Collegiate event bids are no joke as sports tourism continues to grow across the country, upping the competition ante. The secret sauce for potential host destinations is in the details. Learn how to step in and stand out through the bid package process.
Understand (and Follow) the Bid Process
Alabama’s Beaches Sports & Events (formerly Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events) has served as the host destination for the National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship since the sport became NCAA-sanctioned in 2016.
Since the region hosted the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) Sand Volleyball National Championship for several years prior, it was a natural transition to continue working with the destination and host institution University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) along with the City of Gulf Shores and the Hangout Hospitality Group to execute an NCAA-caliber championship from the sand up.
Before Alabama’s Beaches could earn a shot at hosting the event, the organization first had to understand and follow the bid process, including eligibility, host partnerships and timelines. In the case of an NCAA championship, a host destination must partner with a host institution that is a member of the NCAA. Bids are submitted through the extensive NCAA bid portal, so it is vital to know the deadline, required elements to submit and the length of the bid cycle, which can range from two years to a long-term contract.
Gather the Key Players
One thing is certain – you cannot host an NCAA championship (or any sizeable collegiate event, for that matter) without key partners. With beach volleyball, the official hosts are the host destination and host institution, but financial, venue and production support is crucial.
That is where partners come into play. AB Sports & Events collaborates with the City of Gulf Shores and the Hangout Hospitality Group for a venue (Gulf Place Public Beach) and building a championship site from the sand up from net systems and courts to viewing platforms, walkways, bleachers and scaffolding.
For any collegiate championship, a major partner is the host institution. Ted Feeley, associate athletic director for communications at UAB, shares his insight on effective partnerships.
“Hosting the National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship in conjunction with Alabama’s Beaches Sports & Events is vitally important to UAB’s beach volleyball program and our athletics department overall,” noted Feeley. “We take hosting very seriously, and working alongside everyone in Alabama’s Beaches makes it tremendously seamless because they share the same passion and expertise for hosting a world-class event for the student-athletes and spectators. We are thrilled to have the NCAA tournament in Gulf Shores through 2031, and I am excited to reach new heights with this event each and every year.”
Compile the Core Components
Bringing all the parts and pieces together is tedious but necessary to show national governing bodies (NGBs) that a destination has what it takes to successfully host a major championship, down to the minute details. A well-rounded proposal should include everything the organization asks for in the bid…and in the order they ask.
Proposals typically include venue/facility specs, lodging, transportation, marketing plans, budget estimates, production details, volunteer plans, fan engagement ideas and student-athlete experience concepts. Other items to include that make proposals stand out are letters of support, testimonials and examples of previous collegiate events hosted in the market.
Once host destinations and institutions submit, a selection committee assembles and evaluates the pros and cons of all bid criteria. The committee generally conducts site visits with finalist destinations followed by the NCAA selecting sites and then negotiating host contracts.
Sell the Story
Selling a destination story is the fun part! Writing a narrative throughout a proposal with visual support makes a huge difference in how the market is portrayed. Word to the wise: Always craft custom proposals. When bidding on national collegiate championships, it is not the time to skip corners or “copy and paste” from another proposal. Start fresh and incorporate wording the NGB uses in the RFP as well as charts, photos and examples of how a championship can be strongly executed.
“Incorporating our story in each proposal is essential to showing NGBs who we are,” said Michelle Russ, STS, TMP, vice president of sales, sports and events for AB Sports & Events. “The meat is in the details, but the heart is in the story – both key to successfully bidding on any event.”
Prepare for Anything
Preparation is paramount for any major event. The best-laid plans can go awry, so it is important to have contingency, security and crisis procedures in place for major and minor hiccups. NCAA championships are gated and ticketed with restricted areas, so security planning with proper communication protocols is imperative.
The beach volleyball championship is played, by design, on the beach in the elements. Weather is out of a community’s control, but it is important to have weather-related plans laid out clearly and concisely, involving city officials, the NGB and the hosts. Decisions should then be disseminated to various audiences through an established chain of command. Other crises are possible, from missing children to injured student-athletes. Having solid plans in place will save time and reduce risk in emergency situations.
Learn and Improve
Live, learn, adjust and try again. Hosts should have a detailed implementation system in place for every aspect of a championship, but kinks will come up in the process. Taking meticulous notes during an event to prepare for post-event briefings and plan for subsequent years is vital for making necessary adjustments moving forward. If hosts do not work to make an event better and more efficient each year of a bid cycle, it is unlikely they will be selected to host the event in future years.
Set Up for Long-Term Success
Long-term contracts can equate to long-term opportunities. When AB Sports & Events submitted the bid to host the 2027-2028 beach volleyball championships, the sports tourism organization included a comprehensive letter detailing what the destination could accomplish with a long-term bid extension. The letter included ideas for infrastructure updates, student-athlete and fan experience enhancements and promotions to create the “home of beach volleyball.”
“Since the very first NCAA National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship, beach volleyball has had a fantastic home in Gulf Shores,” said Kristin Fasbender, director of championships and alliances for the NCAA.
Due to the trust, transparency and long-term relationship, the NCAA decided not only to award the hosts an extended bid through 2031 but called on the team when the championship needed to be moved from California.
“By returning to the same location each year, we can build strong relationships with the city and those who partner with us to put on this championship,” continued Fasbender. “Every year, we come up with new ways to make the championship even better and more memorable for the teams competing, as well as the fans in attendance. We have been incredibly fortunate to have a consistent group of individuals who have worked this championship over its history, and that familiarity has been such a positive attribute. We are excited to return to Gulf Shores for several more years and look forward to continuing to make it one of the most exciting and unique championships.”
Without the relationship with Alabama’s Beaches, it would have been difficult to relocate the 2025-2026 championships, and without the extra step from AB Sports & Events and UAB to present a long-term partnership, the extended bid may not have been awarded.
In the end, details, relationships and reputations matter. Being prepared with the most minute details through bidding and hosting makes a huge difference. Pair preparation with long-term relationships and a positive reputation among NGBs and position your destination for success. SDM
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