A sports facility is an exciting place — depending on the facility and the active clientele, you may find people playing basketball, pickleball, volleyball, soccer, and much, much more.
But this ever-changing aspect of sports facilities also comes with a problem: with so many options available, how can a facility manager effectively maximize your sports facility space? How do you decide which courts or fields to allocate for which sports?
Conduct a Space and Resource Assessment
The first step is to reconsider the way your space is used now. Just because it was designed that way does not mean it’s the most effective plan. Go into this assessment with an open mind.
First, evaluate your current layout and utilization. Are there spaces that constantly see foot traffic? Areas that don’t get used at all? Are there spaces that are too big for the sports that are often played in them — or, conversely, spaces that are too small to accommodate trendy games?
With these items in mind, consider if there are areas that could be improved or optimized. As you go through this process, take your unique facility and customers into consideration. For example, even if basketball is popular in your area, if your clientele doesn’t play and doesn’t want to play, you might not want to build a new basketball court. On the other hand, if you’re the only pickleball facility in town, it might be worth dedicating some additional space to the sport.
Optimize Facility Design and Layout
Once you’ve evaluated your facility and come up with some key areas for improvement, it’s time to optimize. Consider whether modular and flexible spaces can help you accommodate different types of games for a more versatile facility. You may want to incorporate multi-purpose areas that customers can use as they wish. Finally, consider your storage space. If you plan to have modular solutions, you’ll need ample space to store all of your equipment when it’s not in use.
By carefully considering your unique facility’s needs, you can better use your space and provide a better experience for your customers every time they walk through your doors — no matter what they’re looking for.
Embrace Technology
We’re in an age of technology — and while sports and games are still fairly manual, that doesn’t mean that your facility should ignore the technologies available to it. Consider the ways that technology can help you better manage your resources and more effectively schedule your customers.
- Leverage digital tools for inventory tracking and maintenance scheduling. When is it time to reorder tennis balls? When do you need to resurface the floors? Don’t track your inventory and maintenance in a spreadsheet — things are bound to get missed! Instead, make use of digital tools that can keep track for you and set reminders.
- Reporting capabilities. What parts of your facility get the most use? What games are people most interested in playing? The right reporting tools can help you track this information and make data-driven decisions to better serve your customers and give them the experience they’re looking for.
- Schedule more effectively. Once you’ve maximized your sports facility space, you’ll want to make sure it’s used effectively. One way to do this? Make use of an online scheduling tool. This automated scheduling will allow your customers to book space and resources when they need them. Not only that, but an online system can effectively reduce downtime and optimize resource management, so your customers can get the most out of the space every time they visit.
Use Your Space More Effectively with Facility Ally
Are you ready to make the most of your facility space? Let’s get started together. Facility Ally can help you determine whether you need to optimize your space — and we can help you make data-driven decisions with our facility management tool. Start getting more information about your facility and using that data to create better experiences. Ready to get started? Contact us today.
