What you need for a basketball tournament

Use this shopping list to prepare a basketball tournament without scrambling for equipment or refreshments on the day. Plan the number of basketballs, bibs and scoring materials around the number of teams and courts, then check which items the hall already provides. For food and drinks, count registered players, referees and table hosts separately. Buy chilled drinks and sandwich ingredients no later than the day before, and collect prizes and printed materials before setup starts.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 40
Folding chairsqty 20
Tableclothqty 8

Sports equipment

Basketballsqty 12
Spare basketballsqty 4
Whistlesqty 6
Team bibsqty 40
Conesqty 24
Training hoopsqty 8
Scoreboardsqty 2
Game clocksqty 2
Clipboardsqty 6
Ribbon cord
Medalsqty 24
Winner's cup
First aid kit

Equipment

Laptop
Printer
Portable sound system
Microphone
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 4
Chargersqty 4

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 120
Platesqty 120
Cutlery setsqty 120
Serving plattersqty 10
Coffee potsqty 3

Kitchen

Coolersqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 3
Cutting boardsqty 3
Bread knivesqty 3
Serving spoonsqty 6

Lighting

LED lampsqty 4

Decorations

Tournament banner
Team name badgesqty 8
Directional signsqty 6

Cleaning

Broomqty 2
Floor squeegeeqty 2
Bucketsqty 2
Microfiber clothsqty 12
Waste binsqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Spa Blauw - 120 bottles
- Spa Rood - 24 small bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 3 boxes
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Multigrain rolls - 100 pieces
- White rolls - 40 pieces
- Sliced cheese - 3 kilogram
- Cooked ham - 2 kilograms
- Chicken breast slices - 2 kilograms
- Hummus - 1.5 kilograms
- Cream cheese - 1 kilogram
- Lettuce - 8 heads
- Cucumber - 10 pieces
- Tomatoes - 4 kilogram
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Pretzels - 6 bags
- Muesli bars - 120 pieces
- Bananas - 60 pieces
- Apples - 60 pieces
- Grapes - 6 kilograms
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Napkins - 250 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Trash bags - 50 pieces
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Floor cleaner - 2 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 4 packs

Tips

Plan at least one basketball per active court plus one spare basketball, and test every ball before teams arrive. A tournament with two courts therefore needs three usable balls as a practical minimum.
Prepare one team-bib colour for each team playing at the same time, plus a few spare bibs. Keep cones, whistles and clipboards together at the tournament desk so officials are not searching between matches.
Print competition forms and the match schedule at least one day ahead, then bring a laptop, printer and chargers if results will be updated during the tournament. Pack extension cords and power strips before leaving for the hall.
Count two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then add one drink per person for every following hour. Bring reusable cups, coolers or thermos flasks, and chill the drinks before participants arrive.
Buy enough sandwich bread and fillings for one sandwich per participant, referee and table host, with about 10% extra. Pack cutting boards, bread knives, serving platters and dietary-requirement labels together rather than at the last minute.

Frequently asked questions

What equipment do I need for a basketball tournament?: For each active court, plan one basketball, one game clock, one scoreboard and one whistle, plus at least one spare basketball for the whole tournament. Add team bibs, cones, clipboards and competition forms for the teams and officials.
How many basketballs do I need for a tournament?: Use one basketball per court in play and keep at least one spare available. For two courts, prepare three tested basketballs; for three courts, prepare four.
How much food and drink should I buy for a basketball tournament?: Plan two to three drinks per person during the first hour and one additional drink per person for each later hour. Buy one sandwich per player, referee and table host, plus approximately 10% extra.
When should I buy and prepare tournament supplies?: Buy non-perishable supplies and order prizes at least one week before the tournament. Shop for chilled drinks and sandwich ingredients the day before, and print forms and check equipment no later than the evening before.

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