Event Management

Introduction

Events are the foundation of sporting organisation activities. They can range from an international or national championship to a local community competition. The common theme for all events is that they are not created by magic or luck.

At one level they require people to decide broad issues like the time, location and format. At another level they require decisions on basic but necessary things like trophies and name tags.

If the evnt is large and complex, it may be appropriate to engage a coordinator on a full time basis, and to fund the event, partly or fully, by way of sponsorship.

A well run event of whatever size and scope will not only benefit the participants, (as officials, players and spectators), it will also act as very effective promotion for the sport.

Managing the Special Event

Like most functions, activities or programs, a sporting event is likely to be well run and successful only if it is well planned, and well coordinated. A special sporting event is a complex logistic exercise, and needs a single controlling person or body. The most important decision about the event may be the appointment of the organiser or organising committee.

This appointment process will consider:

  • The size of the committee
  • The number of meetings it will need
  • The function(s) of the committee
  • The role of sub-groups (finance, publicity, competition, etc.)
  • Reporting mechanisms
  • Deadlines
  • The responsibilities of each volunteer

Setting Guidelines and Policies

The organising committee will also have the task of establishing specific guidelines or policies that will help in focussing their administrative energies. The following questions may help in starting the organisation process.

  • What is the purpose behind staging the event?
  • What outcomes are expected?
  • What are the main objectives of the exercise?
  • Will the focal point be the participants, the spectators, both, neither?
  • What personnel will be required or needed before, during and after the event?
  • Will workers be paid, unpaid, both?
  • If a similar event has been held previously, what lessons may be learned. What experience is available?
  • How will we go about dealing with external agencies (e.g. the media)?

Financial Implications

Once policies have been established, it is important to review the financial objectives and constraints, and the financial climate within which the event will be conducted.

The following issues may need to be addressed:

Primary financial objective - is the event to make a profit, break even, run at a loss?

Identify and estimate sources of revenue

  • gate takings
  • entry fees
  • government assistance
  • commercial sponsorship
  • special functions or efforts
  • public appeal
  • other (programs, catering, souvenirs, advertising profits)

Estimate and itemise the costs

  • venue
  • equipment and clothing
  • publicity and insurance
  • trophies
  • entertainment
  • accommodation and transport
  • administrations
  • incidental costs
  • establish financial controls
  • - payment vouchers / invoices
  • - receipts
  • - banking
  • - security
  • - ticketing

A cost effective promotional strategy is essential.

Where advertising funds are limited, publicity through the press, radio and television will be important in creating public awareness of an event. Start the campaign by listing your regular contacts, those who may have a personal interest in the sport and other interested parties.

Outline the proposed dates for media releases and the topics for each media release. Include in the media plan time for telephone follow-up calls. Invite the media to the opening ceremony or to after-match functions. Provide them with as much information as possible, ensuring it is relevant, especially results and players' statistics.

Task Analysis and Allocation

The key to successful event management is not only to get the general planning framework right. It is essential that the organising body establish a comprehensive and detailed schedule of all decisions and actions to be taken - up to, during and after the event.

This schedule will establish what administrative areas must be addressed and within each area - what specific actions need to be taken.

For a medium sized sporting event the following areas will need to be acted upon:

Administrative area Example of task, issue for consideration Person responsible

EVENT CHECKLIST

Facilities & Equipment

Date

  • sufficient time to organise
  • climatic conditions
  • conflict with other functions

Venue

  • suitability
  • availability
  • accessibility
  • conditions of hire
  • alternative emergency venue
  • safety

Facilities

  • grounds preparation
  • participant/officials change rooms
  • spectator facilities
  • toilets
  • venue decorations
  • signs

Equipment

  • number, quality, condition
  • markers
  • scoring system
  • stationary

Transport

  • equipment to venue
  • courtesy cars
  • public transport
  • parking at venue
  • special parking, VIP's/disabled
  • shuttles

Publicity & Promotion

Publicity

  • media (press, television, radio, internet)
  • conference
  • media kits
  • venue facilities
  • press releases
  • media officer
  • posters, car stickers, t-shirts etc
  • additional attractions
  • regular publicity releases

Sponsors

  • signage
  • merchandising
  • VIP functions
  • entertainment facility

Communication

  • public address system
  • between organising groups
  • phone, mobile, fax
  • media
  • background music/anthems
  • videotaping events

Accommodation

  • participants, officials, visitors
  • accommodation to venue
  • billets

Hospitality

  • airport receptions
  • press conferences
  • cocktail parties and dinners
  • sight-seeing tours
  • name tags

Event Organisation

Entries/Officials

  • eligibility and entry procedure
  • officials appointments
  • trophies purchase
  • prize giving
  • workforce recruiting

Program and Admissions

  • order of events
  • printing
  • gate
  • admittance passes

Catering

  • participants/officials meals
  • spectator refreshments
  • liquor licensing regulations
  • health regulations

Guests/VIP's

  • when
  • functions
  • liaison officer(s)/interpreters
  • speeches
  • presentations
  • ushers and hosts

Assistance

  • government
  • local authority
  • service groups
  • public utilities
  • police department

During event

  • information centre
  • first aid
  • security
  • change (money)
  • statistician
  • timekeeperr and scorer
  • match results
  • servicing sponsors

Debriefing

After Event Function

  • why
  • where
  • for whom

Review

  • workforce to clean up
  • debrief meeting of volunteers/officials
  • written report on all events
  • financial statement

Recognise the efforts of others

It is also essential for any successful sporting event to have a cooperative, conscientious and dedicated team of volunteer helpers. Consistent support is essential. When tasks have been allocated, each team member must be made fully aware of his/her responsibility, including the responsibility of working positively and interactively with other team members.

Always ensure that administrative and support team members are properly recognised in thanks and appreciation.

Event and Competition Fixturing

The scheduling of an event is an important issue, and usually requires detailed consideration. Decisions have to be made as to which events should be conducted first or last, the relationship between different events, the number of competitors per evnt, and the methods to be used in establishing winners, losers and placegetters.

In many instances the event organisers may be required to conduct a tournament involving contests between teams with a view to finding a winner or establishing rankings. In this case a decision will need to be made about the type of tournament fixture to be used. The choice of fixture will depend upon the number of participants, the duration of the event, and the size of the facility or venue. The different fixtures include single elimination, consolation elimination and round robin.

Single Elimination or 'Knock Out'

This type of tournament is popular because the winner is determined in the shortest period of time. Participants compete until they lose or one is declared the winner. One half of the entrants is eliminated after each round. This structure is based on the power of two such as 4, 8, 16, 32, etc. When the number of entrants does not fall into the power of two, 'byes' (free wins to move to the second round) are given. The number of byes is computed by subtracting the number of entrants from the next power of two. For example, if there were ten entrants, a bracket for 16 would be drawn, and thus six byes given.

If the playing strength of the teams is known, the strongest should be given the byes and these 'seeded' teams should be placed so as to meet each other as late in the tournament as possible. No byes are used after the first round.

How the third and fourth winners should be determined must be decided before the tournament starts. Frequently, it will be stated that the team losing to the ultimate winner will be third and the other loser will be fourth. Sometimes the losers in the final round will play each other to decide third and fourth.

Consolation Elimination or 'Plate'

This kind of competition is similar to the single elimination, except that the losers stay in a separate tournament playing only other losers. For this reason, it is not usually very popular. If decided in advance, the winner of the consolation tournament (loser's bracket) may play the winner of the winner's bracket.

Round Robin League

This is the most common and the fairest of all the types of competition because all teams meet each other. The formula used to determine the total number of matches required is N (N-1) divided by 2. So with six teams, 6 x 5 divided by 2 equals 15 matches. If there are eight or more teams, it is suggested that the teams be grouped into pools of four to six teams in each, with pool winners playing off for the championship.