2023-2024 USTA SC STATE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

BID INFORMATION AND CONTRACT

USTA South Carolina is inviting bids for its State League Championships.  These events are the state championships for USTA Adult Leagues, USTA Mixed Doubles Leagues, STA Combo Doubles, and SC Singles Leagues.  All bids are for two years.   

These events include champions from each of the 13 local leagues who will compete for USTA South Carolina State titles and the opportunity to advance to the USTA League Sectional Championships.  Players of all skill levels participate and represent nearly 40,000 league participants in South Carolina.

The economic impact of hosting a USTA South Carolina League State Championship is quite significant.  If you are interested in hosting one of these dynamic events and have an active and enthusiastic tennis community that will serve together with a supportive civic and municipal community partner, then we invite you to bid for one of these major sporting events.  

Host Organization Responsibilities

• Secure the tennis facilities for use during the tournament
• Negotiate and secure hotel room blocks for players
• Secure space for Tournament Headquarters
• Provide additional space for any USTA South Carolina or USTA Southern League Sponsors or vendors as needed
• Provide volunteer support for the duration of the event (runners, set up, clean up, sweeping clay court lines, etc.)
• Provide a player amenity and/or player function (party or lunch) and assist with the planning and execution
• Provide lunches, snacks and drinks for tournament staff and volunteers for the duration of the tournament
• Provide and compensate a trainer and/or make sure the local EMT is on location or on-call for the tournament

In return, USTA South Carolina will offer a stipend to the local organizing body as noted in the chart below.

USTA South Carolina Responsibilities

• Provide Tournament Director, Referee and tournament staff as needed
• Provide the tournament schedule
• Provide and administer a Championship web page with all details regarding the championship
• Distribute all tournament information to captains 
• Provide online player registration
• Provide all tennis balls
• Provide Captains' gifts
• Declare award winners & finalists for each level and provide awards for all champions & finalists
• Provide volunteer training
• Provide volunteer shirts
• Oversee all aspects of tournament play

                

 

BID PROCESSES

• Bid Deadline for all tournaments: August 31, 2022.
• State Championship Subcommittee reviews bids and can request additional information from the bidder if necessary
• Site Selection visits if needed
• Bids awarded by September 30, 2022 and contracts will be sent to the hosts for signature and confirmation. 
• If the committee deems there are no bids acceptable for a particular championship, USTA South Carolina may solicit additional bids after the deadline
• All bids are awarded for two years.  USTA South Carolina will review each championship after the first year and reserves the right to change the venue if the bidding city does not meet the obligations set forth in the bid.

 

BID SUBMISSION DIRECTIONS

1. Fill out the form in its entirety and submit. When you select submit, it will be e­mailed to USTA South Carolina. You may print for your own records.

2. Contracts for Hotel Room Blocks and Court Sites will be required prior to final bid approval.

3. Forms not filled out completely will not be accepted and returned for further information.

4. Questions should be directed to Susan Turner, USTA SC Manager of Adult Programs, at turner@sctennis.com

Please contact Susan for submission of any additional supporting bid information.

TENNIS FACILITIES

Required at each site

• All courts must be available for the exclusive use of USTA South Carolina and tournament play for the duration of the event.  Any fees are the responsibility of the Host.

• Water/ice/cups at every site for the entire day (water source other than the bathroom faucet)
• Restrooms opened and maintained at every site from 7:15am to end of day.  Port-o-lets are required if restrooms are not available.
• Shaded area for tournament desk.  Six foot table with at least 2 chairs for the site workers.
• Chairs for all players on each court.
• Roll drys at each hard court site.
• Fruit and/or snacks available for players all day
• Provide shaded areas for players, if possible.
• Provide adequate free parking for players and staff.
• Certified trainer available at the main site and/or medical personnel on stand by for the duration of the tournament.
• When clay courts are being used, volunteers to sweep clay court lines (recommend 4 hour shifts)
• Scorekeepers on each court
• Internet access
• Electrical outlets for computer entry and phone charging

HOTELS & ACCOMMODATIONS

The Host Hotel will be the preferred hotel of the State Championship.  It will be listed and noted as the Host Hotel on the Championship web page and in all the information given to the players.  

Requirements:

• The Host will negotiate contracts with hotels to provided discounted flat room rates for up to 4 people per room.
• Each bid that is received by USTA South Carolina must be accompanied by a signed letter of intent and a guarantee from the listed hotels (price & # of rooms in the block) for 2023 and 2024. These letters of intent must be converted into contracts with the hotels 5 months prior to the tournament. The Championship Site Selection Committee will not consider a bid without accompanying letters of intent. The host must follow up with each hotel monthly beginning three months prior to the State Championship to get documentation showing how many of the rooms in the block have been reserved and provide this information to the USTA South Carolina Manager of Adult Programs.
• Provide at least eight complimentary rooms for staff from up to two days prior to the event to the conclusion of the championship.  If the number of rooms and/or the number of days decreases, USTA South Carolina will advise the host site at least seven calendar days prior to the first reservation day.

 

TOURNAMENT HEADQUARTERS

Requirements:

• Private, securable room(s) provided for the tournament staff to carry on day to day operations of the Championship
• Tables or desks and chairs for staff.
• Electrical outlets
• High-speed internet access
• Copier
• Meeting space for captain's check-in, training or registration if needed

SPONSORSHIPS AND REVENUE

• Host will receive a per tournament payment from USTA South Carolina to help defray costs for the local organizing body.  Payment amounts are detailed in the table below.
• Hosts may secure local sponsorships.  The sponsors must be non-competitive with USTA, USTA Southern Section or USTA South Carolina sponsors.  All sponsors must be approved by the USTA SC Director of Marketing.
• Host may invite vendors to display and sell at the Championships (vendors may not be in direct competition with logo sale items or the tournament host site pro shop)  All vendor sales must be approved by the USTA SC Director Marketing.
• Host may offer concession sales at sites as allowed by the facility.
• USTA SC can help with advertisements for Championship sponsors through social media, inserts in Captain's packet, banner placement at the Championships, etc. but all needs to be approved by the USTA SC Director of Marketing.

PLAYER HOSPITALITY

• The host is responsible for a player function (ex: captain's welcome reception, player party, lunch provided for at least one day) 
• The host can get creative with the ideas for this type of hospitality, but it must be approved by the Championship Committee
• A player gift would also be appreciated but not required

 

 

VOLUNTEERS

 

USTA South Carolina would not be able to run these events without a dedicated group of local volunteers.  This is a great way to get your tennis community involved especially if they are not playing in the championship.  The number of volunteers needed varies with the number of sites used.

Some of the volunteer positions needed are:

 Tournament Headquarters and Tournament desks at each site - shifts of volunteers are needed at each court site to assist at the tournament desk.  Volunteers will assist from the beginning of each day's scheduled play until play is completed for the day.  

• Facility Upkeep: help keep tournament desk area and courts free of debris and trash, assist with brushing lines if no facility staff is available (clay courts), assist with drying or sweeping courts if needed
• Replenish water, cups, ice, and fruit throughout the day 
• Ensure tables and tents are set up each day
• Ambassadors for the host community at tournament sites and headquarters. Duties include welcoming visitors to the area, offering to answer questions visitors may have, provide maps of the local area and nearby and/or suggested information for restaurants, attractions, etc.

 

 

Please indicate which Championship Event you are bidding on by checking the corresponding event. Sites are welcome to bid for multiple events, however, a new bid form must be submitted for each event. Information on Court Requirements, Preferred Dates, and Participants are indicated in the below chart.

Any questions regarding these events should be directed to:

Susan Turner, USTA South Carolina Manager of Adult Programs

(803) 781-2574 ext. 140 or turner@sctennis.com