Behind the magic of hosting an incredible game needs to be a team of talented people. Planning a sports event requires meticulous attention to detail. Along with working around the needs of your team, finding a dedicated group of staff is essential.
But it doesn’t stop with the hiring process. Organizing and executing a successful sporting event requires a dedicated and well-trained team. This guide provides a comprehensive framework for staffing and training team members to ensure a smooth and memorable experience for everyone.
The first step to staffing your sporting event is planning your needs and how having additional staff will help with those needs. You’ll need an idea of how many staff members you’ll need to help the event run smoothly. Identify key roles and set responsibilities.
Your team will likely include a mix of full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff. As you think through the responsibilities for each role, write down approximately how many hours each week would be needed to fill the positions. Are they needed only on game days? Or is there additional work involved? Similarly, think about the experience required for each position. You may be able to offer jobs that require little expertise to volunteers in exchange for free tickets or other incentives.
In order to find potential candidates, tap into your existing network, advertise on social media, Evaluate potential candidates’ strengths and weaknesses, and how they would contribute to the team.
Former employees know their jobs, which means they can get an event up and running quickly. It’s also much less expensive to re-hire staff that was let go during the pandemic, or who simply haven’t worked with you since last season. Make a concerted effort to reconnect with our previous volunteers and team members before you try recruiting new folks.
Consider using social media to advertise your job openings. Instead of just posting on your own profile or business page, which only reaches people who already know you, amplify your message with some paid job listings or ad campaigns.
Create an ideal employee persona by thinking about who your existing team members are: what do they do in their free time? What shows do they watch? Where do they hang out online? (If you don’t know, ask!). Then use those insights to narrow down the target audience on your campaign. You can target locations as specific as a zip code to zero in on the right audience. Using narrow targeting will help make sure your ads are only seen by relevant users so you can avoid wasting money on impressions by users who would not make good candidates for your position.
Texting is the preferred method of communication among younger workers in particular, even more than email. Start using text as early on in the recruiting process as possible to avoid being ghosted by potential candidates. For example, send interview reminders via text rather than through email. Once a team member is on board, it may be useful to have a group thread where you can communicate with your entire team: send reminders, answer questions, and recognize those who are going above and beyond.
Use a video platform such as Google Meet or Skype for interviewing job candidates. The convenience of being able to interview from home makes it easier for potential hires, and it’s probably easier on you, too! It’s much easier to schedule and reschedule as needed, and you may find that candidates are more readily available for a virtual interview than an in-person meeting.
Now that you have an all-star crew, it’s time to train them to be the best they can be. Training should aim to be as robust as possible. Training should cover more general event management and safety procedures, as well as role-specific training. Prepare for problem-solving situations.
You don’t need to conduct all of these training programs on your own. Bringing in an expert from your local hospital or fire department to train staff on first aid, for example, can be a great alternative. Some organizations, like the Red Cross, also offer first aid training which could help your team gain the basic skills they’ll need to keep guests safe during a sporting event.
A great game day experience for fans starts with assembling an outstanding team, both on and off the field. By following this guide, sports team owners can build a competent and motivated team capable of delivering a successful sporting event.