Host a National Event

Give your city a boost by hosting a USHA event

By Vern Roberts

As we move through another handball season, we’re looking for sites and hosts for next season’s schedule. We’re as anxious as ever to find new sites to showcase the best the game has to offer in playing, refereeing and sportsmanship.

We’ve learned that moving our premier events around the country is a win/win situation for us and the local club(s). Without fail, the USHA membership in areas hosting USHA events gets a boost and the local club sees a surge in interest in handball from existing as well as new handball players.

In all, 12 national championships are decided each year. The schedule reflects the USHA’s goal to spread the word around the country and use the tournaments to promote the game in different venues.

With that in mind, we’d love to know of other potential sites and cities where a major event could help bring the local players closer together, attract the local media and draw new USHA members. We have been most fortunate in recent years in that each host of a major event has had one thing in mind–showing its handball guests a great time.

Each event has different goals. For example, the national juniors are supported by the First Ace Fund for the future of our sport, while the Masters events can attract the stalwarts of the sport in spite of a higher entry fee. Thus, the agreements also are different, with varying sanctioning fees.

 

USHA Tournament Portfolio

Event Approximate Dates Fee Facility Minimum

National One-Wall 

May-October

N/A

10 courts

National Wallball

May-October

N/A

8 courts

National Three-Wall

July-October

N/A

8 courts

National Four-Wall Singles

Spring/Fall

N/A

10 courts

National Four-Wall Doubles

Spring/Fall

N/A

8 courts

National Juniors Four-Wall

Dec. 26-30

N/A

8 courts

National Collegiates

Late February

N/A

12 courts (bids go to collegiate chair)

Women’s Classic

Early Spring

$1,000

8 courts (open event recommended)

Masters Singles

Winter/Spring

$1,500

8 courts

Masters Doubles

Winter/Spring

$1,500

6 courts

National Juniors One-Wall

Spring/Summer

N/A

4 courts

National Juniors Three-Wall

Summer

N/A

4 courts

Each event has some of the same requirements:

  • The USHA balls are the official tournament balls.

  • All entrants must be USHA members.

  • Final seeding and draws will be done by the USHA.

  • The USHA has exclusive rights to sell merchandise on site.

Concurrently, each host has some of the same benefits:

  • Increased publicity through Handball magazine.

  • Entry blank printed in Handball magazine.

  • USHA representative on site during duration of the event. 
  • Local sponsorship through seat and program sales. 
  • Larger entry for your tournament.  

The host fees range from zero for the national juniors to $1,000 for the Women’s Classic or $1,500 for a Masters. Each of the open nationals has agreements concerning who pays for what. Contact the USHA for more information on those listed as “N/A” (not applicable) in the chart.

This information is intended for anyone wishing to bring to their hometown a national championship event and the accompanying shot in the arm for local handball.

Most important, now is the time to speak up if you’d like one of the dates on the tournament calendar still open for next year. Contact the USHA by email or call 520-795-0434 for more information.

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