So you want to be a tournament director??
I always tried to have one event per year to bring in top players. This promotes our sport and that is the only reason I attempt such an undertaking. As I have stated before it is like running a big party and you want to make sure everyone has fun. Let’s take a look at prize money math for a local tournament without pros.
Prize money-everyone wants prize money but do some math.
100 people at $75 first entry and $35 second entry. $7500 first entry (assuming no comps-a big assumption, especially if you have sponsors who help) $2625 for second event so your income minus sponsors=$10,125.00
Off the top R2 sports gets a chunk est expense=$600
Now everyone wants food. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner for Saturday, Breakfast for Sunday and lunch est costs to eat all weekend at bargain prices?
$2000.00 for five meals. (if you’re lucky)
$500 for water, bananas, granola bars etc in hosp room
Shirts? Dri fit? 100 shirts would not be enough because of the sizing issues. 150 shirts at a great price of $11 per shirt (usually more) and the cost is $1650.00.
Cost so far is 3062.50.
Now throw in advertising via posters, facebook etc. and miscellaneous things and you probably are up to about 3200.00.
Now prize money is wanted by players so lets put some prize money in. $500 for first and $250 for second.
Men and women Open comes to $1500.00.
Throw in Men and Women’s doubles 500 per team first and $250 second.
Total Expense $3000 prize money.
Now you have a tournament director and staff. Who do you pay?
Volunteers? Good for you!
The club is charging $500 per day for you to hold your tournament. and this is a $1500 expense.
$800 for graphic design of court stickers and help to put up the stickers and take them down at the end of the tournament.
Now those expenses come to $10,250. That is an expense for an amateur tournament and notice that means a loss of $125.00 if you are lucky. This is why sponsors are so important. Bare bones tournaments will be the future if we want to keep tournament racquetball alive. Huge tournaments demand huge sponsors.
What if you wanted the top pros?
LPRT and IRT charges are over twice that expense number.
Now that is if everything goes off as hoped. Sponsors will help offset the expenses but it takes time to establish sponsorships and give the sponsors bang for their buck. Most clubs do not donate their courts these days. How do you make sure you make those numbers?
You may not make those numbers at first so you have plan that way.
Now I may be off and left out some expenses (like sanctioning fees for example) but generally this is what a tournament director is facing if they have volunteers they can depend on to help run the show.
If it was easy everyone would do it and be successful.
Oh, and one more thing-if you play in one of my tournaments, or shootouts, I always donate money for prizes and donate to the local college racquetball teams. Many tournament directors run their tournaments for profit. Others do not and I see nothing wrong with either philosophy if it is a good product and the players have fun.
Oh and Arizona Open LPRT Presented by The Madison Trust, January 16 to 19, 2025!