At nearly every sporting field and court across NSW, volunteer associations manage the thousands of people participating in community sport. They decide where the activity will be held, who will turn up, what time they will turn up, what activity they will do when they get there, how long they will stay, whether there will be food available, who will officiate, what participants need to pay, what equipment is required and how it will be set up and packed down again at the end, how medical incidents will be managed, they will even evaluate each event and make changes and improvements before the next one.
At the other end of the event management continuum are mega events (such as the Olympic Games). These mega events, require central coordination usually by an organisation set up specifically for the purpose of planning and delivering the event. They require the input and cooperation of multiple government agencies from the various tiers of government and significant community support. Mega events often require infrastructure to be built and years of planning to ensure the event is a success.
Regardless of their size, successful events can benefit a wide variety of people and groups, they can drive economic activity in a town or region, raise money for a club or a cause, provide a unique opportunity for people, encourage new participants to try an activity, showcase a sport at the highest level, create a pathway for participants to develop further in their chosen sport or provide an opportunity for people to connect with others. However, a poorly planned or executed event can leave a bad taste for all who were involved and sometimes those who weren’t.
A poorly planned event can do far more damage to an organisation than simply conducting normal activities, it could leave an organisation bankrupt, drive new participants away, disenfranchise the local community, turn volunteers away, cause significant reputational damage or worse.
Whether you are a seasoned professional sports events manager or embarking on planning your first sporting event, the Sports Events Resource Library can provide valuable information for events to be conducted in NSW.
What is the Sports Events Resource Library?
A practical resource to assist in the planning and evaluation of sporting events in NSW.
Who is it designed for?
The information provided in this section has been compiled for general use by State Sporting Organisations and community organisations considering bidding for or hosting sporting events in NSW.
This resource is a starting point for event organisers, not a manual showing you how to organise an event. It provides suggestions for consideration, resources and information that may be useful in developing your event plan.
In addition to using these resources, it is important to seek advice from qualified and experienced professionals and where necessary the relevant government agencies.