ORGANIZING A PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT

Back to: Event Planning & Logistics

When to Start Planning

When to Start Planning:

  • For best results, start planning at least 4-6 months in advance.

This gives you enough time to:

  • Secure a venue and date that works for everyone
  • Create a budget and begin fundraising efforts
  • Find and book vendors or suppliers for any necessary equipment, decorations, or services
  • Develop a marketing and promotion plan to spread the word about your event
  • Recruit and coordinate volunteers or staff to help with various tasks on the day of the event
  • Plan and coordinate any activities or entertainment you want to include

Starting early also helps to ensure that any unexpected issues or complications that arise can be addressed and resolved before the event.

Step 1: Define Purpose and Target Market

The purpose of your pickleball tournament will determine the scale and logistics of the event. Consider the following questions:

  • Is the tournament a charity event to raise money for a cause, such as scholarships?
  • Or is it simply a fun activity for BYU alumni to get together with little expectation of making money?

Answering these questions will help you determine the size of your event, including the number and type of players you expect to participate, and the venue options that are best suited for your needs. Indoor Facility to avoid weather postponements, Outdoor Facility if weather is not an issue and the number of courts needed.

Additional Considerations

In addition to defining the purpose of your event, there are several other factors to consider when planning a successful pickleball tournament:

  • Are you going to offer Singles and Doubles tournaments?
  • How many players will you need to achieve your goals - Grouped by Skill Divisions, Grouped by Age?
    • For instance, you can have age divisions of12-17; 18 30; 31-40, etc.
    • Serious Pickleball Players are rated; you can also have a sanctioned event, if you get an established tournament
    • Pickleball Doubles is played Men's, Women's and Mixed
  • How many guaranteed matches? I suggest at least 4. Divide teams or singles into Groups of 4 to play a round robin. Everyone is ranked based upon Wins, Point Differential and Age
  • You can then set up the single elimination or double elimination tournament, depending on time constraints and number of participants
  • Are you going to offer Trophies, T-shirts, prize money?
  • How much do you want to charge?
  • Who will be responsible for organizing and executing the event?

By answering these questions and carefully considering your options, you can ensure that your golf tournament is a success, regardless of its purpose.

Step 2: Put Your Committee Together

If you are not a pickleball player, enlist someone who knows and likes pickleball, is good at organizing, and will lead or help direct the overall process. They should know the rule and how scoring is performed.

  • Create committees for fund-raising for sponsors, registration, food and beverages, transportation, prizes, etc.
  • If you have enough volunteers, assign committee chairs who will be responsible for leading their respective committees.

Have each committee recruit additional volunteers or have a single pool of volunteers from where each committee can pick their required volunteers.

  • Provide each volunteer with a clear understanding of the purpose and goals of your tournament so they can make suitable decisions.
  • Ensure that each volunteer is aware of their responsibilities and is working towards the overall success of the event.

Let each committee chair be responsible for his/her area so that he/she will embrace the challenge and work individually and in a group towards the overall success.

  • Encourage committee chairs to take ownership of their area and to delegate tasks to their committee members as needed.
  • Regularly check in with committee chairs to ensure that everything is running smoothly and that they have the resources they need to be successful.

Step 3: Budget

The budget is always the reality check. The scope and reach of the pickleball tournament will be decided based on your budget. For this, do a cost analysis of the different options available to you. Remember your overall goal when making these decisions. What needs to be done to accomplish your purpose?

  • Think of the scope of the event: i.e. city-wide, area-wide or bigger
  • Think of potential sponsors who might be inclined to participate (LDS, business owners, pickleball clubs, pickleball sanctioning entities, etc.)
  • Partner with a Pickleball Venue and negotiate pricing for the venue

The key is not to overreach or under-deliver. If it's the first pickleball tournament you are hosting, it's best to be cautious in your outlay. Food, beverages, prizes, and the venue define what type of event it'll be. Sometimes, a few 'underwriting sponsors' can both suggest the type of event and fund key costs if the event will represent them well.

Step 4: Find Sponsors

Sponsorship is an important aspect of hosting an event, and it can help to cover costs and achieve charitable goals. Entry fees alone may not be enough to cover all the expenses of your event, so it is important to seek out sponsors who can contribute to your event's success. Here are some tips for seeking out and asking potential sponsors:

How to Decide Who to Ask:

  • Create a list of potential donors
  • Conduct research on the potential sponsors beforehand
  • Build a strong relationship or connection with potential sponsors before making your ask
  • Ask potential sponsors if they know of anyone else who may be interested in getting involved

How to Ask for Sponsorship:

  • Approach potential sponsors with someone who is invested in the project and skilled in asking for money
  • Meet potential sponsors where they are
  • Prepare what you are going to say and be concise
  • Help potential sponsors understand your event goal, the BYU connection, the charitable results that will transpire from a successful event, and how they can make a difference
  • Have a nicely printed flyer or letter with the event details
  • Be genuine, direct, and specific
  • Tell potential sponsors what you will do for them, such as exposure or anonymity
  • Be prepared for rejection and give people options
  • Say thank you more than once, and be appreciative and gracious to sponsors who accept to be a part of the event

How Many Sponsors Can/Should We Have:

  • The more sponsors, the greater the financial base
  • You can have a sponsor for every court, for the Registration Table, for the Prizes, for the concessions

Potential Sponsors:

  1. Individuals
  2. Companies- Sometimes they would like to sponsor in kind. Rather than money donated, they donate the dinner, or goods, etc.
  3. Family Foundations

Sponsorship Perks - Suggestions:

  • Acknowledgment of their sponsorship everywhere that is appropriate - on a welcoming banner, in the advertising, have them be acknowledged at the closing ceremonies, etc.
  • Court sponsorship (Their name on a sign at the Court and announced that the match is being played at their Court.)
  • I suggest offering Free Team Entry depending on the level of sponsor.
  • A special sponsor-T-shirt, Concessions, Awards
  • Be creative

Raffles and Giveaways:

  • Have cool BYU giveaways for raffle prizes
  • We order from the BYU Store

Step 5: Pickleball Formats

  • Singles-Not as popular and brings in less than doubles, but ties up the courts. However, does bring in some serious players.
  • Doubles- Men's Women's and Mixed. Very popular - arranged by skill level and age groups
  • Round Robin - Grouping play guarantees players or teams with a minimum of games to be played with a Single Elimination/Double Elimination
    • Best if set into groups of 4, and play three games, to set the single or double elimination tournament brackets
    • Time - keep teams in the Round Robin on a 15 minute Timed game, or the first to 11
  • In the Single Elimination or Double Elimination Tournament Format, you can play first to 11, 15, or 21 and win by 2. Or a best 2 out of 3, first to 11 win by 2.
  • Matches are generally self-called, but if there is any contention, you could have a referee for the championship matches

Step 6: Select the Venue

  • Booking the Venue
    • Be clear on all the costs
    • Food/drink? Do you need to use the venue's food/drinks or can you bring/sell your own?
    • Clarify what the venue will do to help with the tournament
    • Schedule groupings of 4, so that you maximize court usage at all times.
  • Check with BYU Risk Management

Step 7: Advertising the Tournament

  • For the tournament to be a success, you need players. Build up the enthusiasm for the event once the base plan is in place
  • Word-of-mouth is the most effective method, but also use social media, fliers, ward announcements, alumni emails, etc

Step 8: Registrations and Paperwork

  • Get age, skill level, gender, t-shirt size, email (for future correspondence) and whether if they are playing doubles, if they are playing mens, womens or mixed?
  • Price points are up to you. We recommend at least $25 per person, or $50 per team
  • It's easiest to register teams, rather than individuals but you will always have some individuals who want to sign up.
  • If you are handing out T-Shirts, you'll need to have them ordered in advance of the tournament and make sure you get the sizes at the time they register and hand them out when the players check-in and sign their waivers
  • Some people will register after the T-shirt cut-off and you will need to let them know they will not receive a t-shirt
  • Track all receipts and revenues.

Step 9: Food and Beverages

Tournaments can last up to 8 hours. Having food and drink is essential.

  • Talk to the venue and figure out the dos and don'ts in terms of food (some require you use them!). You may be able to negotiate a food truck.
  • We recommend selling water, sports drinks, and snacks at least. We recommend buying in bulk from Sam's or Costco.

Step 10: Photography and Video

  • Have a photographer take picture
  • Email a picture of teams after the tournament to thank you for playing

Step 11: Conclusions

  • This is not a one-person job. The more support you have, the better your tournament will be.
  • Be aware of the players' comfort and expectations. Also, pickleball is a spectator sport, where is the best courts for spectators to watch the championship matches?

Spreadsheet budget organizer

Click below to download a Spreadsheet budget organize for a pickleball tournament.