It’s unmistakable to see the excitement of a particular city when a major sporting event is taking place. Think of how electric a city fields when a Football World Cup or Euros final is on the cards, and how much local businesses benefit from the advanced tourist trade.
However, as major sporting events are often limited in their capacity, as someone who wishes to visit them, it’s wise to plan your approach in detail. Doing so with respect for the place you’re heading to, ensuring you have enough of a budget to remain flexible in your plans, and getting the best view you can all matters.
In this guide, we intend to help you enjoy the best possible experience not only on a sporting trip, but considered as a wider holiday and travel experience. Consider the following:
Find your tickets before any other booking
Securing tickets should be the very first thing on your list. It might seem obvious, but it’s surprising how easy it is to get carried away with booking flights or hotels when you’re excited about the trip and have agreed to go with your friends and family.
Without those tickets in hand, though, everything else could fall apart, or worse, you might end up paying a lot more than you expected to secure a last-minute from scalpers or last-minute resales. If you’re unsure what the standard is for a particular event (buying tickets to Wimbledon might be different to buying tickets for another sport for instance, then learning the specifics, such as how to buy NFL tickets, can be important.
Always start by checking official sources first. Many sports events have designated ticketing platforms or lotteries, especially when demand is high. Stick to these, and avoid third-party resellers unless they’re properly registered and verified, as fake tickets can be a real issue. It’s also worth signing up for alerts or newsletters in case tickets are released in phases. If you’re absolutely happy going and not necessarily seeing the game unless you’re lucky then that’s fine, but still, try and prioritize this first.
Consider how far you wish to travel
Depending on the importance of the event you may wish to travel to it, but not that far. Think about what makes sense for you, your budget, and your schedule. Longer journeys often come with more costs and logistical planning, but they also give you the chance to explore somewhere completely new. If you’re travelling abroad, consider arriving a few days early to settle in and to give time for the jet lag and body clock to reset. This gives you time to enjoy the area instead of feeling tied to the last minute.
But how far you want to travel from your accommodations also matters here. It’s worth remembering that sporting events can add strain to local transport systems, especially in big cities. If you’re staying far from the venue, be certain to add in travel time on match day. Public transport schedules might be altered to better funnel the crowds, so a little planning can save you a lot of stress.
Consider any officially registered hotels & accommodations
Often sporting events will have a list of approved hotels or accommodations that have been pre-managed and accepted hosting a lot of sports fans at one time. Staying in an official hotel can give you peace of mind that way, for instance, they might run shuttle busses to and from the event each day from the car park. Unfortunately, scams and price gouging do happen during big events, and it’s easy to fall for a listing that looks legitimate but isn’t. Sticking to trusted platforms or event-recommended accommodations is a wise counter, and will lower the risk of being caught out.
That said, don’t feel like you need to stay right next to the stadium if it doesn’t suit your plans. Sometimes staying slightly further away can save you money and give you a better overall experience. For example, you might find a quieter, more affordable hotel in a nearby neighbourhood with good transport links. It’s also worth looking into short-term rentals or hostels, especially if you’re traveling with a group. Just make sure you’re willing to be around other people like that, and they won’t have an issue with you. If you’re a group of ten young lads going to see the World Cup and drink a lot of beer, for instance, that might not fit in with a quiet family resort.
With this advice, we hope you can enjoy heading to major sporting events and having a blast doing so.
Feature image by David Pickup on Pexels
