Sporting events generate a very attractive social impact, as they arouse great interest among the general public and impact a good number of targets.

However, organising sporting events is a complex and multifaceted endeavour. Thus, a knowledge of project management, protocol, marketing, human resources, and finance all come into play. 

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Phases in the organisation of a sporting event

There are three fundamental stages that need to be managed and taken good care of during the organisation of any type of sporting event.

1. The advance planning phase

It is essential to keep the objectives and the type of event in mind. From the outset, the strategy and fundamental structure need to be specified:

• Establishment of the purpose.
• Choice of sporting disciplines.
• Specification of target audience.
• Definition of naming.
• Budget allocation and sourcing of resources.
• Fixing the calendar: dates and times.
• Management of the event, either through committees or foundations, external companies, or public institutions.
• Establishment of applicable standards and norms.
• Dissemination of the event and contact with the media.
• Elimination of the unexpected.

2. The operational phase: development

The die is cast: the key to success lies in the strategic advance planning stage discussed above. At the moment of truth, when the event is taking place, a great deal of organisation and, above all, supervision, validation, and reaction is required. It is a good idea to check that everything works perfectly, and take the necessary steps to deal with any issues.

Fundamentally, the work to be carried out focuses on three main areas:

• Management of the spectators. The VIP spectators and the general public should be taken care of equally well, ensuring correct access and ticket management.
• Protocol. This needs to be established according to the particular sport(s) in question, the type of event, the objectives, and the context.
• Food and catering. This might be for participating athletes or for the attendees, and is generally outsourced.

3. Post-event phase

The end of the sporting event does not mean that it is time to relax, at least not yet. You need to review the success of the event, and consider both the positive and the negative aspects. This evaluation is essential for future planning. In addition, it is necessary to send thank you messages, organise cleaning, carry out an economic and financial assessment and draw conclusions about the audiences obtained and the way that the event was portrayed in the media.

Six key aspects of organising sporting events

Understanding the key stages in sporting event planning is an important starting point, but there is more to it than that. Below we outline what are, according to our criteria, the principal keys to success in this type of project.

1. Clear definition

It is essential to ensure that questions such as timing, the sporting disciplines to be included, the athletes to be invited, the location and the focus are clearly defined in advance. If the sporting event is not clearly conceptualised, there is little you will be able to do later to rectify.

2. Sponsorship work

The sponsors are the ones who breathe life into these sorts of events, as well as providing economic support. It is they who provide the financial support and, without them, nothing would be possible. In addition to recruiting sponsors efficiently and in good time, you have to pamper them and make sure that they are fully completely so that, in the future, they will continue to collaborate with you.

3. Technical issues

Catering, health care, timekeeping, refereeing, and logistics need to be perfectly coordinated and optimised. You need to accept the fact that you cannot foresee and plan for absolutely everything in advance, so every aspect must border on excellence, and remember that you need to be prepared to deal with the unexpected.

4. Security

The security both of the spectators and the athletes is also extremely important. If it is held in an enclosed space, the control and management of access points as well as emergency exits must be clear. And make sure that the participants are always safe and protected.

5. Promotion and communication

The raison d’être of the organisation of sporting events lies in dissemination, and in information about what happened. It is therefore essential to promote your event, and to ensure media coverage. Online and offline advertising, public relations and publicity are all essential.

6. Evaluation and improvement

After each event, you need to analyse what happened, determining what you did well and identifying the things that went wrong. Future success will depend heavily on this phase – take the time to do it properly.

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As you have seen, sporting events always require exhaustive, professional, well-organised and meticulous work. If you follow the steps outlined and make sure that you have a strong team, all will be well.