tourney help, need advice

[mogsoftball]

Sounds like you are looking at more a rec tournament. My responses were more directed at a travel tournament.



I think you have to first think about who is allowed in. If these are local rec teams you are gearing towards then you may want to specify no travel teams. Otherwise the rec teams in the area may not be very happy and won't show up again.

It's a tough decision to make, because you may get more teams if you allow travel, but your local rec teams will most likely get whipped.

No gate fees, make the money off of concressions and tournament fees.

Our spring tournament (we have one for softball and baseball) is 4 games guaranteed, we have bathroom facilities at the park (not port a johns) concession stand with grill, and 4 fields to play on, and no gate fee. The concessions are run by volunteers so no costs and the we have volunteers on field crew to drag between each game. We get "volunteers" by having the parents sign up to either work concession or field for 1 hour when they sign their sons and daughters up for softball/baseball if you don't show up for your shift it's a $50 fee. The parents have to write the $50 check at sign up and then they get it back after they fulfill their shift they sign up for.

You won't get rich but 3 or 4 grand profit should be no problem.

 

[IACoach]

Ok, here is the type to watch out for, IMO. We are in a tournament this weekend, $200 entry fee with a 3GG, USSSA qualifier. We get the game schedule this week, 9 teams and each team plays three games and the host team plays 4. And that is it. No brackets, just three games. No hardware either.............is this what it is coming to? There are some talented teams but I guess I am not impressed..........nor are my parents to say the least. They want to see their DD's get a chance at hardware. I ask how one wins and am told we will get that information Saturday morning when we check in but based on record and then runs. USSSA website sayd pool then single elimination

 

[redhotcoach]

Ok, here is the type to watch out for, IMO. We are in a tournament this weekend, $200 entry fee with a 3GG, USSSA qualifier. We get the game schedule this week, 9 teams and each team plays three games and the host team plays 4. And that is it. No brackets, just three games. No hardware either.............is this what it is coming to? There are some talented teams but I guess I am not impressed..........nor are my parents to say the least. They want to see their DD's get a chance at hardware. I ask how one wins and am told we will get that information Saturday morning when we check in but based on record and then runs. USSSA website sayd pool then single elimination

Thats weird Ia, out of state tourney?

 

[redhotcoach]

Couple things....I know Mo said "no gate fees" thats cool, but I would say of the last 50 or so tourneys we have played only a few didn't have fees, we made about $3000 on our last tourney gate fees.

Coolers: people get pized off if you don't allow coolers, allow coolers and your concession sales suck. We have hosted week long wseries, that is the facts.

 

[burlap1980]

The tourneys we have been to have been 5 bucks per
person 13 and under free players and coaches free of course.
The entry fee has been right at 100 per team how does that match up.


Also at our fields we have great concessions with decent prices
bathrooms need a lil tlc but overall not bad.

 

[IACoach]

Local.......organization from a small neighboring town hosting it. My logic says 9 teams break into three pools very nice. Three game round robin and then seeded bracket play. 4 more games and $250 in ump fees at most. Plenty of field space - we start at 9 and last game at 3. Oh well, we will play and have fun but will skip it next year if they come back.

 

[IACoach]

Our 12U/14U tournament this summer was $175 with $5 gate for adults, $3 seniors and kids free. 12u had 12 teams and 14u had 6. Ideally we wanted 8 and 8 but you have to adjust to make it work.

We had a mix of talent so we had pool play with Gold, Silver and Bronze brackets for the 12's. Medals to 1st and 2nd in all brackets and team trophey to winners of Gold bracket. There is really nothing better than watching the bronze girls celebrate getting a medal. It does not happen very often for them so I enjoyed doing it.

 

[redhotcoach]

Local.......organization from a small neighboring town hosting it. My logic says 9 teams break into three pools very nice. Three game round robin and then seeded bracket play. 4 more games and $250 in ump fees at most. Plenty of field space - we start at 9 and last game at 3. Oh well, we will play and have fun but will skip it next year if they come back.

Ok, I see it now, I had searched 12a instead of 12 open. IMO that is a fairly high price for what you get. I have worked with the director, his recommendations (it is up to the host) for fees are typically on the lower side. So that is a little strange! A 3game max here at this time of year, at that price, it would be a struggle to get 9 teams in a class.

 

[mogsoftball]

If your entry fee is only $100 I guess I see why you have gate fees. Seems around here the entry fee's are much higher but we don't have gate fee's very often. here is an example of a large popular tournamnet from this area

There will be 1 bid awarded in each age group from 10U - 18U to the USA/ASANationals

Seeding for championship play will be based on pool play results.

Pool play will be 80 minute drop dead with revert back. All championship play which includes all elimination games will be 7 innings or if tied after 7 the ITB will go into effect. Pool play will begin at 8am on Friday.

All teams must be sanctioned ASA within the State of Ohio

2012 was a great success again for our tournament! We had over 90 teams participate.

NO GATE OR PARKING FEES



July 5 to July 7, 2013
Sanction : ASA (A) 10U - 18U
Format : 4 game guarantee, 2 pool play , double elimination
Fee : $425 mailed at time of registration to ensure spot at at
main complexes for pool play.


Here is a smaller tournament my DD's team may play in also no gate fee's.

Tournament type 4 Game Guarantee (weather permitting), Single Elimination, NSA WSQ

Date : October 12th-14th, 2012

Age divisions 10U, 12U, 14U

Awards:
1st Place (WS Berth, Team Trophy and individual player awards)
2nd Place (Team Trophy and individual player awards)

Tournament fees - $375

Game length 1:15 With no new inning

Game times 1:30 Time slots

 

[SoftSocDad]

I haven't read the entire thread, but for what amounts to a local tourney, my suggestion is to charge more per team and eliminate the gate fee. There's just something about gate fees that rubs families the wrong way when they've already paid for their kid to play. Most would rather pay a larger upfront cost than to feel they're getting nickel-and-dimed along the way.