Sports tourism is a significant sector of the hospitality industry nationwide. Resilient in both good times and bad, sporting events bring people together — fueling hotels, restaurants, facilities, venues and destinations with consistent, year-round business. Youth sports have played a critical role in reviving the hospitality sector during the pandemic recovery years. While leisure vacationers were hesitant to travel, athletes and their parents were eager to get kids back on the playing field. Sports tourism has become a consistent driver of weekend occupancy in cities and towns across the country.
But with opportunity comes responsibility, especially when it comes to housing strategy.
The Shift Away from "Stay to Play"
For years, many youth sports tournaments adopted "stay-to-play" housing strategies, requiring teams to book through designated hotels in order to participate. This model provided event organizers with improved room pickup reporting and enhanced leverage with hotel partners, and, in theory, created a streamlined experience for families.
But the landscape is rapidly changing.
Today's families seek greater flexibility and transparency when planning travel. With rising costs, loyalty programs, brand preferences and the popularity of vacation rentals, rigid housing policies are falling out of favor. In response, many tournaments are moving away from stay-to-play mandates, opting instead for guest-centric strategies that still deliver value to hotel partners. This shift doesn't eliminate the need to fill contracted rooms; it simply calls for a more creative and adaptive approach.
The Third-Party Housing Boom
To navigate this evolving landscape, many tournament organizers are turning to third-party housing companies. From handling hotel negotiations, managing room blocks and booking processes, third-party housing providers enable organizers to focus on the event itself.
While partnering with a third-party provider offers a practical solution to the challenges posed by traditional stay-to-play policies, among many other benefits, many are still not leaning on a valuable source of information and influence in the form of CVBs and Sports Commissions.
The Balancing Act: Availability vs. Actualization
Securing ample, affordable housing for tournaments isn't easy. From full-service luxury downtown hotels to suburban select-service options, finding the right mix to meet your teams' financial and logistical needs takes local knowledge — and that's where CVBs and Sports Commissions are invaluable.
These experts have a deep understanding of their city's hotel market and its seasonal trends. They know what has worked for past events and what can position your tournament for long-term success.
Too often, well-intentioned planners or third-party housing providers over-block hotel rooms to "offer more options." While the goal is inclusivity and flexibility, this approach can backfire, undermining the event's performance on paper and hurting future negotiations.
A Tale of Two Tournaments
Let's look at a real-world example:
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In 2024, the XYZ Hockey Tournament blocked 1,000 rooms across four hotels. On peak night, over 80% of rooms in each block were filled — a strong showing and a win-win for everyone.
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In 2025, aiming to offer more variety, the same tournament blocked 1,400 rooms across six hotels. However, peak night usage remained at 800 rooms — just like the year before. That meant 600 rooms went unused, and the overall block pickup dropped to 57.1%.
While the tournament delivered consistent room nights, the appearance of underperformance damages its future buying power. Hotels that held inventory for the tournament may be reluctant to do so again, especially if other groups with proven pickup history are competing for the same dates.
Long-Term Success Requires Smart Strategy
Offering more housing options may feel like a customer-first move, but without careful planning and local insight, it can dilute your leverage. Instead:
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Work with CVBs and Sports Commissions to understand historical trends.
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Block conservatively based on data, not guesses.
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Prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to room selection.
The shared goals of sports event planners and local communities are not just to fill rooms, but also to build a lasting partnership. When we work together, we manage the event's housing strategy wisely, which in turn strengthens the event's reputation, sustainability and future success.
