On a Thursday night Leidy texts you: "Hi, is your court free for my son's birthday? About 25 people, Saturday afternoon." You know a team has that slot every week. You also know a birthday pays better than a regular game. And you are not sure what to ask so nothing is left open. Birthday and event court rentals work differently from a normal booking. There are more people, more time, and more things that can go wrong. The good news is that five questions solve most of it.
Five questions before you give a price
Do not send a rate right away. First understand what is being asked:
- What day and time do they start?
- How long is the event, counting setup and cleanup?
- About how many people are coming?
- Are they bringing food, music, or decorations?
- How many are kids?
With that you know whether the court fits, whether you need extra help, and what to charge.
Why setup time changes everything
Whoever plans a party thinks "two hours of birthday." But they need to arrive an hour early to hang balloons and set tables, and stay an hour after to pack up. If you do not talk about it, that setup hour runs into the game that follows.
Ask directly:
Leidy, what time will you arrive to set up and what time will you finish cleaning? That way I hold the whole court and nobody overlaps.
Charging for the full time, not just the party, is what prevents arguments at the gate.
Closing birthday and event court rentals with a deposit
An event is not held with "great, see you then." It is held with a deposit, and it is best to say so in the first message:
To hold the court Saturday from 3:00 to 7:00 PM I need a $150 deposit. The rest is paid that day before you start. If you need to move the date, tell me five days ahead and you keep your deposit.
That message has four facts: time, deposit, balance, and change rule. Leidy knows what to do and you have everything in writing.
What usually gets forgotten until the last minute
Small things seem minor and turn into problems on the day:
- Whether they can bring a speaker or sound system.
- Who opens and locks the restrooms.
- Until what time loud music is allowed by neighborhood rules.
- What happens with the trash at the end.
Prepare a short message with these rules and send it with the confirmation. It saves awkward calls during the party.
The day two parties asked for the same Saturday
It happened to Mauricio. He runs a five-a-side court outside Austin. A company asked for Saturday for a team outing and, two hours later, a mom asked for the same afternoon for a birthday. He told both "yes, there's room" from different chats. On Friday he had to call the company and apologize, and they never came back.
Since then he has one rule: nothing is confirmed until the deposit is paid and the date is written in a single place. Without a deposit, the time stays open for whoever asks.
Company events: different questions
When it is a company, the conversation changes:
- Who is paying and whether they need an invoice.
- Whether one person coordinates or several.
- Whether there are games, a short tournament, or just a get-together.
Ask for a contact name and number. If the person who books is not the one who shows up, you need someone to talk to.
Weekly teams first, events second
Your Saturday team has been paying for months. It is not wise to take away their hour for a new event. A healthy way to handle it:
- Offer the event in the closest open slot.
- If the client insists on that time, tell the weekly team first and ask if they would rather move their game to another day.
- If the team agrees, move it with a clear message and no surprise discount.
That way you take care of both and surprise nobody.
Final message, one day before
The day before the event, send:
Leidy, tomorrow we expect you at 2:00 PM to set up. The party runs 3:00 to 6:00 PM and the court is handed back at 7:00. There is a $150 balance to pay on arrival. All good?
It is short, it has every hour and amount, and Leidy can forward it to her helpers.
Want this for your court?
If your parties are closed with voice notes and promises today, see how Wawnia works for sports courts: your assistant shows the hours that are really free and holds each event once the deposit arrives.