By Mary Helen Sprecher

Photo courtesy of Iowa Sports Turf Management

“ CHAMPAGNE TASTE ON A BEER BUDGET” is a familiar expression. But what is the corollary when it comes to sports facility upgrades: World Series taste on a tee-ball budget?

That might be an overstatement, but the struggle to make do with limited finances is a very real and pressing concern nationwide. And, of course, the next question is this: What can you do to economize without sacrificing the final project?

PRIORITIZE YOUR NEEDS Create a plan for your budgeting as it pertains to the project. If, for example, you’ re upgrading a current facility, write down your wish list, then break it into sections. These should include the following:

Immediate needs: These are the items that can’ t be deferred to another season or another fiscal year. In general, these are needs that affect the playability of the facility and the safety of the players who use it, as well as that of the spectators who come to take in a game.

Intermediate needs: Maybe this isn’ t an immediate priority, but what else would you like to get done this year, if at all possible?

Not priority needs: What can you put off until the next season or the next fiscal?

Once you have your list, you have a plan of attack. Next it’ s time to investigate your options. Research opportunities to leverage additional funding through grant programs or sponsorships that could help you gain a new revenue stream. Look inside and outside your immediate community.

Once you have a plan and a budget, speak to a contractor with sports-specific expertise who can provide advice, as well as knowledge of other ways to get the best value for the project.

INVEST, DON’ T JUST SPEND Sports facility contractors have long championed the approach of investing in facilities, rather than simply spending money on them( or, as the slang term goes, throwing money at them).

For example, drainage is an investment. It might not be as eye-catching or exciting as, for example, a video scoreboard, but it will pay dividends in helping avoid rainouts. If a field has had problems with muddy or boggy conditions, or if it does not drain well, upgraded drainage is a sound investment.

18 SportsField Management | December 2025 sportsfieldmanagementonline. com