Organizing a sports event: knowing and planning everything

That’s it, you’ve just signed your next contract. Congratulations! This time, you’re in charge of organizing a sports event. It’s not the first time you’ve been given this kind of assignment, but last time you weren’t completely satisfied with the result. At Eventdrive we understand you, never being satisfied is quite common among event planners!

Our goal? Making sure that you no longer have this feeling of dissatisfaction at the end of the next sports event. To this end, we have drawn up a list of points to follow in order to organize.

ORGANIZING A SPORTS EVENT: POINTS TO THINK ABOUT

Organizing a sports event is not just any kind of mission for an event organizer. This work requires a lot of preparation beforehand, which is why it must start very early before the D-day. Here is a non-exhaustive list of all the points to check before your event to ensure a successful project.

Check the regulations

Numerous authorisations and compliance with several regulations are required for a sports event. This is why one of your first tasks should be to get information from legal institutions such as the town hall or the prefecture of the city where you are organizing your event. 

The sports event must, of course, be declared. But you must also be aware of all the agreements you will need to ensure that your project runs smoothly. Please note that sometimes some authorizations may take some time to get, so get them in advance to make sure you are in order on the day of the event.

For example, if your event includes rewards, whether in nature or in cash, that exceed the value established by the Sports Ministry, you must declare your event to the sports federation for the discipline in question.

Make sure you’re well insured

Another very important point when organizing a sports event is insurance. Accidents and injuries to your participants are more likely to happen during such an event.

Take the time to consult your insurance company and check the terms of your contract to cover the risks related to your event. Be aware that if an accident occurs on D-Day, you can be held responsible and the consequences can be disastrous (and expensive) for you or your company. 

Note that your insurance must cover your own civil liability, but also that of all the people who will be involved on D-Day (volunteers, sports instructor, security teams…).

Finally, all your participants must also be covered, so don’t forget to have all your guests sign certificates of civil liability before the event begins. This is the paper that your insurance company will ask you for.

Building a high-performance team

For all kinds of events, it is important to be well surrounded. You will surely have people you trust and with whom you enjoy working. It’s perfect. Don’t neglect the little hands that can help you manage the last organizational points on D-day or the security team that will ensure the day runs smoothly. 

It is indeed necessary to have an order service on site, as tensions can quickly appear during the organization of a sports event.

It is also necessary to have a medical team on site to heal any potential injuries that may occur. We also advise you to bring in a few specialists, such as massage therapists or osteopaths on D-Day. This kind of attention is always greatly appreciated by the participants.

Get quality material

Usually, when we talk to you about the technical equipment needed on the day of your event, we usually have a video projector and microphone in mind. You will surely need this type of equipment on the day of your sporting event, but it is another sort of equipment that we are referring to today.

When organizing a sports event, it is necessary to get some specialized equipment. This can be anything from footballs to table tennis tables to volleyball nets: it all depends on the event you are planning. Not everyone has this kind of equipment in their cupboards! On the other hand, by setting up a partnership with sports equipment stores, you can be supplied on D-day in exchange for maximum visibility for the brand.

You can also contact sports associations. Often, they have a large quantity of professional equipment that they are willing to make available. The double advantage? Members of sports associations are very often good candidates for sports events, both as participants and spectators.

Don’t forget that all the sports equipment you make available to your participants must comply with the regulations in force.

Know how to communicate 

When organizing a sports event, local communication should not be forgotten. Your objective? To attract participants, of course, but also an audience. A sporting event cannot be successful without the atmosphere that goes with it, so you have to take the time to recruit 2 types of audience. That’s why you need to communicate around the location hosting your event.

To achieve this, you can contact the local press, but also put up flyers in local businesses. 

We also invite you to try to set up partnerships with sports shops. Of course, give priority to sponsors with whom you already have partnerships (for equipment for example). But don’t hesitate to see a little wider for the promotion of your event, by contacting other types of shops.

THE ORGANIZATION OF A SPORTS EVENT: A CHALLENGE TO TAKE UP

Each type of event is a different challenge for the planner that you are. But it is true that organizing a sports event is a real challenge, because the legal and security constraints are more severe.  

Take the time to consult professionals who will be able to inform you about the regulations, surround yourself with an efficient team and follow our advice. You have all the cards in hand to organize a successful sports event that will meet all your objectives!