You are a fan of pétanque and want to organise a dedicated tournament? You’ve come to the right place! Very popular with the French, pétanque is a sport and a friendly activity, ideal as soon as the good weather arrives.
However, organising a tournament can take time and preparation in advance. Between registrations, booking and preparing the fields, managing stands and refreshment bars, purchasing prizes for the winners… Don’t worry, Weezevent will enlighten you on the main steps to take into account to organise a successful pétanque tournament!
Summary
1. Set the time and date
First of all, and as with any sporting or non-sporting event, set a date in your calendar well in advance to organise your tournament.
As it is preferable to play pétanque outdoors without too much heat, organise your tournament towards the end of spring. Regarding the date, the weekend is obviously the ideal time to do it and preferably on a single day.
2. Plan a detailed budget
Create a detailed and structured budget forecast.
This budget will help manage the finances of the event, including rental costs, purchasing prizes, and food and beverages.
The budget should also include anticipated resources, following the sale of registration tickets or sales generated from the refreshment bar for example.
Tip: check out our blog post dedicated to managing an event budget.
Partnering with sponsors can also be a great way to get financial help in exchange for exposure for your business. Don’t hesitate to contact local businesses, many will be happy to help you and participate in the organisation of your pétanque tournament!
3. Find a venue
It is important to find and book good quality pétanque courts (flat and with gravel) well in advance.
These courts should be easily accessible, have enough space to accommodate players, and preferably have changing rooms. Check with the town hall of your town or village, they will probably be able to help you book the courts.
4. Set the rules
For the event to run smoothly, you need to set the rules for the tournament.
In particular, consider clarifying the number of players per team, the game rules, the rules for disqualification, and the prizes for the winners. Also, set some rules of behaviour in advance as well as the safety standards inherent to the tournament as a precaution.
5. Register the teams
Once the rules are set, it is time to take care of the team registration.
Allow your participants to register online directly with a ticketing system, while setting a deadline for registrations. In the proposed registration form, do not forget to ask for the necessary information for each team, such as the names of the players and their email addresses.
6. Prepare the fields for the tournament
A few days before the tournament begins, prepare the fields thoroughly (contours, ground quality, checking dimensions, etc.).
This also includes installing the markers and checking the microphones, speakers, etc. Also, make sure that the fields meet the safety standards defined in advance. You can also call on volunteers to help organise and manage the logistics of the tournament. Many people are available and would be happy to help you!
7. Prepare the matches
The time is approaching, it is time to think about the course of the matches themselves. To start, plan a detailed schedule for each match with the corresponding teams, then assign referees to the fields and provide tables for the results and rankings.
8. Plan food and drink stands
As with a tournament, you must offer participants and spectators stands and refreshment stands. The sale of food and drinks also helps offset the costs related to organising the tournament. Plan stands for both players and spectators, with several quick choices (hot dogs, burgers, fries, sandwiches, sodas, etc.).
9. Don’t forget to communicate about your tournament
Several months before your pétanque tournament, plan a well-structured and varied communication plan to make your event known to neighbouring residents.
It is possible to distribute press releases on the website of the town hall in question, create a website for the tournament, create posters and flyers, or of course use dedicated social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, etc.). Don’t hesitate to drop off flyers at all the nearby businesses (butchers, bakers, caterers, supermarkets, hairdressers, etc.).
The more you talk about it, the more people you will register!
10. Choose the winners’ prizes
Because every competition has one or more winners, you must plan prizes and lots in advance.
You can definitely consider prizes in the form of a gift voucher, but also of course trophies, a bottle of wine or champagne, or even goodies (caps, pétanque ball kit, t-shirts, flip-flops, etc.).
11. Find out about legal requirements
This is often a legal requirement, each tournament requires compliance with certain criteria such as being insured to cover risks related to the event, such as accidents or material damage. Similarly, find out about other terms and conditions to be respected in advance from your town hall and local authorities.
Organise your pétanque tournament with our quick, simple, and easy-to-use online ticketing and registration solutions!
