Organizing a pickleball tournament

The purpose of your pickleball tournament will determine the scale and logistics of the event. Consider the following questions:

• Is the tournament a charity event to raise money for a cause, such as scholarships?
• Is it simply a fun activity for BYU alumni to get together with little expectation of making money?

Answering these questions will help you determine the size of your event, including the number and type of players you expect to participate, and the venue options that are best suited for your needs. Indoor Facilities are better to avoid weather postponements, and Outdoor Facilities are good if weather is not an issue.

Additional Considerations

• Are you going to offer Singles and Doubles tournaments?

• How many players will you need to achieve your goals - Grouped by Skill Divisions, Grouped by Age?

  • For instance, you can have age divisions of 12-17; 18 30; 31-40, etc.
  • Serious Pickleball Players are rated; you can also have a sanctioned event if you get an established tournament.
  • Pickleball Doubles is played in Men's, Women's, and Mixed.
• We suggest at least 4 guaranteed matches. Divide teams or singles into Groups of 4 to play a round robin. Everyone is ranked based upon Wins, Point Differential, and Age.
• Will you set up the single elimination or double elimination tournament? (Consider time constraints and the number of participants.)
• Are you going to offer Trophies, T-shirts, and prize money?
• How much do you want to charge?
• Who will be responsible for organizing and executing the event?

By answering these questions and carefully considering your options, you can ensure that your golf tournament is a success, regardless of its purpose.

If you are not a pickleball player, enlist someone who knows and likes pickleball, is good at organizing, and will lead or help direct the overall process. They should know the rules and how scoring is performed.

• Create committees for fund-raising for sponsors, registration, food and beverages, transportation, prizes, etc.
• If you have enough volunteers, assign committee chairs to lead their respective committees.

Have each committee recruit additional volunteers, or have a single pool of volunteers from where each committee can pick their required volunteers.

• Provide each volunteer with a clear understanding of the purpose and goals of your tournament so they can make suitable decisions.
• Ensure that each volunteer is aware of their responsibilities and is working towards the overall success of the event.

Let each committee chair be responsible for his/her area so that he/she will embrace the challenge and work individually and in a group towards the overall success.

• Encourage committee chairs to take ownership of their area and to delegate tasks to their committee members as needed.
• Regularly check in with committee chairs to ensure that everything is running smoothly and that they have the resources they need to be successful.

The scope and reach of the pickleball tournament will be decided based on your budget. Do a cost analysis of the different options. Remember your overall goal when making these decisions. What needs to be done to accomplish your purpose?

• Think of the scope of the event: i.e. city-wide, area-wide, or bigger.
• Think of potential sponsors who might be inclined to participate (LDS, business owners, pickleball clubs, pickleball sanctioning entities, etc.).
• Partner with a Pickleball Venue and negotiate pricing for the venue.

Don't overreach or under-deliver. For your first golf tournament, spend conservatively. The venue, food, beverages, and prizes will shape the event's tone. Securing a few underwriting sponsors can help define the event and cover key costs—especially if it aligns well with their brand.

Spreadsheet budget organizer

Click below to download a Spreadsheet budget to organize for a pickleball tournament.

Pickleball Budget Organizer (Download)

Sponsorship is an important aspect of hosting an event, and it can help to cover costs and achieve charitable goals. Entry fees alone may not be enough to cover all the expenses of your event, so it is important to seek out sponsors who can contribute to your event's success. Here are some tips for seeking out and asking potential sponsors:

How to Decide Who to Ask:

• Create a list of potential donors
• Research the potential sponsors beforehand
• Choose those you have built a strong relationship with before you ask.
• Ask potential sponsors if they know of anyone else who may be interested in getting involved

How to Ask for Sponsorship:

• Approach potential sponsors with someone who is invested in the project and skilled in asking for money.
• Meet potential sponsors where they are.
• Prepare what you are going to say and be concise.
• Help potential sponsors understand your event goal, the BYU connection, the charitable results that will transpire from a successful event, and how they can make a difference.
• Have a nicely printed flyer or letter with the event details
• Be genuine, direct, and specific.
• Tell potential sponsors what you will do for them, such as exposure or anonymity.
• Be prepared for rejection and give people options
• Say thank you more than once, and be appreciative and gracious to sponsors who accept.

How Many Sponsors Can/Should We Have:

• The more sponsors, the greater the financial base
• You can have a sponsor for every court, for the Registration Table, for the Prizes, and for the concessions

Potential Sponsors:

1. Individuals
2. Companies- Sometimes they would like to sponsor in kind. Rather than money donated, they donate the dinner, or goods, etc.
3. Family Foundations

Sponsorship Perks - Suggestions:

• Acknowledgment of their sponsorship everywhere that is appropriate - on a welcoming banner, in the advertising, have them be acknowledged at the closing ceremonies, etc.
• Court sponsorship (Their name on a sign at the Court and announced that the match is being played at their Court.)
• I suggest offering Free Team Entry depending on the level of sponsorship.
• A special sponsor-T-shirt, Concessions, and Awards.
• Be creative!

Raffles and Giveaways:

• BYU merchandise/giveaways.
• Ask sponsors to provide small giveaways.
• Pickleball-related prizes like paddles, tees, etc.

• Singles-Not as popular and brings in less than doubles, but ties up the courts. However, does bring in some serious players.
• Doubles- Men's, Women's, and Mixed. Very popular - arranged by skill level and age groups

• Round Robin - Grouping play guarantees players or teams with a minimum of games to be played with a Single Elimination/Double Elimination.

  • Best if set into groups of 4, and play three games, to set the single or double elimination tournament brackets.
  • Time - keep teams in the Round Robin on a 15-minute Timed game, or the first to 11.
• In the Single Elimination or Double Elimination Tournament Format, you can play first to 11, 15, or 21 and win by 2. Or a best 2 out of 3, first to 11 win by 2.
• Matches are generally self-called, but if there is any contention, you could have a referee for the championship matches.

• Booking the Venue

  • Be clear on all the costs.
  • Food/drink? Do you need to use the venue's food/drinks, or can you bring/sell your own?
  • Clarify what the venue will do to help with the tournament.
  • Schedule groupings of 4, so that you maximize court usage at all times.
• Check with BYU Risk Management

• Build up the enthusiasm for the event once the base plan is in place.

• Word-of-mouth is the most effective method, but also use social media, fliers, ward announcements, alumni emails, etc.

  • Social Media Guidlines
  • Email Requests

• In registration, get age, skill level, gender, t-shirt size, email (for future correspondence), and whether if they are playing doubles or singles, and if they're playing men's, women's, or mixed?
• Price points are up to you. We recommend at least $25 per person, or $50 per team.
• It's easiest to register teams, rather than individuals, but you will always have some individuals who want to sign up.
• If you are handing out T-Shirts, you'll need to have them ordered in advance of the tournament, so include T-shirt sizes in registration. Hand the shirts out when the players check in and sign their waivers.
• Some people will register after the T-shirt cut-off, and you will need to let them know they will not receive a T-shirt.
• Track all receipts and revenues.

Tournaments can last up to 8 hours. Having food and drink is essential.

• Talk to the venue and figure out the dos and don'ts in terms of food (some require you use them!). You may be able to negotiate a food truck.
• Sell water, sports drinks, and snacks at least. Buy in bulk.

• Have a photographer.
• Email a picture of the teams after the tournament to thank them for playing.

• This is not a one-person job. The more support you have, the better your tournament will be.
• Be aware of the players' comfort and expectations. Also, pickleball is a spectator sport, where are the best courts for spectators to watch the championship matches?