Inflatable Football Tunnel: Effortless Setup and Take Down Guide

After your fans have spent hours anticipating the game, it's finally time to enter the stadium.

The thrill builds as their tickets are scanned, and they cross the turnstile and into the stadium corridors. They see their team walk back into the tunnel, having just finished their pregame warm-up.

A crew sets up an inflatable entrance tunnel, and the cheerleaders and team mascot get into formation. The music intensifies, and anticipation spills over.

Nothing says GAME ON like a custom inflatable sports tunnel.

The crowd rises to their feet—the team bursts through the mascot-shaped inflatable tunnel.

Smoke. Fireworks. Kick-off!

There’s no better way to get the crowd pumped up on match day than with a custom football tunnel.

But what exactly goes on behind the scenes? How do you safely set up and take down an inflatable entryway to achieve this effect?

Well, it's easier than you’d think.

Here’s everything you need to know about setting up and taking down custom inflatable tunnels:

How to Set Up Your Inflatable Football Tunnel

Custom Inflatable Football Helmet

Get the Relevant Permits

The first thing you should do is to get permission from the relevant authorities.

Custom inflatables in an event or public space require permits before setting up. This is necessary to avoid any potential clashes or issues that could ruin the event.

Clear the Site

Once you have your permits, you should thoroughly clean and inspect the site. This involves removing any debris and sharp objects, including:

Sharp stones and pebbles,
Wooden sticks and tree roots, and;
Loose metal parts.

Only then can you proceed to the next step.

Inflate Your Football Tunnel

First, lay the entrance tunnel on the ground and locate all the anchor points, zippers, and blower openings.

Attach your blower to the inflation tube and secure it tightly. Also, make sure that all the velcro openings and zippers are closed.

Some custom inflatable tunnels have two inflation tubes if the helmet and tunnel are made as separate pieces. Be sure to check both inflation areas.

Inflatable Tunnel Style Tent
Image courtesy

Check the Air Pressure

Proper air pressure is critical when setting up custom inflatable tunnels. Check for and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on air pressure and filling material to use.

Anchor Your Football Tunnel

After your custom inflatable is set up, you need to secure it to the ground. This is essential to prevent the inflatable from moving around due to external factors.

You don’t want your inflatable team entrance blowing away in a sudden gust, do you?

How to Take Down Custom Inflatable Football Tunnels

Inspect Your Custom Inflatable

Conduct a thorough inspection. Make sure there are no loose foreign items left in or on the tunnel. This includes the stakes, flagging, and weight bags. If need be, you could even sweep or vacuum the custom entrance.

You should also confirm that everybody is clear from the inflatable before you deflate it.

Turn Off the Blower

Next, turn off the blower and disconnect it from the inflatable entrance. You can then open all the velcro/zipper flaps and vents to allow air to escape.

Deflation can take anywhere from 10–20 minutes, depending on the size of your inflatable team entrance.

Inflatable Tunnel Style Tent
Image courtesy

Fold Your Inflatable

Fold the sides of the inflatable 2–3 feet towards the middle from the bottom seams. Be sure to tuck all the colorful designs inside the folds.

Continue folding until the layers overlap, leaving a 2–3 foot fold. Tuck in any extra material, but be sure to leave the ports out to allow air to escape as you fold.

You can also “walk the air out” by walking on the tunnel, pushing any trapped air out through the blower tube.

Roll the Football Tunnel

Tuck in the strap or rope you’ll use to tie the inflatable at the point where the roll is to end. This will spare you from having to lift the entire inflatable to tie it off in the end.

Begin rolling from the farthest point from the blower port to force even more air out. Keep the roll as tight as possible and lined up. A loosely rolled tunnel is harder to move and pack, so take your time and get it right.

Tie-Off and Pack Your Inflatable

Tuck in the blower ports and tie off your football tunnel with a rope or strap. Then tuck in the hoses and any extra material.

To pack your inflatable, place it in an upright position and pull the bag over it from the top down. Rotate the bag to an upright position for transportation.

Safety Guidelines When Using Inflatable Football Tunnels

Custom Inflatable Football Helmet
Custom Inflatables for Drive-In and Drive-Thru Events in 2021

Proper safety standards are to be maintained when using custom inflatable tunnels. And although there are no concrete government-approved safety precautions, here are a few you should observe:

Inflatable Football Tunnels: Safety Guide
Keep Sharp Objects Away	Custom inflatables are filled with pressurized air. Keep them away from sharp or abrasive materials, and avoid using tight bindings to secure them.
Avoid Excess Pressure on the Tunnels	Don’t exert too much pressure on your inflatable sports tunnels. Stick to what the manufacturer prescribes in terms of maximum weight and pressure limits.
Use Only With Adult Supervision	When using an inflatable entrance in the vicinity of children, such as at a little league event, keep a close eye on them. Inflatables attract a lot of attention and should be attended at all times.
Get the Relevant Permits	You need permission to use sports tunnels in public spaces. You also need permission from the relevant authorities for any logo usage, branding, and ads.
Maintain a Steady Airflow	Keep an eye on the air pressure, especially when filling your tunnel. Overfilling the inflatable could result in accidental bursting, posing a health risk.

Note: Avoid unfavorable weather conditions when using inflatable tunnels.

Strong winds (exceeding 20mph) may blow your inflatable away, causing damage. Rain can irrevocably damage your inflatable. Excessive heat can damage the PVC and soft rubber exteriors of inflatables.

Finally, keep chemicals, fire hazards, and animals away from your inflatable tunnel.

FAQs

Q. Do I need to inflate the football tunnel constantly?
A. No. That depends on the type of inflatable tunnel you have. At MVP Visuals, we offer two kinds of inflatables:

A sealed-air inflatable that requires inflation only once, and;
A constant-air inflatable that needs continuous airflow to work.

Q. Can I brand my custom inflatable tunnel?

A.Yes. At MVP Visuals, we appreciate that entrance tunnels offer unique branding and advertising opportunities. This is why we use the latest printing technology to bring your team’s and affiliate logos and colors to life.

Q. Can I customize an inflatable sports tunnel?

A. Yes. MVP Visuals is anything but a one-size-fits-all manufacturer. Our inflatable tunnels come in custom shapes, sizes, and colors.

You can get everything from a simple tunnel design with your team’s logo to a giant mascot replica. You could even have the entrance styled to look like your team’s helmet.

Get the VIP Treatment

Making a statement at a sporting event has never been easier. The fully customizable inflatable football tunnels from MVP Visuals take custom sport tunnels to a whole new level.

At MVP Visuals, you don't just get custom football tunnels you’ll love; you also get MVP-level service—whether you’re an NFL team representative or a pee-wee touch football team.

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With endless options and a team eager to please, the results speak for themselves

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