The Hershey Harrisburg Sports and Events Authority has owned and operated the Big 26 Baseball Classic since 2017, giving our team firsthand experience managing all the pieces of producing a sports event. The four-day event brings together two teams (26 players each) of elite rising high school juniors and seniors from Pennsylvania and Maryland for a combine, three-game series and Buddy Program.

Coordinating every aspect of the Big 26 has given our team firsthand insight into what it takes to create an event that delivers great growth opportunity for athletes. We strive to deliver value that parents and partners appreciate and are thankful for the coaches that share their knowledge with these young men. Here are four lessons we’ve learned that have helped shape our approach to the events we support throughout our region.

1. Build the experience beyond the competition

The competition may be what brings athletes to an event, but the experience surrounding it is what makes it memorable and sustainable for years to come. We regularly communicate with collegiate scouts to drive their attendance to the event. To further entice these scouts to check in, we also promote other high-level events happening throughout the region to showcase how they can maximize their visit. We typically welcome more than 30 collegiate scouts from DI-DIII programs throughout the weekend.

We’re also proud to differentiate our program from others with impactful off-the-field programming. Through the Buddy Program, players are paired with individuals ages 5-21 with physical and developmental challenges to enjoy a picnic and game. The buddies are also part of the pre-game introductions to further integrate the relationships throughout the event. Almost every single player ends the weekend citing the Buddy Program as their favorite part of the experience.

“Seeing all the buddies excited to play, smiling and laughing was amazing to see” said one 2026 alum. “Seeing

how much those kids would love to be out there playing the game like us…its an eye opener” said another 2026 alum.

The program engages community members, promotes inclusivity, and allows players to build relationships they may have never made otherwise. It’s this type of unique, off-field programming that offers a memorable experience that participants remember long after the final pitch.

2. Engage community partners

Successful events rely on a network of partners who bring expertise, resources, and local connections to the table, and the Big 26 is no exception.

The Harrisburg Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, go beyond simply hosting the on-field competitions by providing locker room access, laundry service for uniforms each day, management of ticketing, and operation of the video cameras, scoreboard graphics and music. They always have team members on standby to help us with last-minute needs.

Penn State Harrisburg welcomes the players and coaches to campus, offering lodging, meals at the cafeteria, and use of their fields for practice. Having these campus amenities allows teams to bond while giving players a glimpse of college life.

We have a dedicated group of volunteers that return each year to assist with merchandise sales, on-field coordination of buddy players, uniform prep in the locker rooms, announcements, and more. There are also several local businesses eager to contribute to the event by offering monetary support or in-kind contributions, such as food for off-campus meals or free and discounted tickets to local attractions.

Identifying partners who can take ownership of specific pieces of the event allows us to focus our time and expertise on other areas. We encourage organizers to identify destinations with an engaged community of partners in areas of support they need most, or perhaps areas they didn’t consider before.

3. Anticipate logistical needs

Having a plan for the unexpected is just as important as having a plan for the expected. We are very much at the mercy of mother nature when hosting this outdoor event, but we have built in contingencies where possible. We have a large space at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center on standby for our Buddy Game and Picnic and are prepared to adjust the game schedule to feature a double header should rain be in the forecast. We also provide players and their families with a daily itinerary outlining where they need to be, what they should wear, supplies provided to them, etc so they know expectations prior to arriving to campus. Communicating these details in advance allows us to minimize confusion during the event so our team can focus on event execution rather than answering questions that could have been easily answered in advance.

There are countless examples of procedures around media credentials, player allergies, merchandise sales, ticket refunds in the event of cancelation, and more that are established ahead of the event. Identifying potential points of friction so you’re prepared to address them is key to the overall experience.

4. Make media and marketing part of the plan, not an afterthought

It’s easy to get bogged down by the logistics of organizing an event, but having a strong marketing and communication plan can go a long way in driving participation and the overall experience. We maintain a list of media contacts and create short press releases to share important information such as tryouts, roster announcements, and ticket promotions. We also invite reporters to the event and offer to coordinate interviews with players, coaches and staff. This creates opportunities for earned media while keeping residents, public officials and other stakeholders informed and invested in the event – which is especially important as we advocate for the work of our organization. There are a lot of events that players and teams can choose to be part of so having high quality imagery to use in your marketing can quickly differentiate your event from others. We partner with a local photographer to build an annual library of action photos and player headshots that can promote the current event, support future recruiting efforts, and help tell the story of the event year-round. This strategy has helped us generate more than one million annual views, extending the event’s reach well beyond its four-day timeframe.

These lessons have been invaluable in our understanding of the event organizer’s experience from a perspective that goes beyond finding a venue or promoting the destination. We have firsthand experience with the planning, partnerships and problem-solving needed to execute a successful event which makes us better equipped to support organizers when they bring events to our region.

For more information on the Hershey Harrisburg Sports & Events Authority and how we can support your event, visit http://www.hhsportsandevents.com.