By Louise Waxler
I had the opportunity to attend my first major lacrosse tournament this past summer in Maryland. What a lesson to be learned by many of us in the soccer tournament world!
Lacrosse tournaments have created what is called the “Vendor Village”. A centrally located vendor area allows vendors to maximize their visibility as well as optimize their retail opportunities and your tournament profits. Much like our soccer workshop and convention exhibit areas, the Vendor Village remains open throughout the entire event.
Following are ideas on how to establish your own Vendor Village:
1. Retail vendors are permitted to sell their wares and while industry manufacturers are encouraged to purchase booth space in the Vendor Village, they are not permitted to sell directly to the consumers. They are encouraged to display any product their company manufactures.
2. If your tournament has an official apparel sponsor, they retain exclusive rights to sell event-related apparel including use of the official tournament logo and name.
3. Limit the number of booths a vendor can purchase – no more than two 10×10 contiguous booth spaces limited to single level structures. You want variety!
4. Provide your vendors with reserved parking within close proximity to the area.
5. Limit the number of vendor passes per booth.
6. Vendors do not need to be limited to apparel and industry related products. Food concessionaires are more than willing to share in the profits!
7. Incorporate interactive activities for the players, i.e., Nintendo Wii, chair massage, Internet availability, etc. These are just some of the non-soccer, activity vendors you can include.
Cost: My research shows that rental rates range from $100-600 per booth, non-for-profit booths receiving greater discounts.
Tournaments permit vendors the opportunity to reach an incredible number of soccer players, parents, referees and spectators.
A Vendor Village can make a good event, a great event! It can provide on-site entertainment and be a great opportunity for old soccer friends to meet, mix, mingle and just say “hello” to one and other.
Seems like a win-win for everybody.
Louise Waxler is president of Integrated Sports Management Inc., a tournament and event consulting and operations firm. She is also Director of Soccer Programs for the Maryland Soccer Foundation and Director of Operations for the new Washington Freedom women’s professional team. She has served as tournament director for the Columbia (MD) Cup and the Washington Area Girls Soccer (WAGS) Tournaments and was an operations executive for both the 2003 Women’s Women’s World Cup and the WUSA Washington Freedom. Louise is past president of the NSCAA and founder of the Kicks Against Breast Cancer soccer tournament program. For information on the tournament, camp and other operations services of ISM Inc., contact her at lwaxler@verizon.net.