Stay-to-play is the rule at many youth tournaments that teams must book their hotel rooms through the event's designated hotels or booking agent. It is also at the center of a federal class action filed in September 2026. Here is how it works, why organizers use it and what parents say it costs.
What stay-to-play means
Tournament software company EventPipe defines it this way: “Stay-to-Play refers to the requirement that teams and athletes participating in a tournament only stay at designated hotels listed within the official tournament housing block.” The proposed Let Kids Play Act describes the practice as “conditioning eligibility to participate on use of a designated travel agent, hotel, or transportation entity,” according to Youth Sports Business Report.
Why organizers use it
- Securing room blocks early to lock in better nightly rates.
- Gathering attendance data that shows host cities the event's economic impact.
- Taking lodging logistics off teams.
- Earning commissions or rebates from hotels, which EventPipe lists as a reason organizers use it.
Exemptions are often granted, according to EventPipe: local teams within a set radius, families using hotel rewards points, and those who need accommodations for disabilities or medical conditions.
What parents say it costs
In a March 2025 investigation, Oklahoma Watch reported examples of the money involved. At one Tulsa hockey tournament, the hotel charged $99 a night and the booking agent took a $28 non-refundable deposit, 22% of the total lodging cost. At a Kansas City soccer tournament, one hotel listed on the tournament website at $170 a night could be reserved directly for $85 to $109. Opting out was priced too: teams could pay $2,400 to opt out of the lodging policy at one national girls' fastpitch tournament, and one hockey tournament charged out-of-area teams a $500 stay-to-play fee if they did not appear on its booking report at check-in.
You're really locked into whatever they tell you, and if you want to play, you have to stay where they let you stay.
The 2026 lawsuit
On September 1, 2026, parents represented by Almeida Law Group filed a proposed class action against Black Bear Sports Group in Delaware federal court, according to Front Office Sports. The complaint alleges that the youth hockey operator coerced families into booking hotels through a specific platform to keep their children's roster spots, concealed a “buyout fee” option, collected kickbacks from hotel partners and charged undisclosed fees. Damages are expected to exceed $5 million, and the article says the proposed class could be in the tens of thousands, if not millions.
Black Bear denies the claims. Its attorney, Doug Gansler, said “there is no coercion or coverup, and plaintiffs are either misinformed or intentionally distorting the facts.” He also said the buyout policy cited in the complaint does not exist, and that contracts “make clear that the organization receives rebates from participating hotels.” Black Bear says stay-to-play policies are “used throughout competitive youth hockey and by USA Hockey, the sport's national governing board, to ensure adequate hotel rooms for participating teams and to create a better overall event experience for players,” and that it will “vigorously defend” them. These are allegations. No court has ruled on them.
Stay-to-play is also one of the practices named in the Let Kids Play Act, which would prohibit it for private equity-controlled youth sports entities. The bill has not passed.
What operators can do
These are our suggestions, not legal advice. Check your own contracts and local rules.
- Say plainly whether a hotel block is required, optional or neither, on the registration page and again at checkout.
- If the event earns rebates or commissions from hotels, say so. Disclosure is the cheapest protection against a trust problem.
- Publish the opt-out terms in full, including any fee, and apply them consistently.
- Compare your block rate with what a family can find on their own. If you are not beating it, the block is not a benefit.
- Keep lodging separate from eligibility: a team's place in the bracket should not depend on where its families sleep.
The rest of the weekend is covered in our operator's checklist for a youth tournament.
Frequently asked questions
What is stay-to-play in youth sports?
A requirement that teams book lodging through a tournament's designated hotels or booking agent to participate.
Why do tournaments use stay-to-play?
Organizers cite locking in better room rates through early blocks, attendance data that shows host cities the event's economic impact, and less lodging logistics for teams. EventPipe also lists commissions and rebates from hotels.
Can you opt out of stay-to-play?
Sometimes, and sometimes for a fee. Oklahoma Watch found examples of a $2,400 opt-out fee at one national girls' fastpitch tournament and a $500 stay-to-play fee at one hockey tournament. Terms vary by event, so read the registration terms.
Is stay-to-play illegal?
This article does not offer a legal conclusion. A proposed class action filed September 1, 2026 alleges deceptive practices by one operator, which denies them, and the Let Kids Play Act would prohibit the practice for private equity-controlled entities if it passed. No court has ruled.
