GO Sports Wiki

Game-times/ Dealing with Daylight Savings Time

 

When deciding on game-times for your leagues, there are several factors to bear in mind during the planning stages to maximize your customers’ experience both on and off the field, and keep them coming back for more.

 

When finding appropriate field space to hold your games, there are several different factors that need to be considered.  Important factors to keep in mind would be:

 

• Weekend leagues – Saturday or Sunday

• Weeknight leagues

• Post-game League Bar experience

• Dusk and Daylight Savings Time

• Fields with Lights

 

 

Weekend leagues – Saturday or Sunday

 

Playing GO Kickball on weekends as opposed to weeknights can be a very favorable situation for your league.  On the weekends, players are generally free from work obligations and available to participate in GO Kickball.  The flip-side of this is that individuals often designate their weekends for travel or special events, which may deter them from committing to 8 weeks of GO Kickball.  GO Kickball has had great success stories with leagues on either day.

 

For Saturdays, it’s a good idea to plan your leagues earlier in the day, such as a 12:00 or 1:00 start, so that players can enjoy GO Kickball and then still participate in Saturday events or plans later in the evening.  Additionally, players can enjoy a lively post-game League Bar experience all afternoon as well.

 

For Sundays, experience has shown that later afternoon in the 2-5p timeslot works best for the widest cross-section of individuals.  Customers can go to church or even travel Fri-Sun and still make it to their GO Kickball games in the mid-late Sunday afternoon.

 

One thing to bear in mind when planning your leagues during the early Spring or late Fall is the Daylight Savings Time change.  For example, if you schedule your Fall Sunday league for game-times 2-6p, after the first week of November the “fall back” time change will result in darkness before 6pm.  The time-change and darkness must be accounted for early March (spring) or early November (fall).

 

 

Weeknight leagues

 

GO Kickball leagues on weeknights can be very successful as well.  In fact, one of the most ideal days to play is Thursday nights.  Most customers will be in town due to work obligations but they’re more willing & able to stay out and socialize at the post-game League Bar, knowing that they only have to make it through Friday before the weekend.   This confluence of positive factors make Thursday nights an excellent choice for the success of your GO Kickball league.

 

For weeknight leagues, remember that most of your customers will be driving to the game directly from work, so it is important to play game-times accordingly.  Experience has shown that 6:30 is the ideal start time at fields without lights.  This allows time for players to reach the field after work, and also allows for 2 hours games (6:30 & 7:30) before darkness.

 

 

Dusk and Daylight Savings Time

 

When scheduling your GO Kickball games on weeknights at fields without lights, dusk and daylight savings time must be considered during your planning stages.  Games should be scheduled late enough that players can reach their game after work, but early enough so that darkness does not cut short the fun.

 

During Spring, Daylight Savings Time changes on the 2nd Sunday of March.  Prior to that week, there is not enough daylight post-business-hours time to hold weeknight leagues.  After DST there is generally just enough post-work daylight to fit two hours of GO Kickball games. (Bear in mind that after the official “sunset” there is generally about 20 minutes more usable daylight before actual “dusk” darkness.  Actual daylight time varies by city, depending on geographical location in relation to time-zone.  Refer to this website for details:

 

 

 

For the first few weeks following DST in March, your GO Kickball league must begin at 6:15 to complete two hours of games before darkness at approx. 8:15.  Then by April there will be enough time to move games to the 6:30-8:30 timeframe.   This shift to 6:30 start is recommended for improved customer satisfaction.

 

During the last few weeks of October and the first week of November, you’ll find the reverse is true.  Games must move from 6:30 to 6:15 to account for the days getting shorter in the Fall as we approach DST on the first Sunday in November.

 

Additionally, during Fall season, there is not enough time to hold two hours of games, due to the earlier sunset.  For this reason, it is recommended to locate fields with lights during the fall, which can help increase league capacity.

 

 

Fields with Lights

 

Using fields with lights has both advantages and disadvantages.  Generally lighted fields cost more, which can cut into your bottom line.  However lighted fields allow for greater capacity for more games/teams in your league.