Hosting a sports tournament is exciting and rewarding. It also takes an enormous amount of planning, from start to finish. Parking, athletes, playing fields, and referees all need your attention. Where do you start? How do you actually plan and host a sports tournament? Here are three essential steps to take to throw an unforgettable, fun and successful sports tournament.

1. Picking a Venue

Venue size is crucial for ensuring enough seating, restroom access and parking for all your guests. Some venues are equipped only for specific sports, while others can manage a range of events across different fields and arenas.

Venue location is equally essential. Out-of-town visiting teams and tournament-goers need lodging, and tournaments need official referees. Players need accurately graded playing fields to play on. Attendee satisfaction matters. Venue layout, restroom access and available vendors all impact their experience.

2. Planning a Tournament

Start planning early. With larger tournaments, planning should begin as soon as six to twelve months in advance.

Tournaments need start dates. The sooner you settle on one, the better. This way, you can start to distribute invites and sell tickets. Tell your attendees early so they can book travel.

List all the tasks to complete between now and the tournament, and put them on your schedule. Recruit volunteers and allocate these tasks. When the event draws near, the last thing you'll want to do is scramble for supplies. Essentials for a sports tournament include:

• Time clocks
• Officials
• Marketing materials
• Medals, trophies, awards

Some venues have some or all of what you'll need. Other times, the organizer must provide equipment, referees, and refreshments. Be sure to check with your venue for amenities beforehand and avoid surprises on game day.

3. Hosting a Tournament

On the day of the tournament, your hands are going to be full. Plan as much as possible ahead of time. For almost every type of sports tournament, organizers need to look after:

• Tournament schedule of events
• Guest parking and access
• Ticket sales and redemption
• Tournament safety and security
• Food and beverage concessions

Plan Your Sports Tournament at Spooky Nook Sports

We are the largest sports complex in the nation. With over 700,000 square feet of indoor facilities and over 50 acres outdoors, Spooky Nook Sports can host events of any size. We also have a hotel and restaurant on-site.

For kids and adults, sports tournaments are fantastic ways to promote sports, foster sportsmanship and encourage teamwork. Are you hosting an upcoming sports tournament or thinking about one? Contact us and we will take care of the details!