How to Be a Good Host

Is etiquette dead? Well, yes and no. If you hosted a dinner party in the 1924, you might turn to Emily Post’s book of etiquette to know the proper placement of silverware or how to greet guests upon arrival. Although the social rules of today are drastically different from 100 years ago, the principle behind etiquette is still alive and well. Etiquette can be summarized like this: what are the common expectations and how do I meet them?

Instead of a dinner party in 1924, let’s imagine hosting a sports tournament in 2024. The formula is the same. What are the common expectations and how do we meet them?

Since Emily Post wasn’t an athletic director, we’ll have to write our own etiquette guide for hosting a sports tournament. Let’s also admit that the 21st century has less tolerance for a 700-page volume on any subject. So, we’ll hit the highlights and stick to rules for facilities only . Here are 3 athletic etiquette rules you can apply to make your next tournament the “talk of the town.”

Fairness

It’s common knowledge that a visiting team always has a disadvantage when playing the home team. Of course there are a lot of factors that contribute to “home team advantage,” but you may not realize how the floor plays a roll. Traditional hardwood courts have dead spots—areas of the floor where ball bounce is different. Dead spots may also create different conditions for jumping. The home team knows where these spots are. The visiting team does not.

To avoid complaints about unfair floors, use a court that has no dead spots. Resilient sports surfaces have no dead spots. Floors like Tarkett Sports’ Omnisports or Padenpor from Abacus Sports offer essentially the same ball rebound and vertical deformation anywhere on the court. It may seem trivial, but a consistent floor will be appreciated by all of your visiting teams.

Cleanliness

A clean athletic facility is a baseline expectation for visitors. If the tournament area is clean, no one will notice, but if the space is dirty, you can guarantee they will remember it and maybe not come back next year.

Cleaning is easy, right? Just straighten things up before the tournament and run the auto scrubber over the court a time or two. But to be the best host, go above and beyond. One way to go the extra mile is to have a plan for bad weather. Even indoor tournaments have to account for weather conditions. If it rains, make sure to have proper floor mats to keep water and debris off the floor. Depending on conditions, you might need to plan on sweeping the court more often; dust and debris can negatively affect surface friction, which increases the risk of injuries from falls. For maintenance instructions on all the sports floors
Abacus offers, visit our floor maintenance guide.

Hospitality

Hospitality may seem like an obvious way to host a successful tournament. Of course, your event should have courteous staff, experienced referees, and helpful volunteers. But, how does your facility affect your guests’ perception of general hospitality? What amenities do visitors expect?

From a visiting team’s perspective, consider locker rooms. Locker rooms are the one place where visitors should feel at home even when away from home. That means comfortable furnishings, secure lockers, and all the modern technology (charging stations, screens, speakers, etc.) that would be present at their facility. Good design and comfortable furnishings are forms of hospitality. They are a great ways to create a lasting impression on guests. If needed, consider upgrading your locker rooms for your next event.

Remember, if you need help with creating the conditions for a successful tournament, contact Abacus Sports. We can offer the expertise and materials to optimize your athletic facility for hosting tournaments and other events.