How To Choose The Right Destination For Your Sporting Event

There’s a lot to consider when you’re planning the ideal location for a sporting tournament or event. So how do you cut through the noise and figure out what you really need out of a destination?

Here are the top five destination factors that can help you decide where to plan your event.

Is it centrally located?

Location is everything – planning your tournament or competition in a place that’s hard to get to or on the outskirts of a region won’t do your event turnout any favors. Take the Lansing area for example – we’re centrally located in the state of Michigan and within a 90-minute drive of most of the state’s major metropolitan areas.

This means teams, officials, and spectators incur fewer travel expenses compared to destinations near the edge of the mitten state.

Does it have the right venue for your event?

Whether you need a large arena, a small court, or multiple facilities at once, make sure a destination has the ideal venue for your sport or tournament. Use a tool like our venue finder to find facilities that can accommodate your unique event specifications, or connect with our expert staff for help identifying the right venue for your event.

Does it have a dedicated sports commission?

When you work with a destination’s sports commission, you’re getting access to insider knowledge and expert resources at no cost to you. The services we provide to sports events include everything from booking venues and finding event sponsors to creating promotional materials and onsite event support. We work as an extension of your team to ensure your event is a success.

Is there a nearby college town?

When you use a college town like East Lansing as the destination for a sports event, you benefit from resources that aren’t always available elsewhere. Proximity to a university like Michigan State University means you have access to state-of-the-art facilities, more abundant volunteers, and a thriving downtown with fun for all ages when there’s downtime.

Is it easy to get around the area?

This is an important factor to consider, especially if you’re planning a multi-day event. Will it be easy for athletes to get around town? Are there plenty of restaurant options? Are there fun activities to do during downtime? In Greater Lansing, the answer to all these questions is YES.

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Photo credit: Thank you to James Lenon, Michigan State University, and 517 Visuals for their photos!