How to Create Online Ticket Sales for Your Hockey Tournament

Olivier Rousseau
22 January 2025 Hockey 2 min read

Organizing a hockey tournament is no small feat, and ensuring a smooth ticketing process is critical to maximizing attendance and revenue. Offering online ticket sales can simplify operations and increase your overall success. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you set up online ticket sales for your hockey tournament.

We’ll discuss:

    1. Choose the Right Online Ticketing Platform
    2. Set Up Your Ticketing Page
    3. Offer Multiple Payment Options
    4. Integrate Ticket Sales with Your Marketing Efforts
    5. Use QR Codes for Easy Check-In
    6. Automated Reminders and Updates
    7. Track Sales and Optimize

 

Author’s noteOlivier shares tips and tricks he’s learned over the past decade as the owner of a kids’s sports program. Today, as co-founder of Activity Messenger, he helps hundreds of Hockey schools and academies across North America simplify the management of their camps and clinics.

1. Choose the Right Online Ticketing Platform

Choosing a reliable platform is the first step in selling tickets online. Consider platforms that cater to sporting events and offer features such as

  • Customizable ticket types: General admission, VIP seating, family passes, etc.
  • Secure payment options: Credit cards, PayPal, Interac e-Transfer
  • Mobile ticketing and QR codes: For easy check-in
  • Automated confirmations and reminders: Email and SMS notifications

Popular platforms include Activity Messenger, Eventbrite, Ticketleap, and Universe.

Event ticketing software for sporting events

Looking for the best event ticketing software for tournaments? Here is a list of the Best Event Ticketing Platforms on the market.

2. Set Up Your Ticketing Page

Once you’ve chosen a platform, create a dedicated ticketing page that includes:

  • Tournament details: Date, time, venue, and participating teams
  • Ticket pricing and categories: Early-bird discounts, group packages, and premium seating
  • Clear call-to-action: “Buy Tickets Now”
  • Social proof: Testimonials or past event highlights

Make sure the page is mobile-friendly, as many attendees will be purchasing tickets on their smartphones.

Set Up Your Ticketing Page

3. Offer Multiple Payment Options

Offering flexible payment methods increases your chances of converting visitors into buyers. Some important payment methods to consider include

  • Credit/debit cards
  • PayPal
  • Interac e-Transfer (for Canadian customers)
  • Apple Pay/Google Pay

 

4. Integrate Ticket Sales with Your Marketing Efforts

To maximize ticket sales, integrate your online ticketing system with your marketing campaigns. Strategies include:

  • Social media promotion: Share the ticketing link on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
  • Email marketing: Send newsletters with direct ticket purchase links
  • Website integration: Embed the ticketing form on your tournament website
  • SMS reminders: Send text messages with links to purchase tickets

Integrate Ticket Sales with Your Marketing Efforts

5. Use QR Codes for Easy Check-In

Simplify onsite attendance tracking with QR codes. Most ticketing platforms generate QR codes for each ticket that can be scanned at the venue for a seamless check-in process,

  • QR codes are auto-generated and attached to the tickets in the confirmation email
  • Use a smartphone to scan tickets at the door (this can easily be done by volunteers).
  • This will greatly reduce wait times and improve attendee experience

Use QR Codes for Easy Check-In

📌 Pro Tip: After running many events, I always recommend having two lines at the checkout. Those who have purchased their tickets online and those who still need to purchase a ticket.

6. Automated Reminders and Updates

Leading up to the tournament, keep ticket holders informed with automated reminders via email or SMS. Include information such as:

  • Event schedule: Game times and matchups
  • Venue details: Parking, entrances, and seating arrangements
  • Special offers: Discounts on merchandise or concessions
  • Schedule updates: Important notifications in case of changes in game time

Automated Reminders and Updates

7. Track Sales and Optimize

Most ticketing platforms offer real-time analytics and reporting capabilities. Use these insights to

  • Monitor ticket sales trends
  • Identify peak purchasing times
  • Adjust marketing efforts based on demand

Consider limited-time promotions or discounts in the event of a sales slowdown.

Track Sales and Optimize

More Tools for Hockey Camps and Academy Owners

Creating an online ticketing system for your hockey tournament not only simplifies operations, but also enhances the fan experience. By choosing the right platform, integrating marketing strategies and offering seamless check-in options, you can run a successful and well-attended tournament.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, Activity Messenger offers ticket sales, automated reminders, and post-event surveys to help you manage your tournament effortlessly.

Here are a few more ways Activity Messenger can help manage and grow your Hockey Club or Academy.

Written by Olivier Rousseau Olivier is a kids sports programs owner who has been operating for over a decade with locations in Montreal, Quebec city & Ottawa. He also helps Gymnastics Club, Swim Schools and Dance Studios streamline their operations. He is the co-founder of Activity Messenger an online registration platform for the sports & leisure industry.

Sell tickets for your hockey tournament with Activity Messenger

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