All photos courtesy of World Archery - Dean Alberga
Growing events means promoting events, and sometimes to do that, a lesson from a skilled professional is needed.
Tom Dielen has been at the heart of international sport for nearly two decades as Secretary General of World Archery. He created the Archery World Cup, an international tournament circuit now staged on four continents, and has overseen Olympic and Paralympic archery at multiple Olympic and Paralympic Games. From youth tournaments in small towns to the world’s biggest sporting stages, he has worked with governments, sports commissions, tourism boards, and community leaders to deliver events that leave a legacy.
For organizers with limited budgets, Dielen’s message is clear: every local event is part of something much larger. “Every Olympic and Paralympic champion began their journey at a community competition,” he says. “When you organize sport, you are part of that pathway.”
Promoting Events on a Budget
“Promotion is about impact, not just money,” Dielen explains. “Every successful event - whether in a small town or on the Olympic and Paralympic stage - begins with stories.”
Rather than relying on a single Facebook post, he encourages organizers to share the journeys of athletes, schools, and volunteers. Human stories create a connection that lasts longer than a like button.
Athletes themselves can be powerful ambassadors, whether they visit schools, speak to community groups, or simply share their own stories. “In every country, from Asia to the Americas, this builds excitement,” he says.
And consistency matters. “At World Archery, we use the same identity for events across the globe. That consistency - the logos, the visuals, the way we present results - is exactly how you build recognition and pride at every level. And this can be done even on a limited budget, for local events - consistency is both key and free.”
Building Partnerships with Cities and Businesses
Strong partnerships underpin every successful event. “At the Olympic and Paralympic Games, or even at World Championships, no event is possible without the city’s sports commission or tourism board,” Dielen notes. “The same applies locally.”
He emphasizes that organizers everywhere should present their competition not just as sport, but as a driver of community benefit: hotel nights, restaurant traffic, and civic pride. “When we bring the Archery World Cup to the U.S., city partners are essential to proving the long-term impact. That logic holds true in every country.”
And what is even more important is that each organizer should set a clear objective of what the event aims to achieve and communicate this clearly with the partners involved. These objectives can be quite different even for the same level of competition and can vary from enabling young archers to start their event pathway, to bringing a social impact for the volunteers, showcasing a particular place to be a great site to host events, and much more.
Local businesses can also play a vital role. A hotel offering reduced rates, a restaurant sponsoring a welcome dinner, or a shop supporting volunteers - these acts embed the event in the community. “You are not only staging a competition,” Dielen says, “you are creating a legacy for your community. I remember very well at a Youth World Championships in the U.S. where a great interaction was found between the young athletes and the local restaurants: one night, the athletes had to choose the best pizza of the town. This created recognition for the athletes and the restaurants in town, and a fond memory for all to share.”
Creating Experiences Beyond Competition
One of the strongest lessons from Olympic and Paralympic sport is that athletes and communities remember the atmosphere as much as the results.
“Opening ceremonies, parades of athletes, cultural performances: these are the moments that live in memory,” Dielen explains. “They can be created at any scale but need to be adapted to the objectives of the event.” A march through the town center or a small closing ceremony can make athletes feel that they are part of something larger.
Festival-style elements, such as food stalls, cultural displays, or try-the-sport opportunities, also strengthen the experience. “Many archery events involve schools and local projects,” he says. “It doesn’t require a large budget, but it transforms a competition into a celebration of the community and of sport itself.”
When to Add a Trade Show
Trade shows and expos can be valuable, but timing is key. “If you are only serving local athletes, it may not be the right moment,” says Dielen. “But as soon as you begin attracting regional or international participation, an expo can add value.”
His advice: start small, with local retailers, health providers, or sports clubs. As the event grows, specialized suppliers and global sponsors can be added. “At World Cup and World Championship events, the expo is now part of the spectator journey,” he notes. “For smaller organizers, the principle is the same: let it grow alongside the competition.”
Scaling Up: Lessons from International Sport
According to Dielen, scaling up requires three commitments: professionalism, measurement, and alignment.
Professionalism: “Olympic and Paralympic events succeed because they are reliable. Schedules are precise, communication is clear, and volunteers are trained. Even at a local level, these principles are non-negotiable. Reliability has a very positive impact on everyone’s experience, from the athletes to the spectators and volunteers. And don’t forget everyone wearing the t-shirt of the organizer is your ambassador. Therefore, make sure they can answer a question, or give guidance on who can, with a smile. ”
Measurement: “Data on attendance, hotel nights and media reach convince partners and federations to support your event. This is true in every part of the world. My strong recommendation is to begin tracking all of your event metrics from your very first competition, look for trends as your events grow and you’ll be able to demonstrate clear success when you pitch your event to partners. Even a statistic of the number of participants and in which age group is a simple but basic element to capture or how many people did a “try archery” or other sport activity."
Alignment: “If you want to attract national or international events, adopt the standards of the federation early on, from safety protocols to presentation. This shows you are ready to be part of the global sporting calendar. While this adds a minimal investment in time, it adds credibility to your competition and sets your organizing committee on the correct pathway to eventually hosting larger events.”
A Universal Pathway
The thread running through all of Dielen’s advice is simple: local work fuels the global movement.
“Every Olympic and Paralympic competition - every World Cup stage you see on television - began with local organizers who focused on quality, community and vision,” he says. “When you make athletes - and spectators - feel valued, when you make communities proud and when you show partners the impact of their investment, you are not only running an event. You are contributing to the Olympic and Paralympic movement that unites people through sport around the world.”