tournament schedule, consistent communication, a simple registration process, and organized staff. Stability is essential for parents, as it allows them to enjoy the tournament without complications. Many scheduling tools help simplify and organize the tournament process, allowing you to focus on what matters most: the players and the sport.
2. Communication is Key.As much as we would love our tournaments to run as perfectly as possible, some setbacks may be out of our control. From bad weather to teams canceling, communication is essential to update players and families about any significant changes to the event. By having a solid form of communication in place, whether it be social media, website updates, or even automated bulk messaging, you will be able to provide the reassurances that players and families look for when complications arise.
3. Create a Budget.Maintaining a strict budget ensures that your tournament will not only be successful but also profitable. Important information to include in your budget are: course rentals, promotional materials, signage, food/drink costs, and staffing costs. Additionally, a portion of your budget should be set aside in unforeseen circumstances. At Playbook, we offer insights on effectively managing your sports league/tournament budget.
4. Have a Simple Registration Process.
Your registration process can be done in several different ways. Regardless of your process, registration should be simple and efficient. Whether you decide to pursue a registration process that utilizes a low-tech strategy or even a website that enables families to sign up online, having an unclear or complicated process can result in fewer registrants than you expected.
5. Tournament Location.For many families, a long road trip to a remote location can be a daunting and negative experience. While the tournament is for players and coaches, a tournament location should also consider the families and spectators attending the event. As such, key location features that should be considered include: the field’s capacity, available facilities, and proximity to local amenities. While this may seem difficult to locate and book a facility, Playbook offers a simplified guide to make renting space for your organization easy.
