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2026 NMDT Hotel Policy & Rules

HOTEL UPDATE – DECEMBER 2025

NMDT Hotel Commitment & Policies

  • Direct Partnerships: The Needham Memorial Day Tournament (NMDT) works directly with top hotels and hotel chains. No third parties are involved, ensuring the most affordable pricing and best services for our teams.
  • Interactive Map: Beginning December 1st, use our Interactive Hotels & Fields Map (linked from the Field Locations by Age & Gender page) to find hotels closest to your assigned fields.
  • Booking Process: Teams must contact hotels directly to reserve rooms.

⚠️ Important Rules for Team Managers & Club Administrators

  • All traveling team managers/club administrators must review our hotel policy and rules.
  • Failure to follow these policies may result in non-acceptance or removal from the tournament.

📅 Deadlines for 2026

  • Parents/Guardians must secure rooms with a credit card by February 15th, 2026.
  • Any unsecured rooms will revert back to the tournament for reassignment.

⏳ Don’t Delay!

  • Hotel reservations should be made as soon as possible.
  • History shows rooms sell out quickly—often before teams even register for the tournament.

📩 Questions?

For hotel or field inquiries, please contact:
Mark Miskin – Tournament Director
📧 needhamtourney@needhamsoccer.com

🏨 2026 NMDT Stay and Play Hotel Policy

To ensure the highest quality of service and a seamless experience for all participants, the Needham Memorial Day Tournament has implemented a Stay and Play Hotel Policy.

By following this policy, we can uphold the tradition of excellence that defines the Needham Memorial Day Tournament while ensuring every player, coach, and family enjoys a comfortable and well-organized stay.

🏨 What is a “Stay and Play” Tournament?

A Stay and Play Tournament is designed to ensure quality accommodations and a smooth experience for all participants.

  • Requirement: If your team needs hotel accommodations, you must book at one of the approved tournament partner hotels.
  • Hotel List: These hotels can be reviewed by clicking on our Hotel and Field Map.
  • Booking Timeline: Reservations may be made prior to team acceptance and should be completed as soon as possible, as hotels fill quickly.
  • Purpose: This policy helps us provide:
  1. Consistent service and support for teams and families
  2. Competitive group rates
  3. Convenient proximity to tournament fields
  4. A stronger sense of community among participants

🌟 Why is the Needham Memorial Day Tournament a “Stay and Play” Tournament?

We work diligently to keep costs manageable while balancing the positive economic impact our tournament brings to the greater Boston area. Partnering with approved hotels allows us to achieve both goals and provide meaningful benefits to teams and clubs:

  • Blocked Room Nights: We reserve blocks of rooms at participating partner hotels to ensure availability for out-of-town teams.
  • Direct Negotiations (No Third Party): By working directly with hotels, we secure large blocks of rooms with the best pricing and amenities available.
  • Two-Night Minimum Stay: To obtain these block rates, a two-night minimum stay is required.
  • Proximity to Fields: Hotels are carefully selected based on location and convenience. Teams can use our field age group/location chart to book accommodations near their likely playing sites.
  • Quality Assurance: All partner hotels are approved for their quality and commitment to providing the best tournament experience.
  • Shared Room Inventory: Hotels share room inventory with the tournament, ensuring demand can be met consistently year after year.
  • Force Majeure Protection: By booking through partner hotels, teams benefit from our Act of God / Force Majeure Clause. If the event is canceled for reasons beyond the organizer’s control (such as severe weather), all outstanding reservations will be released at no charge. This protection proved especially important during Covid-19.

⚖️ Why Are There Penalties for Not Abiding by the Hotel “Stay & Play” Policy?

The Stay & Play Policy is designed to be a win-win for both our guest teams and our hotel partners. By following the rules, we can ensure that accommodations remain affordable, accessible, and supportive of the tournament’s long-term success.

  • Protecting Hotel Partnerships: Our relationships with local hotels are built on trust and guaranteed room blocks. If teams bypass the policy, it jeopardizes these partnerships.
  • Ensuring Availability: Partner hotels commit inventory to the tournament. If teams book outside the system, it disrupts planning and reduces available rooms for future NMDTs.
  • Sustainability of the Event: Strong hotel partnerships allow us to continue offering the Needham Memorial Day Tournament at a high level of quality year after year.

By enforcing penalties, we safeguard the integrity of the Stay & Play system and protect the overall experience for every participant.

🚨 Penalties for Not Following the Stay & Play Policy

To protect the integrity of the tournament and our hotel partnerships, the following penalties apply if teams do not comply with the Stay & Play requirements:

  • Failure to Use Partner Hotels:
    Any accepted team requiring overnight accommodations that does not stay at an approved partner hotel will not be accepted into the tournament.
  • Double Booking:
    Teams that book accommodations at more than one hotel will either not be accepted or may be removed from the tournament.
  • Minimum Stay Requirement:
    Teams that do not meet the required two-night minimum stay risk forfeiting their games and will not be allowed to return to the tournament the following year.
  • Hotel Confirmation Requirement:
    Since the Needham Memorial Day Tournament does not use a hotel service bureau, each team must enter its hotel confirmation into its GotSoccer Registration before the acceptance deadline.

❓ What if Our Team Does Not Get Accepted and We Already Have a Hotel Reservation?

If your team is not accepted into the Needham Memorial Day Tournament, you will be able to cancel your hotel reservation without penalty.

This ensures that teams can book accommodations early—before acceptance decisions are finalized—without worrying about financial risk if they are not selected to participate.

🏨 Guidance and Tips for Booking Rooms at NMDT Partner Hotels

Reminder: All teams requiring hotel rooms must stay in our approved partner hotels in order to participate in the Needham Memorial Day Tournament.

✅ Booking Instructions

  • Direct Contact: Call hotels directly Monday–Friday. Sales staff are typically not available on weekends.
  • Online Links: Some hotels provide direct booking links, which may be used when available.
  • Room Blocks: Reserved for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
  • Minimum Stay: A 2-night minimum is required (Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday). Teams may also book 3 nights.

📅 Deadlines

  • Reservation Deadline: All hotel rooms must be booked and secured by February 15, 2026 in order to be accepted into the tournament.
  • Credit Card Requirement: Parents/guardians must secure rooms with a credit card by February 15. Any unsecured rooms will revert back to the tournament for other use.
  • Booking Before Acceptance: Teams should book rooms prior to acceptance decisions.
  • Cancellation Protection: Teams not accepted into the tournament will be able to cancel their reservations without penalty.

🚫 Policy Enforcement

  • Double Booking: Any team caught booking at more than one hotel will be removed from the tournament.
  • GotSoccer Requirement: All teams must enter their hotel information into GotSoccer before the acceptance deadline.
  • Sunday Commitments: When booking, inquire with your hotel about Sunday night stays and the process to book a Sunday stay if your team advances to Championship Monday. Even if your team does not advance to Monday play, the 2-night minimum stay is still required.