Center Court Events Redefines Volleyball Tournaments by Building the Right Foundation First

Building Something Worth Coming Back To

Center Court Events launched in May 2025 with a clear mission: create memorable tournament experiences that athletes, families and coaches want to return to year after year. Based on the East Coast and focused on mid-Atlantic markets, the organization was built from the ground up by co-founders Mark Campion & Bridget Carey with a singular focus on customer service and operational excellence.

In its first nine months, Center Court ran five events with roughly 750 teams. A strong start by any measure. But for Campion, the numbers were never the point. The experience was.

"My main goal is to create our vision, create our strategy, and put us in a place to continue to grow and build events that create memorable moments throughout the country."

To deliver on that promise from day one, Center Court needed partners who understood what it meant to run a great event, not just platforms that checked boxes.

Customer Service as a Competitive Advantage

From the beginning, Campion evaluated every vendor through the same lens: how does this help us better serve our customers?

When he connected with the Fastbreak AI team, the answer was clear. Fastbreak Travel and Fastbreak Ticketing were built around the experience of the event attendees.

"I sat down, met with the team and felt like Fastbreak resonated with what we were saying and knew our focus, our goals, what we wanted to do, and how we wanted to service our customer."

That alignment mattered. For a first-year operation running events that impact hundreds of teams and thousands of people at a time, there was no room for partners who couldn't keep pace.

Travel That Works Behind the Scenes So Events Work on the Ground

Travel is one of the most invisible parts of a tournament, until something goes wrong. For Center Court, getting it right was non-negotiable.

Fastbreak Travel managed hotel bookings across all five events, handling accommodations for teams, staff and referees from start to finish. Across three early events, the platform generated 6,000 room nights, a number Campion describes as well beyond what he expected in year one.

What stood out wasn't just the scale. It was the quality of support behind it. Campion credits Fastbreak's travel team with bringing a level of proactive service he hadn't experienced elsewhere, including a question no other travel partner had ever thought to ask: how do you maintain the right hotel inventory in real time as teams drop out and new ones register? It was exactly the kind of detail that separates a vendor from a true operational partner.

"We've actually never been asked that question by anyone in travel. It's a great question. It's the correct question. Which leads me to say that the Fastbreak team is doing their job above and beyond."

For Campion, that kind of attention isn't a nice-to-have. It's the difference between teams coming back and teams moving on.

Ticketing That Keeps Things Moving

Getting fans through the door quickly is one of the most visible parts of the event experience, and one of the easiest places to lose credibility fast. Center Court used Fastbreak Ticketing to modernize entry across all five events, enabling families to purchase tickets in advance, without downloading an app, and walk through the door without friction.

The results were immediate. Lines moved faster. Staff requirements at entry points dropped. And the experience families had the moment they arrived set the tone for everything that followed. The tap-to-pay capability at the door was a feature Campion hadn't anticipated, but one that kept lines moving even for families who hadn't purchased in advance.

"When we open the doors at 6:50 a.m., we want to be able to flow everyone through. We don't want lines. We don't want people backed up. Fastbreak Ticketing has allowed us to do that and it's actually allowed us to shrink our staff at the doors because we can move people through so fast. The friendly tap-to-pay on the phone I didn't even know existed until we met Fastbreak. It actually keeps the line moving even if people are paying on-site."

The Experience Families Remember

For Campion, operational success is only meaningful if it translates into something athletes and families actually feel. The feedback from Center Court's first year confirmed it did.

Teams described the events as well-run and efficiently managed. Parents felt their kids were in a safe, friendly environment. Across the board, the experience left an impression that brings people back.

"Sports can teach you so much. These kids take these memories from these events and use them to grow as human beings as well as athletes. That's what we really want to do."

The Impact at a Glance

• 750 teams across five volleyball tournaments in year one
• 6,000 room nights managed across three events through Fastbreak Travel
• Faster gate entry with reduced door staff thanks to Fastbreak Ticketing
• Zero check-in issues for teams, staff and referees across all events
• White-glove travel support that proactively managed room blocks in real time
• A family experience that generated strong repeat intent from coaches and teams 

Built for What Comes Next

Center Court is already looking ahead: more events, new markets and continued growth along the East Coast. For Campion, the foundation that Fastbreak Travel and Fastbreak Ticketing provided in year one is something he's building the future on.

"Fastbreak is a group that you need to meet with–learn about what they're doing and where they're going. They've delivered for us. I would recommend it to everyone."

The goal remains what it's always been: deliver organized, competitive tournaments that teams trust, and create experiences that keep athletes and families coming each year.