If you’re planning to compete in a stay-to-play volleyball tournament, you’ll need to understand the booking requirements before you register your team. These events require you to reserve hotel rooms through an official housing partner, and your team must meet a minimum room-night commitment—typically 18 nights. The rules exist for specific reasons, and knowing how they work will save you from compliance headaches and potential penalties down the road.
Key Takeaways
- Stay-to-play requires teams to book lodging through the tournament’s official housing partner to participate in the event.
- Teams must meet minimum room-night requirements, typically 18 room nights, verified through the official reservation portal and rooming list.
- Local teams within 75 miles may qualify for exemptions with proof of residency or approved special circumstances.
- Official hotel blocks offer group rates 15–30% below standard prices, often including breakfast and waived resort fees.
- Non-compliance triggers removal from the tournament and financial penalties after a 24-hour cure notice period.
What Stay-to-Play Means for Volleyball Teams
For volleyball teams competing in many tournaments today, Stay-to-Play isn’t optional—it’s a participation requirement. Your team must book lodging through the event’s official housing partner and stay in approved hotels to remain eligible. You’ll need to meet a minimum room-night requirement—typically 18 room nights per team (for example, 6 rooms × 3 nights). All reservations go through the designated reservation portal, and your team must appear on the housing company’s rooming list. Local-team exemptions may apply if you’re within a specific radius, usually 75 miles. This system supports economic-impact reporting, which helps organizers secure better hotel blocks and rates for future events. Non-compliance can cost your team its tournament spot. The policy also contributes to rising club costs by requiring teams to fulfill minimum room-night commitments that increase lodging expenses.
Booking Requirements and Room Night Minimums
When you commit to a Stay-to-Play tournament, you’re accepting specific booking obligations that your team must fulfill to compete. Your reservations must go through the official housing provider and appear on the event’s rooming list to satisfy event compliance requirements.
Most tournaments set team minimums at 18 room nights—typically 6 rooms for 3 nights. Smaller events may require 12 room nights for three days or 8 for two-day competitions. You’ll book through the reservation portal, and the housing provider tracks whether you’re meeting your obligations.
Some tournaments grant exemptions for local teams within a set radius, military families, or bookings made entirely with loyalty points. Request these through the tournament administrator before booking. These room night minimums aren’t arbitrary—they generate economic impact that helps secure future tournament dates. Clubs and families often overlook hidden costs such as resort fees, parking charges, and incidental taxes when calculating the true expense of event travel.
Approved Hotels and Group Rates
Through partnerships with the official housing company, approved hotels offer your team contracted group rates that typically run 15–30% below standard rack prices. These group rates often include perks like complimentary breakfast, waived resort fees, and flexible cancellation policies that third-party sites don’t provide.
Hotels allocate room blocks based on past attendance and team minimums—many events require 18 room nights per team. You’ll book through the designated reservation portal, and your stay must appear on the official rooming list to count toward compliance.
This hotel reporting isn’t just paperwork; it proves economic impact to the sports commission and CVB. Strong numbers help secure preferred dates and blocks for future tournaments, benefiting everyone in the volleyball community long-term. Organizations that consistently demonstrate economic impact are more likely to receive favorable future allocations and support.
Exemptions and Special Circumstances
While the stay-to-play requirement applies broadly, several exemptions acknowledge that one policy can’t fit every team’s situation.
Understanding these exceptions helps you navigate tournament housing requirements effectively.
Common exemptions include:
- Local teams residing within 75 miles of the venue may qualify with proof of residency verified through Google Maps
- Loyalty points bookings where the entire stay uses rewards points and uploaded reservation confirms zero cash payment
- Military discount or government rate reservations covering the full stay with proper ID verification at check-in
- Medical exemption requests for disabilities or service animal accommodations requiring advance housing administrator approval
Each exemption requires specific documentation submitted to the tournament housing office.
Contact the housing administrator directly since stay-to-play exemption policies vary by event and brand.
Clubs should also watch for common warning signs when evaluating housing partners, such as inconsistent cancellation policies or lack of verified contacts, to protect teams and ensure transparent dealings with housing providers.
Benefits for Teams, Hotels, and Host Cities
Stay-to-play policies create measurable advantages for every stakeholder in the volleyball tournament ecosystem.
When you book through official housing partners like Team Travel Source, you lock in group rates that typically rise at half the pace of standard market increases. Your team benefits from consolidated hotel blocks near competition venues, simplified reservations through a team dashboard, and reduced administrative headaches around attrition clauses.
Hotels receive guaranteed room nights and ancillary revenue from dining and parking, making them more willing to waive resort fees or include breakfast.
Meanwhile, your host city gains standardized economic impact data that CVBs and sports commissions use to secure future venue dates and strengthen grant applications.
This centralized system protects capacity at desirable properties while delivering measurable value across the board.
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Compliance Tracking and Enforcement
To make stay-to-play policies work, organizers and their housing partners rely on strict tracking systems that monitor every reservation in real time.
Real-time tracking systems monitor every reservation to ensure teams meet their stay-to-play requirements and maintain tournament compliance.
When you book through the official portal, your reservation automatically appears on the event rooming list and compliance dashboard, allowing staff to track your team pickup rate against minimum room nights requirements.
Housing partners provide regular confirmation reports showing:
- Current room-night totals versus your required minimum (typically 18 nights per team)
- Outstanding balances and payment deadlines
- Approved exemptions for local teams or special circumstances
- Real-time compliance status across all registered teams
If your reservations fall short, you’ll receive a cure notice with 24 hours to remedy the situation.
Failure to comply triggers removal from the tournament and financial penalties, so monitor your bookings carefully.
Organizers also communicate schedules and logistics to parents based on the tournament schedule to ensure timely arrivals and hotel stays.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Stay-To-Play Volleyball Tournament?
A stay-to-play volleyball tournament requires you to book accommodations through the event’s official hotel block to compete.
You’ll typically need to reserve 18 room nights per team or 4-6 rooms per night. This handles your travel logistics while securing accommodation discounts through negotiated group rates.
It simplifies parental responsibilities for transportation coordination and meal planning, plus supports team bonding.
The policy helps coaches manage scheduling conflicts and can aid fundraising strategies.
Coach accommodations are included, and you might explore local tourism between matches.
How Do Stay-To-Play Tournaments Work?
You’ll book rooms through the event’s official housing company and meet minimum room-night thresholds—usually 18 per team. The housing portal handles hotel logistics and check-in procedures while tracking compliance.
You’ll coordinate parent chaperones, manage sleep schedules around match times, and establish emergency plans. Venue contracts tie your eligibility to rooming-list compliance.
Consider team bonding opportunities, food restrictions, insurance policies, and travel reimbursements when planning your stay-to-play commitment.
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What Is Stay and Play in Volleyball?
Stay-and-play in volleyball means you’ll book your team’s hotel through the tournament’s official housing partner to compete. It handles hotel logistics while supporting the local economy, letting you focus on team bonding and evening activities.
Parent responsibilities include reserving rooms via your custom link and coordinating meal planning and transportation. Coaches manage team curfew and locker room access.
The policy guarantees volunteer staffing revenue and keeps everyone centralized—typically requiring 12–18 room nights minimum per team.
How Do Tournaments Work in Volleyball?
You’ll compete in pool play on day one, where your team’s wins and set differential determine seeding for divisional playoffs.
Age divisions keep competition fair, while scouting reports help you adapt formation shifts and substitution strategy between matches.
Watch referee signals carefully during serve receive rotations.
Your timeout tactics and team rituals matter as you progress through brackets.
Skill progression shows when you execute what coaches practiced all season.
Bottom Line
Stay-to-play tournaments streamline travel logistics while supporting host cities through guaranteed hotel bookings. You’ll find group rates at approved properties, clear room-night targets (typically 18 nights), and straightforward exemptions if you qualify. Real-time tracking keeps everyone accountable, and the system benefits your team through discounted rates and enhanced amenities. Review your tournament’s specific requirements early, book through official channels, and maintain documentation for any exemption requests you’re pursuing.
