Organizing a successful sporting event doesn’t happen by chance. Experienced event managers dedicate hours upon hours of their time to ensure an event is successful from all sides – from the athletes to attendees to sponsors. With that in mind, take a look at 10 tips for sports event management from our team at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission.
1.) No assumptions. If something is in your area of responsibility, never assume someone has taken care of it.
2.) Build a database of contacts for recurring events. The database should include athletes, teams and even volunteers.
3.) Provide an information sheet to volunteers. This will help them answer questions easily and serve attendees better.
4.) Hire a people person for your volunteer coordinator.
5.) Go over all line items in your facility agreement so there aren’t any surprises, this includes rental rates, weather policy, insurance requirement, security and more.
6.) Turning on venue lights isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Be aware stadium lighting takes time to reach full power.
7.) Provide attendees with the food, beverage and cooler policies prior to your tournament to avoid having disgruntled guests.
8.) Use prominent information and directional signage.
9.) Designate a lost and found location and ensure it has highly visible signage.
10.) Schedule a post-event review. This will provide critical information for future events. Evaluate all areas of your event.
For more information on planning a sporting event in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, contact our sales team.
