Curious: Any info. on this could help

[Chang]

I am wanting to know some information on how I can get started into promoting local tournaments for my area. I would also like some ideas on what people think would help me run a nice organized event. My son really likes tournaments, and I am tired of having to travel all over the place, since we have none here. I feel this will also help bring more attention to the arts in my area. I have a meeting on monday with the parks and recreation area in my city. I am hoping this meeting will help enlighten me on some of the aspects invlolved into promoting. Any information you all can give me will be most helpful and appreciated.

 

Thanks

[WolverineGuy]

You're going to have to expect to start out small. Look at what other tournaments do. Make sure that if you can't handle all the aspects of running the tournament, that you have an assistant that can. As for promoting, you need to get the addresses of all the local martial arts schools, and mail them not only the time/location info, but include a copy of the registration form and the rules you will be using. Make sure you have insurance as well. Hope this helps at all.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Good advice. also, you can expect an outlay of cash ranging around $3,500-5,000 or more for space rental, trophies, insurance, advertising, and God knows what else pops up. If you give out small, cheap trophies, people will leave with bad feelings and won't conme to another of your events possibly. I've seen that happen several times. Most promoters of small tournaments that I know tell me they usually break even (+/-).

 

See if a local judo club might help with score/time keeping for free in exchange for the same thing from you when they do one of their tournaments. I've done that before and it works GREAT!

 

Have you talked to your son's sensei about this? That's a good place to start. If he can't help you, ask him for someone that can. If they attend tournaments, he should be able to give you names of promotors that "should" be willing to send you info on what you need to get started.

 

I'd say that from the beginning stage of planning, to the actual tournament day...will be about 9 monbths to one year, so don't rush.

 

Also, get sponsers. Talk to motels in your area about discounts for participants, and restaurants. Make a participants handbook of rules/regs to send to other dojo's that might come. In that book, put sponsers advertising...it will help defray some costs.

[Chang]

I thank you for your replies. Anything and everything will help. I do plan on doing this for the local area and of course for my son. I do plan on taking my time on preparing for the tournament, giving myself at least 10 months of preparations. I hope with your ideas and everyone else who helps reply to my questions will help me in running a very organized event. If anyone else feels they may have some good ideas for me preparing or running my tournament please respond back to me.

 

Thanks