How to Invite a Client to a Game With Your Company's Season Tickets

To invite a client to a game on your company's season tickets, reach out one to three weeks ahead, offer a specific game and date rather than a vague "sometime," frame it as a low-pressure invitation ("I've got seats, no agenda — would you enjoy it?"), and follow up with the practical details they need to say yes: time, venue, parking or transit, where you'll meet, and who else is coming. Confirm a day or two before, meet them at a set spot, and let them keep the mindset that they're your guest. Done well, a single invitation turns a seat you've already paid for into hours of relaxed relationship time.

Below is the etiquette and the step-by-step, so a good gesture doesn't get undercut by clumsy logistics.

When should you send the invitation?

Aim for one to three weeks before the game. That window is far enough out that the client's calendar is likely still open, but close enough that the game feels real and easy to commit to. Too early and it's abstract; too late and you're competing with plans they've already made — or worse, you're scrambling to fill a seat that's about to go empty.

A few timing notes:

Marquee games need more lead time. A season opener, a rivalry night, or a playoff game is worth inviting three-plus weeks out, because those are the dates people protect.
Midweek games can go shorter notice. A random Tuesday is often a pleasant surprise even a week out.
Have a fallback. If your first choice can't make it, offer one alternative date rather than leaving it open-ended. "No worries — I've also got seats on the 14th if that's easier" keeps the momentum.

If your seats are managed in one shared view, you can see which games are still open before you invite, so you're never promising a seat that's already claimed.

What should you actually send?

Send a short, specific, pressure-free message. The goal is to make saying yes effortless. A good invitation has three parts:

The offer, concretely. "We've got company season seats for the game on Thursday the 18th — would you enjoy coming as my guest?" A named date beats "we should catch a game sometime," which almost never happens.
The tone. Keep it warm and no-strings. Client entertainment works precisely because it isn't a meeting. "No agenda, just a good night out" signals that.
An easy yes or no. Make it simple to decline without friction, so the relationship stays comfortable either way.

Email or a text works, matched to how you normally talk to them. Save the logistics dump for after they've said yes — the first message should be short.

What details do they need before game day?

Once they accept, send everything they need to show up relaxed. Uncertainty is the enemy of a good guest experience. Cover:

Time and place — start time, the venue, and whether to arrive early for food or a drink.
Getting there and parking — where to park (and whether it's covered), or the nearest transit stop. If you have a parking pass, say so.
Where to meet — a specific, findable spot: "Let's meet at the main gate at 6:45" or "I'll be at the club entrance." Never make a guest wander looking for you.
Who else is coming — if it's a group, a quick heads-up on who they'll meet avoids surprises.
Dress and weather — a small note for outdoor venues or colder months.

Then confirm a day or two before. A quick "Still good for tomorrow? I'll be at the gate at 6:45" reassures them and catches any change while there's still time to use the seat.

How do you handle game day itself?

Be the host, not just the ticket-holder. Get there first, meet them where you said you would, and handle the small frictions — tickets on your phone, knowing the section, offering the first round. The client should never have to figure anything out. (For what to actually talk about once you're in your seats, that's its own skill — worth thinking through before you go.)

A clean handoff also matters for your own records. If your company tracks who hosted whom, note the client's name against the game. That keeps the entertainment spend documented and makes it easy to see, across the season, which relationships you're actually investing in.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should I invite a client to a game? One to three weeks is the sweet spot for most games — long enough to catch an open calendar, close enough to feel concrete. Give marquee games (openers, rivalries, playoffs) three-plus weeks; midweek games can work on shorter notice.

Should I invite a client by email or a phone call? Match how you normally communicate with them. A short, specific email or text works for most business relationships; a call can feel warmer for a closer one. Either way, name a specific game and keep the ask low-pressure.

What if the client says no? Offer one alternative date, and if that doesn't land, leave it graciously — "Next time." Then use the seat: offer it to another client or reward an employee so it doesn't go empty. The point of the tickets is that every seat gets used.

Is one ticket enough, or should I bring more people? It depends on the relationship and the seats you hold. A one-on-one is great for deepening a key relationship; a small group is better for a newer contact who might feel more comfortable in a crowd. Match the setting to the stage of the relationship.

How do I keep track of which clients I've hosted? Note the guest's name against each game as you go. A simple per-game record shows who you've invested time in across the season and keeps your entertainment spend documented for finance.

Season Seats helps your team get the most from the corporate tickets you already pay for — see every open game, claim the ones you want, and record who you hosted, so no seat goes to waste. Start free →