Hosting a basketball tournament can be an incredibly rewarding endeavor if you prepare properly. Not only does a basketball tournament promote friendly competition, but it also creates a great opportunity to bring members of your community together. Through winter cold and summer heat, you can host a basketball tournament any time of year with the right indoor sports facility. Today, the team at Hoover Met Complex will discuss exactly what you need to do in order to host a basketball tournament at an indoor sports facility.
Decide on the Format of the Tournament
The first decision you need to make is the format of your tournament. The logistics of a 3-on-3 tournament can greatly differ from a 5-on-5 tournament. You can choose male or female only, or co-ed tournaments. You can also select designated age ranges or competitive and casual tournaments. All of these choices have the potential to impact registration numbers.
It is important to remember that fewer designations do not necessarily mean you will have more people register, simply because more will be eligible. Oftentimes, groups will be more reluctant to join if they don’t believe they will have a competitive chance. So if you have a particular demographic target in mind, try to create a tournament that will be attractive to them.
Find Volunteers or Staff for the Competition
Athletic tournaments rely heavily on volunteer and staff help. Your tournament will need referees, people to run concessions, stat keepers, scorekeepers, and more. If you are unable to find enough volunteers, many indoor sports facilities will have staff members that can work tournaments. If you are unsure about the staffing needs of your tournament, your indoor sports facility can help with contacts for referee associations and other potential resources.
Funding Your Tournament
There are two generally accepted ways to raise funds for the overhead of your tournament. The first option is to charge the teams an entry fee. Many facilities offer merchandise like tournament t-shirts, which can be included in the entry fee or sold per item to players and fans.
The second option is to charge spectator entry fees or sell tickets to watch the tournament. This option is a bit more difficult to pull off. We generally recommend you avoid this option for the first year of the tournament. Once you have established your brand and attracted an audience, you can more effectively implement an admission fee.
Advertise Your Tournament
Now that you have the framework, volunteers, and funding, all you need to do is book a venue and advertise your tournament. You can use social media to get the word out, contact your local newspaper, or even go old school with flyers. Whatever you do, you need to get the word out for your tournament to be a success.
Book Your Tournament at Hoover Met Complex
If you are interested in booking your own basketball tournament, contact Hoover Met Complex today. Our facilities are more than capable of handling any size tournament, with up to 11 high school-sized basketball courts all under one roof. Call our team today at 205-739-7364. There are plenty of good reasons to host your basketball tournament at Hoover Met. For more reasons, check out this blog: Four Reasons to Book Your Tournament at Hoover Met Complex
