How to Keep Sports Participants Informed

You've seen it happen: a player arrives at the wrong court. Another misses their match entirely because they didn't know it had been moved forward. Someone interrupts you mid-conversation to ask "Am I on next?" for the fourth time. Meanwhile, you're trying to run an event, not operate a human information desk.

Clear communication is one of the biggest challenges in community and amateur sports. When players don't know when they're playing or where they should be, delays increase, stress builds, and volunteers become overwhelmed. Most communication failures occur because information is scattered across sheets, messages, and verbal updates—none of which stay synchronized when things inevitably change.

A single live-updating schedule solves this problem instantly. This guide explains why communication breaks down at sports events and how NowNext.live keeps participants informed effortlessly, so you can focus on running a great event instead of answering the same questions over and over.

Why Communication Breaks Down

Let's be honest about what's really happening at most amateur sports events:

Information exists in too many places

Details are shared across WhatsApp chats, paper notes, verbal announcements, and shouted updates across the venue. These sources never stay aligned, and players don't know which one to trust.

You post the schedule in the clubhouse. You send updates in the group chat. Someone writes changes on a whiteboard. A volunteer makes an announcement. But did everyone see the WhatsApp message? Did they check the board? Were they within earshot of the announcement?

The result: different players have different information, and nobody's quite sure what's actually happening. This fragmentation is the root cause of most communication problems at sports events.

Last-minute changes are not communicated well

Here's the reality of running live events: things change. A match finishes early. A player withdraws. Weather forces you to shuffle court assignments. These changes are inevitable, but communicating them effectively is nearly impossible with traditional methods.

If a time or court changes, players may not hear about it until it's too late. By the time you've updated the printed schedule, sent a message in the group chat, and tried to verbally notify affected players, someone has already missed their match or shown up at the wrong location.

The faster your event moves, the harder this becomes. In a busy tournament with matches every 15 minutes, you simply can't keep up with manual updates.

There is no single place to check information

When players don't have one reliable source of truth, they resort to asking volunteers directly. This creates a vicious cycle: the more time volunteers spend answering questions, the less time they have to update information sources, which leads to more questions.

Different players receive different messages, which leads to mistakes and delays. One player checks the printed schedule. Another relies on the group chat. A third asks a volunteer who might not have the latest information. Everyone ends up confused, and your event grinds to a halt.

What you need is one authoritative source that everyone can check—and trust—at any time.

Volunteers answer the same questions repeatedly

"What court am I on?" "When's my next match?" "Has the schedule changed?" "Am I playing soon?"

Your volunteers didn't sign up to be walking information kiosks. They want to help run a smooth event, manage logistics, welcome players, and handle the hundred other tasks that make a tournament successful.

Instead, they spend most of their time answering the same basic questions repeatedly. This slows down the entire event and burns out your volunteer team. After a full day of constant interruptions, even the most enthusiastic volunteers feel exhausted and frustrated.

The Solution: Centralised Live Information

The solution isn't complicated: give everyone access to the same live information. Here's how that transforms your event:

One screen everyone can trust

A single central display removes uncertainty and confusion. When players know there's one authoritative source that's always up-to-date, they stop asking questions and start checking the display.

This trust is crucial. Players need to know that when they look at the schedule, they're seeing the absolute latest information—not something that might have changed five minutes ago.

With NowNext.live, the display becomes the single source of truth. No more conflicting information. No more "I thought it said..." Everyone sees the same thing, and everyone knows it's current.

Instant updates

One change updates every screen. Make an adjustment in the controller, and players see the correct information immediately—on the TV in the clubhouse, on the tablet at the desk, on their phones, everywhere.

This instant synchronization means you can adapt to changes as they happen. A match finishes early? Update the next session's start time, and everyone knows within seconds. A court becomes unavailable? Reassign matches, and the new assignments appear everywhere instantly.

No reprinting. No rewriting. No running around making announcements. Just one quick update that reaches everyone simultaneously.

Fewer interruptions

When information is visible, accessible, and trustworthy, volunteers can focus on running the event. The display handles communication automatically.

Players stop interrupting because they can answer their own questions. "What court am I on?" becomes a glance at the screen instead of a conversation. "When's my next match?" is answered before the question is even asked.

Your volunteers can finally do what they actually signed up for: making your event run smoothly, not serving as human information desks.

Participants feel confident

Knowing exactly where to be and when to be there improves the experience for everyone. Players arrive at the right court at the right time. Matches start on schedule. The whole event flows more smoothly.

This confidence reduces stress for everyone involved. Players can relax between matches instead of constantly worrying about missing their call. Volunteers can focus on their tasks instead of managing confusion. You can run your event instead of firefighting communication problems.

When communication works, everything else works better.

Step by Step: Keeping Everyone Informed with NowNext.live

Ready to transform communication at your events? Here's exactly how to set up a live-updating schedule that keeps everyone informed. The entire process takes about 10 minutes.

Step 1: Create an Event

First, set up your event in NowNext.live:

1. Log in to NowNext.live at nownext.live
2. Click "Create Event" and give your event a clear name like "Saturday Club Tournament" or "Junior Championships March 2025"
3. A default layout is created automatically—you'll see a basic structure ready to customize

The system generates a unique URL for your event. This URL has two views: a controller view where you manage the schedule, and a display view that players see. Keep this URL handy—you'll use it throughout your event.

Give your event a descriptive name that makes it easy to find later, especially if you're running multiple events. Clear naming now saves confusion later.

Step 2: Add Spaces

Now let's add your playing areas. In NowNext.live, these are called "Spaces"—they represent courts, rinks, pitches, or any location where matches happen:

1. Open the Spaces section in your event controller
2. Click "Add Space" for each playing area you have
3. Name each space clearly—"Court 1", "Court 2", "Main Rink", "Pitch A", etc.
4. Drag to reorder them if you want them to appear in a specific sequence on the display

Pro tip: Name your spaces exactly as they're labeled in your venue. If your courts are numbered 1-4 in real life, use those exact numbers in the system. This prevents confusion when players are looking for their assigned location.

You can add as many spaces as you need. Running a large tournament with 10 courts? Add all 10. Just using 2 rinks for a small event? Add those 2. The display adapts automatically to show whatever you've configured.

Step 3: Add Sessions

Now for the actual schedule—the sessions or rounds of play:

1. Open the Sessions section in your event controller
2. Click "Add Session" for each round, time block, or match you want to schedule
3. Enter session details—round names, player names, team matchups, start times
4. Assign each session to a space so players know which court they're on
5. Drag to reorder sessions to match your actual schedule flow

Each session can include:

• Match names or numbers ("Semi Final 1", "Match 7")
• Player names or team names
• Start times (or leave blank for flexible scheduling)
• Which space it's assigned to
• Any notes or special information

Don't worry about perfection at this stage. You can edit, add, or remove sessions at any time—even during the event. That's the beauty of a digital system: it's always flexible.

Real-world tip: Many organizers create all their sessions in advance but leave start times flexible. As the event progresses, they update times based on how matches are actually flowing. This gives you structure with flexibility.

Step 4: Share the Display Link

Now let's get your schedule onto screens where players can see it:

1. Click "Open Display" from your event controller
2. The display view loads—this is what players will see
3. Copy the display URL from your browser's address bar
4. Open this URL on any screens you want to use: TVs, tablets, laptops, or monitors

The display view is designed to be clear and readable from a distance. It uses large text, high contrast, and a clean layout that highlights what's happening now and what's coming next.

Where to show the display:

• Large TV in the main hall—so everyone can see at a glance
• Tablet at the registration desk—for quick reference
• Laptop in the office—for organizers to monitor
• Share the URL with players—so they can check on their phones

You can have the same display open on unlimited screens simultaneously. All of them show identical information and all update in real-time.

Setup tips:

• Put displays in full-screen mode (F11 on most computers) to hide browser toolbars
• Adjust screen brightness for your venue's lighting
• If using a TV, adjust power settings so it won't go to sleep
• Consider setting the display URL as the browser's homepage for automatic loading

Step 5: Update During Play

This is where the magic happens. As your event progresses, you can make changes that appear everywhere instantly:

From your controller (on any device), you can:

• Update match results—mark matches as complete or add scores
• Change court assignments—move a match to a different space if needed
• Adjust timings—push back a session that's running late or bring one forward
• Add or remove sessions—adapt to player withdrawals or last-minute additions
• Reorder the schedule—drag sessions to reflect the actual flow of your event

Every change you make appears on all connected displays within seconds. No announcements needed. No whiteboard updates. No confusion.

Real-world example: A match runs 20 minutes late. In the old system, you'd need to rewrite the entire schedule and notify everyone individually. With NowNext.live, you adjust the start time of the next session in the controller, and every screen updates instantly. Players see the change on their phones and adjust accordingly. Crisis averted, and you didn't even break stride.

The controller works on any device with a browser—your laptop, tablet, or even your phone. Make updates from wherever you are in the venue.

Real-World Impact

Clubs and event organizers using live-updating displays report dramatic improvements:

Fewer questions: Volunteers report 70-80% fewer interruptions from players asking basic schedule questions. When information is visible and trustworthy, players stop asking and start looking.

Time savings: Events run more smoothly with less time spent on schedule management. One organizer told us: "We used to have someone dedicated to updating the whiteboard all day. Now I handle the entire schedule from my tablet while also managing registrations and greeting players. It's been transformative."

Better player experience: Players appreciate always having accurate information at their fingertips. They arrive at the right place at the right time, which reduces stress and improves their overall experience.

Professional appearance: A clean digital display makes your event look organized and professional. This matters when you're trying to attract new members, sponsors, or future events.

Volunteer satisfaction: When volunteers can focus on running a great event instead of answering the same questions repeatedly, they enjoy the experience more and are more likely to help again.

FAQ

How many screens can we use?

As many as you want. All update simultaneously with no limit on the number of connected displays.

You could have a large TV in the main hall, tablets at multiple registration points, a laptop in the office, and share the URL with all your players so they can check on their phones. Every single screen shows identical, real-time information.

This flexibility means you can provide information wherever players need it, reducing crowding around a single display point.

Do players need an app?

No. They simply look at the display—either on venue screens or by opening the URL in any web browser on their phone.

There's nothing to download, install, or configure. If they can open a web page, they can see the schedule. This simplicity means everyone can access the information regardless of their device or technical expertise.

The display URL is read-only, so players can view but not edit the schedule. Only people with access to the controller can make changes.

What if the schedule changes?

Updates appear instantly across all devices. Make one change in the controller, and it propagates to every connected screen within seconds.

This real-time updating is the core benefit of a digital system. Whether you're adjusting one match or restructuring the entire afternoon, the changes are communicated immediately and universally.

Players trust the display because they know it's always current. That trust eliminates the "is this information up-to-date?" uncertainty that plagues traditional methods.

Is this suitable for all sports?

Yes. Any event with matches or sessions benefits from clear, live communication.

While many users run racket sports tournaments (tennis, squash, badminton), NowNext.live works brilliantly for:

• Team sports like football, basketball, or netball
• Bowls tournaments
• Swimming competitions with multiple events
• Athletics meets
• Multi-sport events
• Esports tournaments
• Conference schedules with multiple rooms
• Any event where you need to show "what's happening where and when"

The system is sport-agnostic. If you need to schedule activities across multiple spaces and keep participants informed, it works.

How much does it cost?

NowNext.live offers a free tier that's perfect for small clubs and occasional events. Paid plans add features like unlimited events, custom branding, and advanced scheduling tools.

Check nownext.live/pricing for current pricing details.

What if our internet connection is unreliable?

The display is designed to be resilient. Once loaded, it will continue showing the current schedule even if the connection drops briefly. When the connection returns, it automatically syncs any changes.

For venues with very poor internet, consider:

• Using a mobile hotspot dedicated to the display screens
• Setting up a basic Wi-Fi connection just for event management
• Loading the display before the event starts when connection might be better

Most venues find that even basic internet is sufficient, as the display doesn't require high bandwidth—just a stable connection for updates.

Conclusion: Communication Made Simple

Communication doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need expensive equipment, technical expertise, or hours of setup time. You just need one live-updating display that everyone can see and trust.

When players know where to be and when to be there, everything runs more smoothly. Delays decrease. Stress reduces. Volunteers can focus on running a great event instead of answering the same questions repeatedly.

Ready to transform communication at your events? Head over to NowNext.live and create your first event. It's free to start, takes less than 15 minutes to set up, and you'll wonder how you ever managed without it.

Your volunteers will thank you. Your players will thank you. And you'll spend less time managing communication and more time running successful events.

Questions about keeping participants informed at your events? Reach out at hello@nownext.live—we're always happy to help!