Stay-to-Play Exemptions: What 16 Tournaments Say About Mileage and Local Teams, Quoted

As of Oct 17, 2026, 16 official tournament pages we re-read state a mileage radius for local teams, and the radius runs from 50 to 80 miles. The wording is not the same twice.

Last updated: October 21, 2026. TourneyTrip, run by Hive Asset Group, LLC, copies each clause from the host's own page and shows the date we checked.

Rules change, so read the live page before you book. For how to write the request, see our exemption email guide.

Which tournaments state a mileage rule, and what do they say?

All 16 rows below were opened on Oct 17, 2026, and the quoted text was still on the host's page that day. We did not paraphrase the quotes.

Some pages write an exemption ("are exempt"). Others write who must book ("more than 80 miles"). The second kind implies a local carve-out, but only the first kind says exempt, so the table keeps each page's own wording.

What are the common mileage radii?

Of the 16 rows, 2 say 50 miles, 4 say 60, 2 say 70, 4 say 75 and 4 say 80, as of Oct 17, 2026. No page we read uses a round 100.

Radius alone tells you little. The next section covers where the tape measure starts.

Where is the distance measured from?

Pages use different starting points, as of Oct 17, 2026. Some do not say.

• Sports Force Parks: "We will use the Head Coach's address to determine this."
• MYHockey Tournaments: "Distance is measured using Google Maps' fastest route."
• Florida volleyball: "The location of the team's primary/posted practice location will be used when determining mileage validation."
• Triple Crown: the PDFs say "Our online lodging software uses zip codes to automatically mark teams local so no waivers needed."
• Pacific Northwest Qualifier: "60 miles or less one way."

The Michigan, PGF and Ace of Clubs lines say "traveling" and do not name a start point. If the page does not define it, ask the host in writing before you plan around it.

How do pages define a local team?

Definitions are rare and strict where they exist, as of Oct 17, 2026. Most pages say "local" and stop.

Northern Lights says: "A club/team that has less than 80% of its players within the 50 mile limit is not considered a local team." USSSA Eastern requires players whose "primary residence" is within 60 miles and adds: "Secondary, seasonal and vacation homes do not qualify for exemption." Northern Lights also says staff "will make the final determination" of local status.

What do hosts ask you to document or request?

Several pages give a contact instead of a form, as of Oct 17, 2026. Others say no request is needed.

NIKE Boston says: "If you are a local team, not in need of hotel rooms, please contact AJ Joseph at AJ@jvctournaments.com or 719-201-7323." Pacific Northwest Qualifier says to contact April Stark to verify local designation. Sports Force Parks says "To verify if your if your team is local please call Sports Force Parks Lodging at (844) 421-4210."

Florida volleyball wants a Google Maps check and says "The exemption form below is not a valid submission for team requests." The Michigan page says teams "with extenuating circumstances can request a special exemption by emailing EventConnect." That is a separate path from the mileage line.

Are there deadlines?

Most pages we read state no deadline for local status or exemption requests, as of Oct 17, 2026. Two print dates that need care.

USSSA Eastern prints "Opt-Out Fee Deadlines: June 21st for Week 1&2 and July 2nd for Week 3." That is the opt-out fee, not the exemption request. Windy City prints "Booking deadline: October 30th, 2027," which looks like a year typo, so confirm it with the host.

What should you do with this?

Find your tournament's page, read the radius and the start point, and write to the contact if the page names one. Keep the reply.

If the page says nothing about local teams, read the rule as applying to everyone until the host says otherwise. Rules at the same host can also change between events, so check each page. Our stay-to-play guide explains the basics.

Check your tournament's hotel rule

FAQ

Can we commute to a stay-to-play tournament if we live close? Some hosts say local teams do not have to stay. As of Oct 17, 2026, 16 pages we re-read state a radius between 50 and 80 miles. Your own host's page decides, and several want you to confirm local status first.

How many miles makes a team local? It varies by host. NLQ and Windy City say 50 miles, four hosts say 60, two say 70, four say 75 and four say 80. Check the number and how the page measures it.

Where is the distance measured from? It depends on the page. Sports Force Parks uses the head coach's address, MYHockey Tournaments uses the home rink by Google Maps, and Florida volleyball uses the team practice facility. Some pages do not say.

Do I have to ask for the exemption? Sometimes. Pacific Northwest Qualifier, NIKE Boston and Sports Force Parks give a contact to confirm local status. Triple Crown says its lodging software marks local teams by zip code, so no waiver is needed.

Is there a deadline to request an exemption? Most pages state none. Windy City prints a booking deadline of October 30th, 2027, which looks like a typo, so ask the host. USSSA Eastern states opt-out fee deadlines of June 21st and July 2nd.