Spreadsheet or league software: which one for your rec league?

A spreadsheet is enough if your league is small, the players are almost always the same, and one person runs it. Once you spend your week asking who's coming, finding subs and tracking who paid, league software becomes simpler, and often cheaper than the time you put in. Notre Ligue is one option: free under 15 regular players (one free league per organizer), then $9.99 CAD a month before taxes up to 50.

Key takeaways

• A spreadsheet is free, flexible and a great way to start.
• Its real cost is your time: texts, reminders and manual updates.
• League software is worth it when players need to answer, see the schedule or check stats without going through you.
• You can try a tool for a few weeks without giving up your spreadsheet.

When is a spreadsheet enough?

A spreadsheet works well when:

• You have fewer than 15 players, almost always the same ones.
• One person organizes and updates the file.
• You rarely or never need subs.
• Players don't need to see the schedule or stats online.

In that case a shared spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel) does the job, and it costs nothing.

Where does a spreadsheet start costing you?

A spreadsheet costs no money, but it costs you time every week. The problems always show up in the same places:

• Attendance. A spreadsheet doesn't ask anyone anything. You post in the group chat, chase the people who didn't answer, and copy the answers in. More in how to track attendance without an app.
• Subs. When a player cancels the night before, you text subs one by one. See how to find subs.
• Payments. A "paid" column doesn't remind anyone. See planning for late payments.
• Stats. Retyping scoresheets every week takes time, and mistakes slip through.
• More than one organizer. Two people edit the same file and nobody knows which version is right.

Spreadsheet or league software: the comparison

How much time does your spreadsheet really take?

Add it up for a normal week in the season:

1. Time spent asking who's playing and chasing people who didn't answer.
2. Time spent finding subs when you're short.
3. Time spent updating results, stats and standings.
4. Time spent tracking payments.

If the total is more than an hour a week, multiply it by the number of weeks in your season. That's what your spreadsheet really costs.

Six signs your league has outgrown its spreadsheet

• You chase the same players every week to find out if they're coming.
• You've played short because a sub was found too late.
• You spend more than 15 minutes a week retyping results or stats.
• Players ask you for the schedule or stats instead of looking them up.
• You don't know exactly who has paid without checking.
• Someone else helps you and you both work in the same file.

If three or more of these sound familiar, league software will probably save you time.

If you stay with a spreadsheet: how to do it well by hand

A spreadsheet is still the right choice for many leagues. To make it last the season:

• One tab per topic: players, schedule, attendance, results, payments.
• One person edits the file. Everyone else gets view-only access.
• A fixed reply deadline, for example 6 PM the day before.
• A sub list in the order you call them.
• A view-only link in your group chat description, so players can look things up without asking you.

Notre Ligue, an option in between

Notre Ligue was built for a real ball hockey league in Laval, 100 players, subs included, that ran on BenchApp, spreadsheets and texts. What it replaces:

• Each player gets an email and answers yes or no, with no account and no app.
• When you're short, subs are invited for you.
• The schedule, standings and stats can be shown on the league page.
• You take a photo of the scoresheet, the goals and assists are read for you, and you check before anything is saved. See how scoresheets work.

It's free under 15 regular players, then $9.99 a month up to 50 players and $19.99 up to 100. You can keep your spreadsheet while you try it. If you're coming from BenchApp, see also a BenchApp alternative.

FAQ

Is a Google Sheets spreadsheet enough for a hockey league?

Yes, for a small, stable league with one organizer. It gets heavy once you handle attendance, subs and payments every week.

How much does league management software cost?

It ranges from free to several tens of dollars a month. Notre Ligue is free under 15 regular players, $9.99 a month up to 50 and $19.99 up to 100.

Do players have to install an app?

Not with Notre Ligue: players answer from the email. Other tools require an app.

Can I switch from a spreadsheet to software mid-season?

Yes. Start with attendance, the part that takes the most time, and keep your spreadsheet for the rest until the season ends.