A checklist for contest hosts

Have a cash purse.

Other than having a good reputation as having a good contest, the best thing you can do is have a cash prize. Even if the purse is $100, this will help. The biggest contests in rollerblading have a purse of about $2,000 – $5,000.

For street contests, pick fun, low bust factor spots with parking nearby. For park contests, find a skatepark with fun ramps and space for spectators.

When the contest is over, the thing that the competitors will most remember will be the spots/venue; likely the after party will be only a blur. Really, the amount of people that come is meaningless in the end. For street contests, finding a fun spot where you can bring a large group of people is, in my opinion, the most difficult part of planning for a contest. There is no easy formula for this solution. Usually people expect there to be progressively more gnarly spots, but this isn’t absolutely necessary. Sometimes the best contests are unique. Don’t be afraid to chose a spot/skatepark that is weird and requires creativity. But do be afraid to pick spots where there is no space to park unless you are skating from spot to spot. If you’re hosting a street contest, one of the best things you can do is try to get permission from the owner of the property of each spot. This is extremely difficult to do. Keep in mind that if you try to get permission and get shot down, you shouldn’t then try to skate the spot anyway. If you can manage to get permission, your street contest will be one of the very very few street contests to accomplish this and will be immediately recognized as being a potentially very good contest.

Advertise for your contest.

First, make a website for your contest. This is not essential but will help legitimize your contest as being a definite event that will happen. The best way to advertise for your rollerblading contest is on online messageboards. The biggest messageboards are on Be-mag.com and Rollernews.com. If there is a local messageboard, it is critical you advertise on there as well. Make a flyer, go to the spots ahead of time and photograph them, film people skating the spots, make an edit. Think of anything that will get people excited about coming and make everyone you can aware of these things. However, unless your contest is totally legitimized/legalized, don’t tell your local media outlets. While advertising for your contest, you can simultaneously advertise for your sponsors. Also, make sure that you have people at the event shooting photos and video. The best advertisement for your event is showing how well the event went the last time you had it. Immediately after the contest is over (or during if you can), post the pictures and video on the messageboards.

Find sponsors and advertise for them on your contest’s website, on messageboards and at the event.

Personally, I think that having a lot of sponsors is one of the most unimportant aspects of hosting a good contest but it can’t hurt. The spectators and competitors do frequently have expectations of there being product as prizes and for give-away. But don’t let this expectation overwhelm you in your planning process. Certainly the best rollerblading contest to ever take place was not due to having a bunch of free product. Now what can make a big difference, remember, is having a cash prize. So finding sponsors willing to provide your event with cash sponsorship is especially beneficial. There are few rollerblading contests to have ever done this. Finding cash sponsors is best done by writing a sponsorship proposal. For an example sponsorship proposal go here: http://rollseries.com/rs_skatepark_proposal_winter_2007_2008.pdf.

Have everything you need for the contest ready the day before the contest.

There is always a few loose ends you remember an hour or two before the contest that you’ll have forgotten to tie. If you haven’t made your self prepared for this, you’ll end up late to your contest and acting frantic during your contest. Being calm, collected and prepared on the day of your event will help you think clearly and help you make good decisions. If you’re having a street contest, print up extra directions. People tend to lose them. Get a portable PA. Everyone likes music at an event. For park contests, check that the PA is working well ahead of time. Have your registration spread sheet ready. I find that registering people on a laptop is easiest and fastest.

Have an afterparty

You don’t have to have something wild, but have something. Everybody loves to congratulate the winners and as much as we wouldn’t want to admit, we don’t mind a little gossip here and there. Ask the competitors and spectators at the afterparty what they thought of the contest. Get feedback on what went well and what didn’t go well.

Make your contest unique.

Nobody wants to go to the same old type of contest time after time. Think of a way to make your contest different from every other contest that happens. I can’t tell you how to do this.