LocalRecHow to price indoor turf by the hour
By Mahamed BashirPublished Updated
Work out what an hour of turf costs you to run, then charge more for the hours teams compete for (winter weeknights and weekends) and less for daytime and the off-season. Price a half or quarter field a little above its share of the full field, and change rates between seasons, never during one.
What does an hour of indoor turf cost you to run?
Add up a season's fixed costs (rent or mortgage, property tax, insurance, heat, lights and money set aside for new turf) and divide by the hours you'll realistically sell, not the hours you're open. Then add what each booking costs in staff, cleaning and wear. That's the lowest rate you can charge without losing money.
Be honest about the hours you'll sell. Winter weeknights fill themselves; a Tuesday morning in May may not.
How should you set prime and off-peak rates?
Put prime around the hours teams compete for: for most indoor turf, weekday evenings from about 5 p.m. and weekends, October to March. Set prime about a third to three quarters above daytime on the same field.
Keep it to two or three rates, so the desk can explain them on the phone. Fill daytime with schools, camps and seniors' programs, and try a lower rate for late evenings if they sit empty.
Before you settle, look up what the two or three fields your renters would book instead charge for the same size, hour and season.
How do you price half and quarter fields?
A part field is easier to sell, so it can carry a little more per square metre: a quarter at close to a third of the full-field rate, a half a little above half. Check that two quarters don't cost less than a half, or renters will book two quarters.
Quote tournaments as a package instead of posting an hourly rate.
When should you change your turf rates?
Between seasons. Regular teams budget for the season, and a mid-winter increase costs you their trust. Publish the season's rates before it opens, tell your regulars first, and keep confirmed bookings at the old price.
Where LocalRec helps
LocalRec Facility OS sets prime and seasonal rates for you. Give any rental a higher rate for prime hours and dated seasons with their own rates, and customers see the right price before they book. Changing your rates leaves bookings already made at their price.
The full field, its halves and its quarters are separate rentals on one calendar, each with its own rate or price on request for tournaments. Booking the full field blocks every part of it, so an hour is never sold twice.
Customers pay by card at booking into your own Stripe account, by Interac e-Transfer, or at the facility, and LocalRec takes no commission.