What do teams look for when choosing an event?

I will be going into my fourth year of hosting travel baseball tournaments in 2016.  This past fall I ran my first fall league and felt it was somewhat successful.  Each season I learn more and more about how teams and organizations operate; the good and the questionable?  Either way I am always looking to improve the experience for the teams when they participate in my tournaments or events.  So the question is what do you as a coach, team manager, or president look for when choosing your events?

For those of you who have played my tournaments in the past I welcome any feedback or suggestions.

As usual my event schedule can be found for central Virginia by clicking here.  I welcome all teams from all states!

1) Venue- How important is the complex hosting the tournament?

2) Game guarantee- Do teams prefer three or four game guarantees?

3) Format- Do teams prefer the same two game Saturday, Single elimination Sunday format or would prefer different formats? Round robin, modified pool play, blind draw double elimination, etc.

4) Umpires- Would teams rather pay umpires at the plate on site during the event or have the cost included in the entry fee?

5) Awards- At what age does the individual award matter? Over the years I have heard 10U and under enjoy the individual awards and 11U and up don't really react to them at all? Example: This past fall I presented teams with Crystal towers as team awards and with the King of the Mountain event I presented custom acrylic awards and the kids reaction was priceless! Awards factor into the entry fee and I have found that if only team awards are offered then it gives me as a tournament organizer more flexibility to go a few steps up and beyond for nicer team awards.  I personally think some organizers are cheap when it comes to awards in general.  I must have seen at least fifty or more photos of teams who won tournaments and received 50 cent medals and $15 plaques?

6) Costs- This is the area where I have decided to go to a standard rate, provided fields maintain the same costs over the season.  When you factor in baseballs, umpires, sanctioning fees, assignors, awards, site directors,field costs, and general administrative work; those dollars do add up quick.  I don't think a lot of teams and organizations understand what it really takes to get these events up and going.  There really is no off season for tournament organizers! However, I do know that the costs of playing travel baseball as a team can get expensive, so the question becomes what is the window for most teams? 350 to 450? 400 to 500? 500 to 750? 750 and up?

7) Teams- Does the amount of teams really play a factor in choosing an event? If a tournament has 6 teams compared to an event with 30 is there really a difference? In a three game guarantee event, how many teams can you play in a weekend? If you go three and done, maybe three different teams? If you make it to the championship game; most organizers aren't going to have a 30 team bracket on Sunday; it would take six to seven games just to make it to the championship! I personally have always had a goal of no more than 12 teams for a weekend event. I feel that number allows for the event to maintain competitiveness along with keeping those teams at the same complex without having to travel even farther to play over the weekend.


If there are other factors in choosing an event, please comment below.  This is a post that is informative, but the goal is to run more competitive and fun events for the players!