Factors of Successful Indoor Sports Facilities

What Makes Indoor Sports Facilities Successful?

(This article has been revised to reflect the impact the Coronavirus has had on the indoor sports industry.  For guidance on reopening your sports facility, click here.)

Indoor sports facilities can be profitable ventures if they’re managed correctly. There are several factors that are essential to running indoor sports facilities successfully. As a sports facility operations service, Sports Facilities Management has years of experience discovering and utilizing best practices. Let our expert hand guide you through all aspects of the planning, opening, and management of your sports complex. Read on to learn what factors we’ve found to be crucial when running these complexes. (And for a real life example of what goes into making a successful indoor sports complex, download our Cedar Point Sports Center Case Study.)

Treat it as a Year-Round Business

One of the best aspects of indoor sports facilities lies right in the name: they’re indoors. This means people can exercise and play the sports they enjoy any time of the year. Take advantage of this fact by making sure you’re prepared for the slow season.  Book events, tournaments, camps, and any other opportunities to use space in the facility well in advance. By booking your facility up through the winter months, you don’t have to worry about the lull in cash flow that can typically occur. Any part of the facility that isn’t booked can continue to be open for general admission, allowing you to get extra revenue on top of the bookings.

Also, consider non-sports related programming. As schools start opening across the country, many are offering eLearning options to students. With so many parents working full time, consider opening a study hall in which students can participate in eLearning and later use the gym to maintain physical fitness.  

Diversify Your Offerings

If you have additional revenue to reinvest in the facility, consider investing in areas that can bring in business during the slow season. For instance, if you don’t have a basketball court, consider investing in one. Basketball is played throughout the cooler months, so it’s a great way to drive business. Incorporating a swimming pool or a fitness center is another great way to keep people coming year round. 

Also, consider adding a family entertainment center to your sports venue. Games and items such as rock climbing walls can not only be played year around, but give guests who aren’t participating in tournaments something to do, and keeps people in the facility for longer periods of time. The latter can help drive concession sales. 

Plan Financially

One of the most important things you can do when managing an indoor sports facility is to have a comprehensive financial plan – one with contingencies in place. If you don’t know where the money is flowing, and where to put your money, you’ll have trouble turning a profit. This is one of many services we offer at Sports Facilities Management. Our management services will make sure you’re prepared for anything that might come your way throughout the year.

Contact the Indoor Sports Facilities Experts

Sports Facilities Companies have helped develop and manage countless indoor sports facilities, helping them to find success and bring their business to the next level. As with anything we do, our services are comprehensive and holistic. We assess every area of your facility and fix weaknesses while improving on strengths. Contact us today for more information.