Recently, GotSoccer sent out a press release outlining the difference between their tournament management software and TourneyCentral. We, of course, were immediately flattered; not because we particularly care about what GotSoccer thinks of our product but because that told us that their customers and prospects were asking them about TourneyCentral. And they had to defend their product against ours.
That makes us happy.
But GotSoccer did get a few things wrong about TourneyCentral. After all, accuracy at a soccer tournament is very important, even more so when you trust software to drive your event. Accuracy makes sure the right teams (including referees) show up on time and at the correct fields and the right teams advance. Accuracy is critical to most soccer teams, coaches, parents and players when it comes to standings and who gets the trophy. If you are going to start comparing yourself to the big dogs in the yard, it’s important to get the big things right.
Here are just a few things GotSoccer GotWrong about TourneyCentral:
Experience vs Software
A TourneyCentral tournament is an experience designed for the soccer parent needs. If you take care of the soccer parent, everything else takes care of itself. Everything about our product is designed to make it easy for the teams to apply, attend and have fun at your soccer tournament. Maps are accurate and schedules are easy to read.
A soccer tournament is not just a bunch of soccer games to schedule but an event experience. Sometimes it is a family vacation, a weekend with friends, a chance to get away to another city. It is dinner in the evenings, entertainment at night and lots of fun in between. A soccer tournament web site is more than the software that drives it; it is a comprehensive easy-to-use set of tools that lets you look up games quickly, share photos, find out what to do between and after games. It is a place you can go back to revisit the tournament experience. It is a place where family that is out of town — here and abroad — can follow along in real time. As a soccer tournament director, it is getting in, updating your event information quickly and easily, allowing you to get back to taking care of your teams.
At TourneyCentral, we understand all the reasons your teams go to a soccer tournament. We understand a tournament web site is not just data managed by software, but a destination for people to enjoy.
Advertising
It’s true we do not send out blast email advertising to thousands of teams every week, but that is not really what we meant. Our integrated advertising module allows you to sell media-enhanced advertising on your web site. You can list your advertisers under our DEALS section that can feed teams coupons, ads and videos. In addition, our social media integration allows you to also link to their Twitter and Facebook accounts.
As for the advertising emails GotSoccer sends out weekly; do you really want to advertise competing tournaments to your teams that applied to your event?
Privacy
And speaking of privacy, your data is your own. Always and forever. We do not sell, lend, lease, rent or give away any of your application data for any reason whatsoever. We feel that since you spent your hard-earned marketing dollars on getting teams to attend your tournament, you should own your data.
We have no other product to sell other than soccer tournament management. We do not sell rankings, team registrations, college profiles or anything else. We have no need to share or use your team registration data (or your team lists or referee applications) for any other reason other than for you to manage your own soccer tournament. Your data is yours. Period.
Costs
We have an Elite level for tournaments that require an entirely custom solution to their tournament. In truth, not many do as our Premier level more than handles their needs. But, it is there if anyone wants it. If you follow the grid closely, the GotSoccer product is actually more expensive and delivers fewer integrated features than the TourneyCentral Premier product.
There’s a lot more things that GotSoccer GotWrong, but why not check us out for yourself? Lift the hood and kick the tires. Call us before you decide to invest your tournament brand with someone. We may not be the right fit for your event and that’s ok if we’re not. But unless you talk to us, you may never know how good we can be together.
And if you are going to the NSCAA January 13-15, 2011 in Baltimore, stop by the TourneyCentral booth (1528). On Thursday we will have a special surprise cooked up by a local Baltimore bakery and we’ll be sharing starting at 9:00 pm. So plan on swinging by!