The 5 “Must-Haves” When I Plan Hotel Travel for My Sports Team

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Hey youth sport families, it’s Ian Goldberg, the editor of this free youth sports newsletter which has now grown to an audience of 3.5M sports parents (seriously?…..wow!…thank you!).  I’m also a sports dad for my two daughters and a volunteer coach in nearly every sport they’ve played.  I know as well as anyone the need for convenience, affordability and value when I travel for sports, and for family vacations.

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So here are my five “Must-Haves” when planning travel for my sports teams:

1. Many Locations

Let’s be honest, no one likes getting up at 6am on tournament day to have to drive an hour from your hotel to the tournament location.  And with thousands of tournaments popping up all across the country from Spokane to Plano and Atlanta to Hershey, it’s not always easy to find a hotel that’s less than a 30- minute drive from the facility.  That’s why I always start my search with a hotel brand like Holiday Inn that has thousands of locations across the US, so I feel confident they have a location wherever my team is traveling.  

2. Affordable Options and Great Value

Would you believe $37B (that’s “billion” with a capital “B”) was spent on youth sports last year?  That includes registration fees, gear, uniforms, travel and more.  So it’s only fair to my team that when I plan travel we find affordable options.  I always start with Holiday Inn Express, Candlewood Suites, and Staybridge Suites because I know I’m getting a great value, at an affordable price and can keep my team’s expenses as low as possible.

3. Plenty of Community Space

It’s no secret that half of the fun of traveling to tournaments is the team bonding time that happens at the hotel.  That’s why I always look for hotel options with plenty of community space indoors and outdoors.  To me, bonding time can happen in a meeting room reviewing game strategy or horsing around at the pool to get out some tournament jitters.  Either way, we are building team culture.  Of course, for this sports dad, it’s an extra bonus if we can end the day at a Staybridge Suites, which have hotel firepits, fireplaces and grills, or Candlewood Suites which have Gazebo Grills outdoor BBQ area…which allow for great bonding time for both players and parents.

4. Free Breakfast

We all know that breakfast is the best way to power our athletes into their tournament, and I prefer the FREE kind at hotels when possible.  These kids need protein, carbs and hydration…and let’s face it, moms and dads need early morning coffee right? Hotel Stays at Holiday Inn Express that offer free breakfasts and generally have lots of healthy food options that can get your family in and out in under 20 minutes.  Perfect way to start the tournament day.

5. Loyalty Rewards Programs

I’m not going to lie, this frugal shopper loves earning rewards/loyalty points when I travel with the sports team (or travel anywhere for that matter).  That’s why I always stick with hotel chains that have a strong loyalty rewards program. For example, with IHG One Rewards, I know I can earn points for sports travel but then happily burn those points on some great family vacation travel.  Now that puts a smile on this sport dad’s face.

Honorable Mention:  On-Property Laundry Room

Few things sting more than the smell of our young athlete’s uniforms and gear after tournament games (am I wrong?)  So that’s why, whenever possible, I will find a hotel for our team that offers on-property laundry room like Candlewood and Staybridge Suites, where they’re complimentary.  A quick laundry refresh on the uniforms and gear after a tournament day can not only make my athlete feel fresh in the morning, but it can also prevent the trip home from smelling like a nightmare.

Bottom Line on Sports Travel

Long-distance travel with a youth sports team can be a blast…or it can be a disaster.  As a courtesy to my team families, I keep the costs low, while finding the easiest locations and hotels with the most conveniences.

Wishing you a great sports season, my friends.

About the author:
Ian Goldberg is the CEO of iSport360 and the Editor of this weekly youth sports newsletter. 
He is a suburban NJ sports dad of two teenage daughters and has over 2,000 hours of
volunteer coach time.  Ian and his iSport360 team provide 3.5M players, coaches, parents
and sports administrators with the articles and tools they need to have a great sports
season.  Ian has spent most of his career in digital product development and marketing.
His career started at the White House where he worked for the economic advisors to two
US Presidents.