Creating events, whether they are mega events, recurring events, traveling events, ancillary events, or community events, requires much up-front planning. The event managers must set goals and find a way to differentiate themselves from other events currently in the marketplace. Much of the event's success will be determined in early planning meetings when the key decision, such as sponsor acquisition, participant recruitment, marketing strategies, and sales, are made. If you are submitting a bid for an event, it is important to work with other stakeholders to ensure that you are putting together the most thought bid possible for the event's rights holder. Regardless of the type of the event and whether a bid is required, it is critical that the manager and his or her team think through each decision in the planning process to maximize their success. Timelines can help the manager stay organized. These tools will keep the whole team on track and ensure that each task is completed by the date.

• What makes your host site unique and different?
• Identify five target markets that you and your colleagues in the athletic department can target to sell tickets.
• How are you going to persuade these target markets to buy tickets?