Stay-to-play means a tournament requires out-of-town teams to book rooms in its official hotel block, often through a named housing company, to be accepted or stay in the event.
I read a pile of tournament hotel pages so you do not have to. Every quote below is from a page I opened, with the link next to it.
What is stay-to-play, exactly?
It is a tournament rule that ties your entry to where you book your hotel. TCS Hockey states its version this way: "All TCS events have a STAY-TO-PLAY hotel policy. This policy means that all attendees/groups in need of hotels are required to book them through Team Travel Source (TTS) in order to participate in the event." (TCS Hockey)
Defender Hockey Tournaments puts it this way: "All teams with a home rink more than 75 miles from the tournament rink and require accommodation, MUST book rooms through the Defender Tournaments." (Defender)
Why do tournaments use it?
The sources below give the reasons in their own words: fuller room blocks, a hotel rebate that offsets event costs, and proof of economic impact. The first two are a housing company and a trade magazine. Only Defender speaks for an organizer.
| Who said it | What they said | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Team Travel Source (housing company) | "Because of Stay-to-Play policies, hotels are more confident that the rooms will be sold. When hotels are more confident that the rooms will be sold, they are much more likely to contract larger blocks at the most desirable properties." | TTS |
| Sports Destinations (trade magazine) | "the hotel will build a rebate into the room rates; that rebate helps the event offset other tournament expenses." | Sports Destinations |
| Defender Hockey Tournaments | "our organization receives a commission or 'rebate' from the hotels for all rooms booked through our designated provider." | Defender |
TTS also lists a second reason. Documented hotel stays let an event producer "prove the economic impact they bring to the city." (TTS)
Reporting has put numbers on booking fees. A 2025 Oklahoma Watch article reported: "families attending a hockey tournament in Tulsa were quoted $127 per night for rooms at a Fairfield Inn. However, $28 went to the booking agent as a non-refundable deposit, 22% of the total lodging cost." (Oklahoma Watch).
Pending lawsuits make their own claims about these arrangements. I track them, with links, on the Stay-to-Play Watch. Those are allegations, not findings.
What exemptions do tournaments publish?
The most common one is distance. Teams close to the venue do not have to use the block. The cutoff is set by each tournament.
| Tournament | Exemption as published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Defender Hockey Tournaments | Teams within 75 miles are exempt (rule applies to "more than 75 miles") | Defender |
| TCS Hockey | "Only local teams will be excluded from having to book hotels through TTS. If your team is from outside (75+ Miles)..." | TCS Hockey |
| Nickel City Hockey | Out of town means "more than 80 miles" and/or a drive time "exceeding one hour and thirty minutes" | Nickel City |
| Gene Harrington Hockey Tournaments | Policy covers groups "whose home rink is greater than 50 miles from the main rink" | Gene Harrington |
Nickel City says "There are no exceptions" beyond its distance definition, so read each event's own text.
I did not find a published family-housing exemption in the pages I opened. Ask the organizer in writing if it matters to you.
What are the penalties on paper?
Published penalties range from a fee to removal from the event. The wording below is as the organizers print it.
| Tournament | Stated consequence | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Defender | "Failure to follow and or circumvent procedures and obligations will result in removal from the tournament, forfeiture of tournament fees, and forfeiture of team eligibility for a complimentary room awarded to the team." | Defender |
| TCS Hockey | "...your team will be required to pay an additional STAY-TO-PLAY fee of $500..." | TCS Hockey |
| Gene Harrington | "Teams that do not stay at the host hotels listed will be removed from the tournament and forfeit their entry fee." | Gene Harrington |
| Madman Hockey | "Teams can pay an opt out fee for stay to play hotels." | Madman |
| Nickel City Hockey | "Booking outside of the available room blocks is prohibited and will result in disqualification from the event." | Nickel City |
| USSSA "C" Eastern National Championships (2026) | Teams may opt out by "paying an additional $400, which is due by June 1, 2026." | USSSA |
What does a room minimum look like?
Some events set a minimum number of room nights per team. Read the event page, not last year's.
| Event | Minimum | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USSSA "C" Eastern National Championships (2026) | "all teams requiring overnight accommodations must stay a minimum of 18 room nights within the room block of a partnering hotel." | USSSA |
| Defender (free-room rule) | "One (1) complimentary guest room, per team, per night, for every 16 guest rooms occupied and paid for each night within the official team block." | Defender |
How do I check a tournament's rule?
Find the tournament's hotel page, read it start to finish, and email the organizer to confirm anything unclear. Keep the reply. A short checklist:
- Open the event page and find the hotel or housing section. Note the page date or the season it applies to.
- Write down the mileage or drive-time cutoff and measure from your home rink.
- Find the booking deadline and who you book through.
- Find the penalty line and any opt-out fee.
- Read the cancellation and block rules. My housing policy checklist covers each one.
- If a point is unclear, ask the tournament director in writing and save the answer.
Rules change by event and by year. The same organizer can use different terms for different tournaments.
What is the law on this?
There is no state ban in effect. Bills are pending, and federal and class action lawsuits have been filed. Details and links are on the Stay-to-Play Watch.
Follow the rule the tournament publishes for your event. If you think a rule is unfair, the right move is to ask the organizer and your club, not to work around it.
Claims
| Claim | Source URL | Date checked | Checked by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defender: teams more than 75 miles must book through Defender; removal and forfeiture penalty; comp room rule | https://www.defenderhockeytournaments.com/hotels/ | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| Defender discloses it receives a commission or "rebate" from hotels | https://www.defenderhockeytournaments.com/hotels/ | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| TCS Hockey: stay-to-play definition, local teams excluded, 75+ miles, $500 fee | https://www.tcshockey.com/host-hotels | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| TTS: larger blocks and economic impact as reasons (verbatim) | https://www.teamtravelsource.com/2022/09/15/what-you-should-know-about-stp/ | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| Sports Destinations: hotel builds a rebate into room rates to offset event expenses | https://www.sportsdestinations.com/management/hotels-lodging/want-make-good-stay-play-policy-start-here-7866 | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| Oklahoma Watch: Tulsa $127 quote, $28 to booking agent as non-refundable deposit, 22% | https://oklahomawatch.org/2025/03/13/forced-housing-hidden-kickbacks-how-stay-to-play-squeezes-sports-parents/ | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| Nickel City Hockey: more than 80 miles and/or 1h30 drive time; disqualification; no exceptions | https://www.nickelcityhockey.com/hotel-policies | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| Gene Harrington: greater than 50 miles; removal and forfeited entry fee | https://nahockey.com/hotel-registration/ | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| Madman Hockey: teams can pay an opt out fee | https://www.madman-hockey.com/hotels | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| USSSA "C" Eastern National 2026: 18 room nights, $400 opt-out | https://vafastpitch.usssa.com/event/usssa-c-eastern-national-championships-5/ | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |
| No state law in effect banning stay-to-play; bills pending; suits filed | https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10428 and https://hoodline.com/2026/10/new-jersey-bill-would-bar-mandatory-hotel-bookings-for-youth-sports/ (bills in committee) | 2026-10-14 | worker-b |