Location. Location. Location.
It may be one of the most clichéd sayings throughout the annuls of history, but when it comes to putting on the perfect sports event—it truly comes down to location.
The question of location is not just about the city the event will be held in. It is important to also consider the neighborhood, whether hotels and others are nearby, and of course, the choice of sports facilities themselves. An event planner could knock it out of the park on the event schedule, accommodations, and logistics, but if the playing areas are not up to standard, it will impact the event.
What to consider
Selecting a suitable venue plays a pivotal role in the success of most sports events. A prime consideration is convenience of access for participants, volunteers, officials, and spectators. Opting for a location near hotels or the local airport is very important. The ease of travel to an event could affect willingness to return in future years. On the other hand, a challenging journey could be stressful and undermine a person’s competitive focus and confidence.
Additionally, aspects like parking availability and the efficiency of the local public transit system contribute to the overall event experience. However, these factors may be less important for certain sports, particularly those taking place in remote, outdoor locations.
After figuring out access, the next critical step is to evaluate a chosen facility’s layout and logistics. While an elaborate floor plan with visual representations provides initial insight, event planners should always follow up with an onsite visit. This “scouting mission” allows for a comprehensive understanding of a facility and its potential shortcomings, and to plan around them. This also minimizes the risk of discovering the venue isn’t a good fit for the event at the last minute.
In addition to selecting a venue based on the playing area, event planners must also focus on secondary factors such as accessibility for all participants, spaces for non-competitors/spectators, and a well-structured traffic flow management plan. These elements contribute significantly to the overall satisfaction of attendees.
Sometimes, event planners need to embrace unconventional methods and consider out-of-the-box options. For example, a fencing tournament might fit better in a high school gymnasium than in a convention center.
In short, staging a seamless sports event involves a multi-faceted approach. The venue selection process must be holistic and thorough, keeping in mind the convenience of all stakeholders while assessing the layout, accessibility, and surrounding amenities.
New and old ways to find the right fit
According to John Schmeider, founder and CEO of the Huddle Up Group, the way sports event planners and destinations work has changed because of technology. Huddle Up Group, a sports tourism consultancy firm, offers its Scout platform as a way for planners and destinations to find a match when hosting an event. Schmeider says there are many other similar technologies for both sides to choose from.
“The availability of these types of technologies have made the match-making process much more efficient in that destinations and event owners can access these platforms daily and find exactly what they are looking for rather than only utilizing industry trade shows for business development,” Schmeider notes.
He says these trade shows serve as a way for planners and destinations to connect by “speed dating.” In some instances, destination representatives would also visit with event planners, but in the wake of the COVID pandemic and declining budgets, this does not happen as much anymore.
“In that older construct, event owners didn’t have a way to intentionally and effectively source their events other than through a standard RFP process, either by email or trade shows,” he says.
Even with the rise in these online platforms, the impact of face-to-face meetings remains. In SportsEvents’ annual State of the Industry report, two-thirds of CVB and sports commission respondents said industry conferences are the most effective way to promote their destination and venues. Schmeider says technology will never fully replace what can happen through human relationships.
“The technologies were never meant to replace the personal interaction of the trade show experience,” he says.
“We created our platform to be complimentary to the relationship building that goes on at the live shows. They go hand-in-hand, it shouldn’t be one or the other.”
How destinations can stand out
When it comes to finding the “perfect location,” destinations should find a way to stand out in a competitive crowd. A healthy dose of communication is required—even a great facility will never get used if no one knows about it.
“We take time to maybe ask the weird questions to get to know our planners a little deeper so we can offer some surprises upon their arrival. We talk about how important relationships are in our industry, but that is accurate because we just don’t want visitors to come and leave. We want them to experience such an amazing time, that they want to go ahead and plan their next trip,” says Don Dukemineer, director of sports development for Decatur Morgan County Tourism and chair of the Alabama Sports Initiative under Sports Alabama.
A recent trend has seen many destinations establishing organizations specific to sports tourism. The sector continues to grow, and CVB and DMOs recognize the needs of sports event planners are different from those who put together conferences, trade shows, and weddings. These organizations are run by industry veterans, who will have the experience and insight to help planners traverse the often-complicated process of finding the right spot for their event. They also have the local knowledge of what amenities may work better for players, their families, and supporters.
In the 2023 State of the Industry report, 90 percent of planner respondents noted they use the services of a CVB or sports commission when putting together an event. So being a reliable resource to planners can only positively benefit destinations.
Results from that same report showed sports event planners are creatures of habit, and it’s abundantly clear that once they find their “perfect” location, they will come back again and again.
