Running a sports stadium is a complex operation that requires the coordination of several moving parts. Whether you are running a stadium to promote your company, to make money, or simply because you love sports, these tips will help you operate more efficiently.
1. Keep Your Guests in Mind
The purpose of a sports stadium is to hold sporting events. However, the purpose of most sporting events is to provide entertainment for fans. When choosing or designing your stadium, keep the needs of the fans in mind.
The first thing to consider is the seating. Sports fans usually spend several hours sitting in their seats, so the seats need to be reasonably comfortable and able to accommodate guests of varying sizes.
You also need to consider the quality of the view from every seat in the stadium and price accordingly.
Second, your stadium needs to have adequate restroom facilities, including changing areas for families with young children.
Third, your stadium needs enough parking to accommodate the number of guests you plan to have and it needs to be a reasonable distance from the stadium. You do not want your fans spending too much time doing sports stadium wayfinding.
Hiring personnel to provide security and direct traffic will make the experience better for the fans.
Finally, extras such as food and beverage vendors and shops where fans can buy gifts and souvenirs can help make a visit to your stadium a special experience. Consider contracting with a restaurant supply company to help make your guests' dining experience memorable.
2. Don't Forget About the Players
In addition to keeping the fans happy, you also need to make sure the players enjoy coming to your stadium. All of the equipment they need should be available and in good condition.
Provide a comfortable and adequately sized changing area. Additional space to work out, recover after a game, or just hang out is also nice to have.
3. Decide Which Sports You Plan To Host
A stadium that will be used for multiple sports will have different needs than a stadium that is used for only one sport or only one team.
If you plan to host multiple sports, you will either need a large enough complex to accommodate different playing surfaces or be able to transition between them.
When contracting with sports teams, leagues or tournaments, make sure your contract specifies which dates they have access to the complex and whether any other events can happen at the same time.
The type of sports you plan to host will also determine whether your stadium can be open-air or will need to have a roof.
4. Choose the Right Turf
While some sports, such as basketball, take place on a court, many others, such as football, baseball, soccer, and lacrosse require turf.
The type of turf you choose will depend in part on the type of sports that will be played on it. You should also prepare to have the right equipment and budget for vehicle maintenance.
Many athletes prefer natural grass because it has more give and is less wearing on an athlete's joints. However, natural grass is less durable and weather resistant than other surfaces.
Field turf is a type of artificial turf that is designed to mimic the feel of natural grass. It doesn't need to be mowed and costs less to maintain than natural grass. However, the playing surface can get extremely hot in the summer.
5. Provide Lighting
Because many sporting events occur at night when temperatures are cooler and more fans can attend, your options will be limited if you do not provide stadium lighting.
LED bulbs can be a good choice to save money and extend the life of your lighting system.
6. Solicit and Respond to Feedback
One of the best ways to find out what you are doing right and what needs improvement is to ask the people who use your stadium. Be sure to implement the feedback whenever it makes sense to do so.
There are a lot of components involved in successfully running a sports stadium. A well-run stadium will help attract fans and sporting events to your venue, which means more money in your pocket.
