Stay-to-Play
What is Stay-to-Play?
Many tournaments and event organizers require participating teams to book accommodations through an official housing partner. This is called a Stay-to-Play policy, and it’s designed to keep negotiated room rates low, support host venues and local communities, and make the logistics easier for everyone involved.
T1 Housing serves as the official housing partner for AC Sports events and works with a growing number of tournament organizations across the country. If your event requires booking through T1 Housing, here’s what you need to know.
Are You Required to Stay-to-Play?
Stay-to-Play requirements vary by event and organizer. In general:
- Teams or individuals located more than 75 miles from the event venue are considered traveling participants and are required to book through the official housing portal.
- Teams or individuals located within 75 miles of the venue are typically considered local and may be exempt, depending on the event organizer's policy.
How to Book
All Stay-to-Play reservations must be made through the T1 Housing booking portal. Direct hotel reservations, third-party platforms (like Expedia, Hotels.com, or Hotwire), and bookings made using rewards points or special discount rates (AAA, military, government, corporate, etc.) will not count toward your Stay-to-Play compliance.
You can still earn hotel points on reservations made through T1 Housing, you just can’t use them to book.
Most booking deadlines are set approximately five weeks before the event. After that deadline, reserved room blocks may no longer be available, so don’t wait.
For Teams
Team Stay-to-Play requirements are set by the event organizer. For AC Sports events specifically, teams are required to book a minimum of 8 guest reservations (not room nights) through T1 Housing before the block booking deadline.
Teams that do not meet the requirement by the deadline may be assessed a prorated opt-out fee for each missing reservation.
If your event is hosted by a different organization, their specific requirements will be outlined in your event documentation. T1 Housing can accommodate Stay-to-Play policies from a wide range of tournament organizations and will provide booking instructions specific to your event.
For Individuals
Individual Stay-to-Play requirements also vary by event. For AC Sports All Star events, individuals located more than 76 miles from the event venue are required to book through the official event housing portal.
Reservations made outside the approved booking process will not count toward compliance and may result in an opt-out fee, typically ranging from $60 to $100 depending on the event.
The opt-out fee will be applied to your registration approximately 30 days before the tournament and is due no later than two weeks before the event start date.
Opting Out
If your team or individual participant cannot meet the Stay-to-Play requirement, most events offer a formal opt-out process. Contact the tournament organizer or reach out to T1 Housing directly for information specific to your event.
For AC Sports events, opt-out requests can be submitted here.