What's your go-to strategy for choosing the perfect sports event venue?

1 Assess your needs

Before you start looking for venues, you need to have a clear idea of what you want and need from your event. Think about the type, scale, and purpose of your event, as well as the profile, preferences, and expectations of your attendees. You also need to set a realistic budget and timeline for your event planning and execution. Having these criteria in mind will help you narrow down your options and avoid wasting time and money on unsuitable venues.

2 Research and compare

Once you have a list of potential venues that meet your basic requirements, you need to do some research and comparison to find the best fit for your event. You can use online tools, such as websites, reviews, and social media, to get an overview of the venue's features, facilities, services, and reputation. You can also contact the venue managers or representatives to ask for more information, such as availability, pricing, contracts, policies, and references. You should compare different venues based on their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) for your event.

3 Visit and evaluate

The final step in choosing the perfect sports event venue is to visit and evaluate the venue in person. This will allow you to see the venue's condition, layout, ambiance, and capacity, as well as to interact with the staff and check the equipment and amenities. You should also assess the venue's accessibility, security, parking, and transportation options for your attendees and stakeholders. You should visit the venue at least once before booking it, and preferably more than once, at different times and days, to get a realistic impression of the venue.

4 Be flexible and creative

Sometimes, you may not find the perfect venue that matches all your criteria and expectations. In that case, you need to be flexible and creative, and look for ways to adapt the venue to your event needs and goals. For example, you can negotiate with the venue manager to get a better deal, customize the venue's layout and design to suit your event theme and branding, or partner with other vendors or sponsors to enhance the venue's appeal and value. You can also use feedback and surveys from your previous events to improve your venue selection process and criteria.

5 Consider the risks and contingencies

Choosing the perfect sports event venue is not a guarantee that your event will run smoothly and successfully. You also need to consider the possible risks and contingencies that may affect your event, such as weather, emergencies, cancellations, delays, or technical issues. You should have a risk management plan that identifies, analyzes, and mitigates the potential threats to your event, as well as a contingency plan that outlines the alternative actions and solutions in case of unforeseen problems. You should also communicate with the venue manager and staff regularly to ensure that they are prepared and supportive of your event.

6 Seek feedback and improvement

After your event is over, you should seek feedback and improvement from your attendees, stakeholders, and venue staff. You can use various methods, such as surveys, interviews, or social media, to collect and analyze the data and opinions about your event and venue. You should also evaluate your own performance and experience, and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) of your venue selection process and strategy. You should use this feedback and evaluation to learn from your mistakes, celebrate your achievements, and improve your future venue choices.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?