The Babe Ruth Tournament Trail cannot operate without willing host leagues. Hosting a tournament at any level adds extra excitement to your season and allows you to showcase the program to your local players and parents. And, if there really is such a thing as home field advantage, then your local entry will gain that as well. In addition, with a good pre-event support crew, you should be able to add a few bucks to your local treasury.

Tournament Check List Tournament Director Field Crew (2-3) Babe Ruth Patched Softball Umpires Official Scorekeeper Protest Committee (3)* At least one current official Babe Ruth Softball Rule Book Supply of approved balls Winner & Runner-up individual trophies (optional, but important) PA System & amp; Announcer (optional) * The Director, Scorekeeper, and one field crew member can double as the Protest Committee.

Procedure Send invitations with instructions as soon as possible Include directions to field and Director's name and phone number At Check in: Verify Letter of Eligibility from National Headquarters Verify league insurance including accident and liability coverage **NEW** Verify Coach's Babe Ruth Certification Document Verify player eligibility with either original or certified birth certificates * or laminated and signed Babe Ruth Player I.D. cards ** * Notarized copies are NOT acceptable. Copies of certified BCs are NOT acceptable. Copies of Originals are NOT acceptable. A CERTIFIED copy is essentially a reissued original with a raised (embossed)seal. Introduce key personnel, clarify local ground rules Provide copy of schedule. ** For State and Regional Tournaments, get brackets and pairings from the State or Regional Commissioner.

Expenses Projected expenses include: Umpires: 2 per game @ $35 each, Team Trophies for 1st and 2nd place @ prox $5 each Figure 18 per team; Balls -NO CHARGE- provided courtesy of Diamond Sports; Championship Plaque -NO CHARGE- provided courtesy of K&K Insurance Subtract from that what your team might have paid as a registration fee had they been visiting rather than hosting. Recovery Registration fees For 2007, $225 per team for Districts and States; No fees for Regionals or World Series. Concessions ($50-$100 gross per game) T-Shirts** Figure $3-$5 net, each; include team names, and order oversized; Keep price at $10 or lower. 50/50 - may diminish after first few games Raffles - best bet, local meals Programs** - Include team photos, sell ads, negotiate a discount on printing For State & Regional tournaments, secure sponsors. City, County, and State Tourism Boards have worked well for others. Sell field signage ** It is questionable whether T-Shirt and program sales will reach break even at District level tournaments. Use caution with these fund raisers.

Regional Hosting Hosting a Regional Tournament requires only a little more effort than hosting a District or State tournament. The excitement level however, is greatly expanded, as you are able to witness the top teams in New England playing high quality ball. Besides being an exciting event, A Regional tournament is an excellent opportunity to show your parents, coaches, and players what you are attempting to achieve on a local level. A well run Regional Tournament will make your community proud, and will increase the enthusiasm to continue to grow and improve your own program. Optional Host Housing And now a word about Host Housing, which is a concern, albeit unfounded, of those considering hosting at the Regional level. The truth of the matter is that Host Housing has become one of the highlights of the player's experience AND the hosts as well. After Milford hosted the New England Regional 16U in 1999, almost all host families contacted the tournament director to ask to be put at the top of the host list for any subsequent events. Finding hosts was no big deal either. We had more than enough beds for two full teams within 48 hours of calling. Additional Recovery Traveling spectators need a place to stay. Negotiate a favorable group rate at a local hotel. Ask for a finder's fee. Just a $5 per room per night rebate last year put $280 into the Milford program T-shirts; silk screen guest teams under the banner of "State Champions". It's an irresistible feature. This is where cost recovery and profit occurs!Programs: List all the local places to eat with locations; then sell those places ads, or get gift certificates for raffles in return for an ad. Just a little effort should earn you upwards of $1,000 in advertising. DO NOT underestimate this one critical aspect. Printing: See if a local printer will support your cause with free printing; Give them the back cover for their own ad.