From Tryouts to Championships: How to handle registrations, seating, group sales, and more—all in one place.
Managing a sports team or club is a marathon, not a sprint. Right now, many of you are in the thick of the season or gearing up for the next one. While the focus should be on what’s happening on the field (or the court, or the ice), administrative headaches often get in the way.
Many teams use a patchwork of tools: one for tryout forms, another for season tickets, and maybe a cash box for concessions. But consolidating your season onto one platform doesn't just save you time—it helps you sell more and keeps your fans happier.
Here is how you can use Passage to manage the entire lifecycle of your season, from the first whistle to the final trophy.
1. The Kickoff: Smarter Tryout Registrations
Before you can sell tickets, you need a team. Whether your tryouts are paid or free, moving the registration process online is a game-changer for operations. Here’s why:
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Capture Data Early: When athletes register in advance, you have all their contact info, emergency details, and shirt sizes before they walk in the door. This also allows you to send them tryout information in advance so they can show up prepared.
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Digital Waivers: Ditch the clipboards. Have parents or athletes sign liability waivers digitally during checkout. It speeds up check-in day significantly.
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Staff Planning: Knowing exactly how many athletes to expect helps you determine how many coaches and evaluators you need on site.
2. Building the Base: Season Tickets
Once your roster is set, it’s time to start securing revenue. Season tickets are vital for cash flow, but they can be a pain to manage physically.
By selling digital season passes, you give your most loyal fans a scannable pass that works for every game. You can create different tiers (e.g., "Super Fan" passes that include a jersey) and track usage data to see which season ticket holders are actually attending games.
3. Game Day: Flexible Seating Options
Not every venue is the same, and not every fan wants the same experience. Your ticketing platform should be able to handle a mix of layouts:
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General Admission: Perfect for lots of different types of seating, from bleachers and grandstands to plastic bucket seats and cushioned chairs.
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Assigned Seating: Great for stadiums where fans want a specific view or sports teams that frequently sell-out their games.
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Sectional Seating: This is a great in-between model, where your fans get to reserve the section they sit in, but the individual seats are open. It’s flexible while offering fans more control than general admission.
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The "Hybrid" Model: We’ve seen this becoming increasingly popular. You might have 90% General Admission, but reserve a few VIP boxes, a party deck, or front-row seats for a premium price. You can map out those specific sections while leaving the rest as open seating.
4. Filling the Stands: Two Types of Group Sales
Group sales are the secret weapon for selling out venues, but "group tickets" usually mean two very different things. Passage handles both:
Scenario A: The Bulk Discount
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The Goal: Incentivize a single purchaser to buy in bulk.
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The Setup: You set an automatic discount rule (e.g., "Buy 10+ tickets, get 20% off"). The coach or organizer buys them all at once and distributes them. You can easily add a group ticket type to your games that requires the purchaser to select a minimum quantity before accessing the discount.
Scenario B: The "Theme Night" (Sit Together, Pay Separately)
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The Goal: Host a "Nurses Night" or a "Little League Night" where 50 people want to sit together, but nobody wants to front the money for 50 tickets.
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The Setup: We allow you to hold a block of seats or a section for a specific group. You send them a private link, and individuals buy their own tickets within that block. It takes the financial burden off the group leader while ensuring everyone still gets to enjoy the game together.
5. The Extra Point: Concessions & Merchandise
Ticketing isn't the only way to drive revenue. You can use your ticketing page to upsell items before the fan even arrives at the venue.
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Bundles: Offer a "Ticket + T-Shirt" or "Ticket + Hot Dog & Soda" combo online. This increases your average sale instantly.
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On-Site Sales: You can use the Passage app to sell items at your venue, keeping all your revenue reporting in one dashboard.
A quick pro-tip on merch: If you have a massive team store with hundreds of SKUs (sizes, colors, variations), you might need a dedicated e-commerce retail solution. However, if you want to upsell your top 5 best-sellers (like scarves, hats, or foam fingers) or manage a streamlined concessions menu, integrating them into your ticketing flow is the most efficient way to boost sales.
Ready to Upgrade Your Season?
Don't let logistics bench your team's potential. Whether you are running a local club or a semi-pro league, having a single source of truth for your data and revenue makes for a winning season.
Schedule a no-pressure call with a sports ticketing expert at Passage today. How would it feel to not worry about ticketing this season?
