FALL 2021
2022 Event Calendar Life in the Front Office Podcast Symposium Recap Sports ETA Hall of Fame Inductees Sports ETA Honors Industry Leaders with Member Awards
National Headquarters 9624 Cincinnati Columbus Road, Suite 209 Cincinnati, OH 45241 Telephone (513) 281-3888 Website www.SportsETA.org Staff Alan (Al) R. Kidd, President & CEO Janis Ross, CMP, VP Events & Experiences Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement Michelle Wessels, Business Services Director Rebecca Myles, Sponsorship and Advertising Jennifer Stoll, Ph.D., STS, Research and Education Carol Courtney, Special Projects Coordinator Russ Yurk, Special Projects Coordinator
Letter From President and CEO.................................................... 1 Letter from the Chair ..................................................................... 2 Member Services News ............................................................. 3-4 2022 Event Calendar .................................................................. 7-8
Board of Directors Officers Chair: Michael Price, STS, CTA, Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority Vice Chair/Chair-Elect: Don Dukemineer, STS, CHSP, Director of Sports Development, Decatur Morgan County Tourism Secretary: Frank Lett, STS, Senior Associate Executive Director/Director of Sports Marketing, Visit Kingsport Treasurer: Ray Palmer, STS, President/CEO, Pensacola Sports Immediate Past Chair: Janis Burke, STS, Chief Executive Officer, Harris County - Houston Sports Authority
Life in the Front Office Podcast................................................ 9-10 Symposium Recap...................................................................13-18 Sports ETA Hall of Fame Inductees ........................................... 22 Sports ETA Honors Industry Leaders with Member Awards ................................................................. 23
Directors Ashleigh Bachert, STS, Vice President of Sales, Tulsa Sports Commission Derek Bombeck, STS, Sales Development Manager, Lincoln CVB John David, STS, COO, USA BMX Josh Dill, STS, Director of Sports & Events, Visit Frisco Jason Gewirtz, Editor and Publisher/SportsTravel, SportsTravel Magazine Pete Harvey, Director of Sports Development, Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission Gen Howard, STS, Senior Sales Manager, Louisville Tourism Matt Libber, Executive Director, Maryland SoccerPlex Brent Nelson, Sr. VP of Business Development, Greater Orlando Sports Commission Clay Partain, STS, Managing Director, Sports Salt Lake Scott Powers, STS, Executive Director, Experience Columbia SC Sports Daniel Rush, CMP, CASE, Vice President of Global Sports and Event Sales, MGM Resorts International Christine Strong Simmons, Senior Director of Sport Operations, USA Fencing Marissa Werner, STS, Director of Sports Milwaukee, Sports Milwaukee, Championed by VISIT Milwaukee Gray Williams, STS, Executive Director, Play Greenville NC J.D. Wood, STS, Director of Business Development and Events, Dallas Sports Commission
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Looking to share your expertise? Information-sharing is a founding principle of Sports ETA, and the industry knowledge among the Sports ETA membership lends itself to unprecedented expertise. Sports ETA encourages members to share information with your peers. Contact Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement, at Meagan@SportsETA.org to learn more about how you can contribute to a future edition of the Sports ETA Playbook. To include your news in the weekly Get in the Game eNews, send press releases and articles to info@sportseta.org. Distribution Date: Thursdays. Deadline for content: Wednesday at Noon ET before distribution date.
Letter From President and CEO With a big breath we are proud to have completed the first three of eight events we will produce during this fiscal year, ending June 30, 2022. The Birmingham Symposium, Women’s Summit, and Facilities Summit were completed at the end of October with the support of our great host, Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau. I am very proud of the great work and attention to detail by staff, vendors, and volunteers to stage this year’s Symposium – still under the cloak of COVID. In the couple weeks leading up to the event we lost nearly 35 event owners, several panel speakers, and numerous destination attendees due to health reasons. While the total number of attendees and event owners was lower than years past, we were thrilled with the quality of sports events and tourism professionals that were able to join us in Birmingham, Alabama. This year’s educational sessions were one for the books! Nearly every session was packed with interested participants and attendees had to pick and choose between sessions. We even launched a few new communities: Outdoor Sports Tourism, Parks & Rec, and College Towns. We changed things up in 2021, and we’re on the move to success. From our new touchless registration system, the simplicity of our daily health screening process, to holding three consecutive events in one location, four concurring education sessions and countless networking opportunities. Being together again, with cheerful faces and limited hugs, was incredibly soothing and collegial. There was a lot of great energy and enthusiasm all week. We are beyond grateful to all attendees, event sponsors, engaging keynote and education speakers as well as the many education and community group session emcees, the 2021 Sports ETA Symposium would not have been possible without all of you. Take a few minutes to look through the 2021 Symposium photo album -- it’s no secret, it was a fun, inspiring, and educational week! THINK BIG!
Al Kidd President and CEO
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Letter From Your Board Chair Networking = The action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. This is the definition Oxford Languages provides for what many of us experienced at Symposium, in Birmingham, AL. While it of course is accurate, it doesn’t seem to really capture what Symposium meant to our membership. It was much more than that, it was a reminder of why our association is so unique, and the people that make our industry special. That’s why we THANK YOU for choosing to attend, because you are the association. Without you there is no networking, no exchange of ideas and lessons learned, no fun stories of potentially haunted hotels, no ability to form relationships that lead to impactful change in our home markets. As I reflect on the week, here are a few of my favorite highlights. What were yours? • June 23, 2022 is the 50th anniversary of the enactment of Title IX. The breakout session discussing this important legislation has led our association to explore how we can provide opportunities across markets to honor and celebrate this important milestone. • Jackie Reau moderated one of the most impactful sessions I’ve heard as she helped navigate us through the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing and the effect it had on the civil rights movement, and the growth and change that occurred from this incredible tragedy. We can’t thank Dr. Martha Bouyer and Lisa McNair enough for educating us and sharing their impactful and meaningful perspective. • Future funding for destinations continues to be an important topic, especially as we slowly emerge from this ongoing crisis. It was evident by the incredible turnout for the session on tourism improvement districts, led by Roxanne Steinhoff - Civitas Advisors, Ray Hoyt - Tulsa Regional Tourism and David Attaway - Placer Valley Tourism. • We also launched new communities to provide opportunities for like members to exchange ideas and better support the industry and association. The College Town, Outdoor Rec, and Parks & Recreation Communities had plenty of interest and will officially be launched in 2022. While we didn’t come together in person as an association for 901 days, 2022 provides us multiple opportunities to come together. We encourage you to attend the Chief Executive Summit, 4S and of course the Sports ETA Symposium in Fort Worth, TX. Which is only 182 days away from our time together in Birmingham. Enjoy the holiday season and I look forward to “networking” with each of you at our Sports ETA events. All the best,
Mike Price, STS Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority Pure Michigan Sports Sports ETA Board Chair
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Member Services News & Updates We would like to thank all the organizations who have joined our growing list of members in 2021. Thank you for the privilege of serving you! Destinations
Rights Holder
Industry Partners
• ADRENALIN Sport Event Research • Beaufort Area Sports Council • Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Portal • Casper Area CVB Series • Alliance Reservations Network • DiscoverShelby • ASF Foundation, Inc. - Home of • EventPipe LLC. • Frankfort - Franklin County Tourist the Alabama State Games • Lasso Safe and Convention Commission • EnviroEvents, Inc. • Pinnacle Tourism Strategies • Kankakee County CVB • Golden Gloves of America • Successful Sporting Events • Kentucky Lake CVB • KBC Hoops • TeamSnap • Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau • National Baseball Congress • US Sports Club Insurance • Louisiana’s River Parishes Tourist • Royal Ringball Commission • Select Events Basketball • MIDFLORIDA Event Center Membership Chart • Oneida County Tourism 665 TOTAL • Sportsplex - Gulfport, MS (as of 12/1/2021) • Tampa Bay Sports Commission • TBK Bank Sports Complex 467 Destinations • The Bridge Sports Complex • Visit Madisonville 133 • Visit Mansfield Rights Holders • Visit ShelbyKy • Visit Vicksburg 70 • VisitHattiesburg Industry Partners
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It’s That Time of Year Again –
Renew Your Membership for 2022 All of us here at Sports ETA thank you for your membership this past year! Without your loyalty and support, we would not be able to continue to grow, evolve, or provide quality business development and educational opportunities to you, our members. A few years ago, we coined the term “EARN” to define the work of our association: Education, Advocacy, Resources, and Networking. As you know, all of these pillars have been re-imagined and activated through the pandemic. Take a look at the programs and services implemented for the sports events and tourism industry. As a reminder, 2022 membership dues will be increased at the following levels based on the outcome of an extensive membership dues review conducted by your Sports ETA Board of Directors. • Destinations – $1,195/organization • Industry Partners - $1,195/organization • Rights Holders - $250/organization Help us continue the momentum and sustainability of your association. For more information on the membership dues increase review click here.
MEMBERS 2021 memberships are valid through December 31, 2021. We encourage you to continue taking full advantage of the benefits and resources available to you and your organization as a Sports ETA member by renewing today. You can renew your membership one of three easy ways: 1. Pay online - Click here, then select your name from the drop-down menu, add 2022 dues to your shopping cart, and proceed to the final checkout stage. 2. Mail payment - Click here, then select your name from the drop-down menu, add 2022 dues to your shopping cart, and proceed to the final checkout stage. Print invoice, and mail to the address listed. 3. Call our member services department at 513-281-3888. We are thankful for your ongoing commitment and support, and hope that you will continue your membership with us in 2022. Questions? Contact us at info@sportseta.org.
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unlimited
water breaks The brand new Sports Center boasts 285,000 square feet, 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, 200 meter hydraulically banked track and seating for 5,000 screaming fans. Awaken to a sunrise over the ocean, and walk or bike to a tournament at the Sports Center. Take in any number of outdoor adventure and unique dining experiences just blocks away — now this is what we call a sportscation.
DANI TIMM, CSEE
BILL KELLY, CSEE
SPORTS MARKETING NATIONAL SALES MANAGER DTIMM@VISITVIRGINIABEACH.COM 757-373-6804
SPORTS MARKETING SALES MANAGER WJKELLY@VISITVIRGINIABEACH.COM 757-385-6651
VBsports.com VBCVB_0048_WaterBreaks-Basketball_SportsETA_October21_8.5x11.indd 1
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Other Myrtle Beach area sports facilities include: •
Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium and Ashley Booth Field featuring an NCAA-certified lighted track, Daktronics video board, a FieldTurf field, and press box and concessions.
•
Grand Park Athletic Complex featuring nine lighted multi-purpose FieldTurf fields, two natural-turf youth
the perfect
fields, a six-lane batting tunnel, complimentary live streaming, free parking and more, all just 1 mile from
place to
the Atlantic Ocean. •
play
Myrtle Beach Convention Center with 100,800 square feet of exhibit space, 250,000 total square feet of flexible space, a 17,000-square-foot ballroom and more.
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The Ripken Experience Myrtle Beach with nine lighted, state-of-the-art, historic replicated pro FieldTurf fields, scoreboards, batting cages and more.
•
TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark, which plays home to the Chicago Cubs’ Low-A Affiliate Myrtle Beach Pelicans, has 5,200 fixed seats, nine luxury suites, two clubhouses and was voted one of the top 10 minor league baseball stadium experiences for five straight years.
etownsports.com
Last but not least, the Myrtle Beach Bowl returns for the second straight year to Brooks Stadium, home of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. The annual matchup of teams from the Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference and the Sun Belt Conference will kick off at 2:30 p.m. EST on December 20.
Connect with Jonathan Paris today to book your sporting event! 618-365-5231 jonathan.paris@visitmyrtlebeach.com visitmyrtlebeach.com
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2022 Event Calendar January 26-27
Registration is open for all 2022 events. Reserve your spot now!
March 1-3
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March 30 April 1
Sports EIC
May 2-5
October 25-27
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Life in the Front Office Podcasts In Case You Missed It….. Earlier this year, we partnered with Life in the Front Office to bring you a short podcast series on various industry topics. If you didn’t have a chance to check them out, now’s the time! All seven episodes are available below:
EPISODE
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EPISODE
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Hosting An NFL Draft:
Ryan Vaughn, President, Indy Sports Corp, and Eric Neuburger, Stadium Director, Lucas Oil Stadium. Click here to listen.
David Gilbert, President & CEO, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Aubrey Walton, Director, Event Location Strategy & Planning, NFL Events. Click here to listen.
Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
The Madness of March Madness:
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EPISODE
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Preparing for Tokyo: Craig Cress, Executive Director, USA Softball, Kate Reisinger, Director of Sports Performance, USA Fencing, and Adam Andrasko, CEO, USA Artistic Swimming. Click here to listen.
EPISODE
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Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
FIFA World Cup Bid Process: Jason Siegel, President & Chief Executive Officer, Greater Orlando Sports Commission, Terry Hasseltine, Executive Director, Maryland Sports, Monica Paul, Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission, and Jackie Reau, Committee Member, 2026 Cincy Local Organizing Committee - FIFA World Cup 2026. Click here to listen.
EPISODE
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Paralympics Team USA: Julie Dussliere, Chief of Paralympic Sport, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and Will Waller, CEO, National Wheelchair Basketball Association. Click here to listen.
EPISODE
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The National Senior Games 2022 with CEO, Marc Riker. Click here to listen.
EPISODE
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The Future of HIgh School Sports with Mark Koski, CMO, NFHS. Click here to listen.
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It’s All Hands on Deck in Mobile, Alabama. We take an “All Hands on Deck” approach to deliver an unforgettable visitor experience while hosting first-class sporting events. Let us do the work while you enjoy your stay in historic Mobile, Alabama. Whether it be a day touring the famous USS Alabama Battleship, enjoying a day at Bellingrath Gardens, or a day at the beach...the Port City is the place to play year round!
7,500 HOTEL ROOMS FACILITIES FOR EVERY SPORT 60 MILES OF BEACHES
CONWAY
SPRINGDALE
MOBILESPORTSAUTHORITY.COM
Successful tournaments and sporting events are right at home in The Natural State.
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ARKANSAS.COM/SPORTS
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Birmingham Shines as Sports ETA Symposium Host Sports ETA members who gathered in person for the first time since 2019 at the annual Symposium hosted in Birmingham, Alabama were treated to southern hospitality, innovative education sessions, and numerous networking opportunities. From October 25-28, more than 700 sports events and tourism industry professionals gathered to hear keynote presentations by Civil Rights Activists Dr. Martha Bouyer and Lisa McNair, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and Erik Moses, President of Nashville Superspeedway, among many others.
Numerous education programs were offered including the Sports ETA Women’s Summit and the Sports ETA Facilities Summit along with programs focusing on innovation, diversity and inclusion, new revenue models, and new event development.
NEW IDEAS
The Women’s Summit featured a full-day of interactive sessions and panel discussions with the following speakers: • • • • • •
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Missy Betres, ESPN Tiffany Daniels, Southeastern Conference Kay Donaldson, Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series Linda Logan, Greater Columbus Sports Commission Christy Thomas, MILO Teas Stacy Vasquez, formerly of Wounded Warriors
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Sports events and tourism industry leaders convened from around the country in Birmingham for the Symposium designed to connect destinations to event rights holders for new business opportunities,” said Al Kidd, President and CEO of Sports ETA. “Birmingham was the perfect host for our largest annual event for our membership.”
NETWORKING
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Education Programs Offer Expertise in Sports Events & Tourism Thank you to the industry leaders who shared their expertise during the Sports ETA Symposium in the following education programs: RFPs, Partnerships, and Evaluation, Oh my! The road to advocating for your sports market brand through the event life cycle • Don Dukemineer, STS, CHSP - Decatur Morgan County Tourism • Tonia Whatley - Greater Birmingham CVB • Melissa Thompson - Indiana Sports Corp • Brent Nelson - Greater Orlando Sports Commission
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Moving into Sustainability: Tips, Tricks and Case Studies to leverage the Event Impact Calculator in your destination • Chris Pike - Tourism Economics • Gen Howard - Louisville Tourism • Josh Dill - Visit Frisco
GUIDANCE
Past, Present, and Future: Approaching 50 Years of Title IX • Linda Logan, STS - Greater Columbus Sports Commission • Gray W. Williams, STS - Play Greenville NC • Carol Stiff, retired from ESPN College Women’s Basketball Programming
It Takes a State: Globe Trotting with the World Games 2022 • Jay Kasten - The World Games 2022 • Nick Sellers - The World Games 2022 • Jonathan Porter - The World Games 2022 • David Galbaugh - Greater Birmingham CVB
Tourism Improvement Districts: More Funding for Sports Tourism • Roxanne Steinhoff - Civitas Advisors • Ray Hoyt - Tulsa Regional Tourism • David Attaway - Placer Valley Tourism
Rev Up the Engines: Industry Power Panel • Greg Pepitone - Tourism Economics • Michael Shepard - IHG • David Gilbert - Greater Cleveland Sports Commission • Jason Siegel - Greater Orlando Sports Commission • Josh Dill - Visit Frisco • Al Kidd - Sports ETA
Rolling into the Future: The Changing Landscape of Events and How to Position Industry Partners for Greater Success • Connor Shane - USA Racquetball • Molly Simons - NJCAA • Hank Pivarnik - EventConnect • Daniel Rush - MGM Resorts
Uh Oh! Here Comes the P.C. Police: A Discussion on the Value of Inclusive Language • Dr. Michelle Allen - University of Alabama Birmingham • Katreshia L. Verett, JD - University of Alabama Birmingham Athletics
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Three New Community Groups Gather Three new community groups were introduced at the Symposium and they include: College and University Towns, Outdoor Recreation Tourism, and Parks & Recreation. Each group met on the final day of Symposium to discuss key issues for future meetings and share best practices.
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“Sports ETA always does a fantastic job presenting relevant and dynamic education sessions,” said Suzanne Cecil, HBC Event Services. “This week’s program was no different and I’m leaving Symposium with more resources to help my partners in the future!”
College and University Towns Moderated by Mike Price - Greater Lansing Sports Authority The mission of the College and University Towns is to explore the development of a Community Group dedicated to the unique trends and challenges faced by members working in college or university towns, regardless of size. Overheard at the meeting… College and university towns are diverse in size and facilities. As we know, the town could have a Division I large state university, a small Division III college, a junior college, or more. This Community Group will help destinations navigate NCAA, NAIA and others rules as changes are made. One challenge is just waiting for schools’ schedules. Most schedules are released just before the season starts so it’s hard to know what facilities are available. Regular meetings with school athletic officials could help keep communications open because it is a partnership involving facilities, visitors and hotels. Also, don’t forget college club sports. These clubs also have championships and can bring in participants and families from across the region and in some cases, across the nation.
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“Education is always one of my top highlights at Symposium. It was rejuvenating to spend the week sharing best practices and learning with and from my industry colleges,” said Jerrine Lee, Sports Richmond, VA. “This piece is truly what makes the sports events and tourism industry so strong.” Outdoor Recreation Tourism
Parks & Recreation
Moderated by Clay Partain, STS - Visit Salt Lake
Moderated by J.D. Wood, STS - Dallas Sports Commission
This group will serve as a Community Group dedicated to the unique trends and challenges faced by members working in facets of outdoor recreation and tourism, from running or biking events, fishing or kayaking events, or everything in between. Overheard at the meeting… Outdoor recreation tourism is a new community group that will focus on hiking, camping, sailing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, orienteering, rock climbing, kayaking, among a growing list of other activities. By using outdoor resources that are already established (think: national and state parks), outdoor rec can serve as a low-cost tourism driver, capitalizing on visitors and growing the outdoor recreation impact. It’s important to find local champions of a sport—for example, mountain biking. Utah High School Mountain Biking Association became partners with Salt Lake for events to bring in activities that drew participants from across the state. These sports have passionate followers and can help grow the sport and, in turn, bring in more visitors to participate.
The Community Group is dedicated to the unique trends and challenges faced by members working in facets of parks & recreation. Overheard at the meeting… Parks and recreation tourism is becoming a growing component of overall sports tourism activity. Parks and recreation departments are increasingly working more with sports commissions and event rights holders, as more people are using outdoor public facilities for sports. In turn, parks and rec is looking for more representation on sports tourism boards and committees to keep communication channels open. Some local parks and rec groups are working together on the local level to share information and facilities to grow sports tourism. That cooperation should increase from parks and rec groups to local sports organizations to share resources and fields. Often, parks and rec organizations are hesitant to have out-of-town groups use the local facilities so they don’t create concerns for their local residents. Education is needed to show that both sides can benefit—more sports events can come to the region and increase sports tourism, while parks and rec organizations can add new revenue streams by leasing their fields for a fee. The best way to grow events is to open the channels of communication between sports commissions and local parks and rec. Many CVBs and sports commissions have dozens of park and recreation jurisdictions in their area. Starting at a grassroots level to build relationships and explain the benefits of partnering with event organizers can lead to a growth in programming.
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Salt Lake: The Perfect Destination to Host Year-Round Sporting Events. On top of being a dynamic city known for its entertainment, unique attractions and eclectic dining, Salt Lake is also the ideal location for sporting events. It’s poised to accommodate sporting events of all levels all year long, so fans of every sport can get a taste of Salt Lake culture while rooting for their favorite teams. Salt Lake is home to over one million residents. Surrounded by the Wasatch Mountains, this modern metropolis is the region’s hub for commerce, transportation, medical services, research, higher education and cultural attractions. The downtown convention district features over 200 restaurants, cafes, brewpubs and bars. A fare-free light rail line runs through the entire convention district, so visitors can easily explore the shopping mails, art and history museums, theaters and planetariums. The Historic Temple Square offers admission-free cultural attractions. There’s truly something for everyone to enjoy in this vibrant destination buzzing with activity. Salt Lake is proud to be not only the home of a thriving sports community, but also home to a myriad of incredible sports facilities for all age groups. There are amenities for traditional team sports that everyone knows and loves, like basketball, soccer and volleyball. The city also has venues to showcase equestrian events, winter sports, martial arts and combat sports. The Regional Athletic Complex is a new facility located in close proximity to Salt Lake City International Airport making it an easy stop. Speaking of our airport, it’s a Delta hub that services all major American cities with direct flights available every day. So traveling to a sporting event in Salt Lake is just a flight away. Salt Lake is certainly no stranger to sporting events. After hosting the Olympics, Salt Lake became an Olympic Legacy location. The community has dedicated themselves to maintaining and hosting some of the best ice skating, ice hockey and winter sports training facilities in the nation. Other cities may have facilities that lie dormant after the Olympics, but the Olympic Legacy is strong in Salt Lake. From the Utah Olympic Park to the Utah Olympic Oval, it’s clear the Olympic spirit continues to thrive.
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Salt Lake has its very own full-service sports division that ensures every sporting event is an absolute success. Sports Salt Lake partners with event planners and rights’ holders to create the most seamless planning experience possible. The team develops bid packages, partners with local clubs, executes powerful presentations and more, all to earn your business. Once you decide to let Sports Salt Lake take the lead, they’ll provide a full range of support services to bring your event to life. The team will provide logistical and promotional support, assistance in securing event volunteers, presenting community awareness campaigns and anything else you may need.
Salt Lake has everything you’re looking for to create the perfect sporting event. For every sport, every age level and every season, there’s no better destination than the vibrant city of Salt Lake. Start planning your next sporting event at vistsaltlake.com/sports.
Connect with Clay Partain today at 801-534-4923 or email him at cpartain@visitsaltlake.com and see how we can make Salt Lake the place for your sporting event.
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Future Host Cities Announced for the
Hosted by Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau
30
th
Annual
31
st
Annual
April 23-25, 2024 Portland, Oregon
Photo courtesy of Alan Villegas on Unsplash
Hosted by Travel Portland and Sport Oregon
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May 8-11, 2023 Kansas City, MO Hosted by Visit KC and the Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation
Photo courtesy of Jim Harris on Unsplash
May 2-5, 2022 Fort Worth, TX
nd
Annual
33
rd
Annual
April 15-17, 2025 Tulsa, Oklahoma Hosted by Tulsa Sports Commission
Take Your Next Sports Event to World Equestrian Center – Ocala Multiple venues, including two expansive Expo Centers accommodate a variety of competitions and events, including basketball, cheerleading, volleyball, martial arts and more. This venue is easily accessible by air travel, with Ocala International Airport less than 10 minutes away. World Equestrian Center – Ocala is also in close proximity to Gainesville Airport and less than a 2-hour drive to Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville airports.
LEARN MORE: ocala.wec.net/sports|352.414.7849 Rodney Gutierrez Director of Sales
Ocala’s municipal scene offers a thriving arts scene, excellent restaurants and a cultured historical district surrounded by rolling hills, majestic oaks and pristine national parks
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The Equestrian Hotel is the pinnacle of luxury living, featuring 248 suites, three dining options, fitness center, day spa and numerous other amenities.
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More than 250,000 square feet of flexible indoor space is available between two climate-controlled Expo Centers.
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Denny Gann and Mike Millay inducted into the Sports ETA Hall of Fame Denny Gann, the longtime executive director of the Sioux City Convention Center, Tourism Bureau and Siouxland Sports Authority, and Mike Millay, the longtime executive at the ESPN Wide World of Sport Complex, were inducted into the Sports ETA Hall of Fame at the Symposium.
The Sports ETA Hall of Fame was established in 2017 to honor those who have played a vital role in the success and promotion of the Sports Events Tourism Association and have contributed significantly to the advancement of the sports events and tourism industry. Gann attended the University of South Dakota and served as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1969-1979. He began his career as the City Manager for the cities of Neligh, Tilden and South Sioux City in Nebraska, and also served as a commercial real estate developer in Sioux City. While serving as executive director of the Sioux City Convention Center, Tourism Bureau and Siouxland Sports Authority, Gann created the first sports commission in Iowa and helped consult with Des Moines and Cedar Rapids in forming their initial sports authorities. Throughout his career, Gann has been actively involved in Sports ETA, formerly known as the National Association of Sports Commissions, where he served as President and on the sub-committee that hired the first executive director.
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Since his retirement from the ESPN Wide World of Sports, Millay is actively involved in three sports-related businesses in sports tourism industry, where he serves as the Managing Partner of Clancy’s Sports, a strategic planning company working with municipalities and facilities around the country. He is also a partner at 3D Institute, an online coaching education platform serving coaches and administrators, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, he serves as a partner with EngageMint Partners, a Customer Experience Design firm serving collegiate and pro sports organizations. He earned a bachelor’s degree from LSU and a master’s in sports administration from Ohio University.
Sports ETA Honors Industry Leaders with Member Awards Annual Member awards were presented to industry leaders at the Symposium. The eight award honorees included: Ariana Tyler, STS, Senior Business Development Manager, Greater Columbus Sports Commission, was honored as Young Professional of the Year.
Luchie Javelosa, STS, Director of Tucson Sports, Visit Tucson, was honored as Young Professional of the Year.
Frank Lett, STS, Senior Associate Executive Director, Director of Sports Marketing, Visit Kingsport, was honored as the Trailblazer of the Year.
Bonny Bernat, STS, Senior Sports and Events Sales Manager, Visit Winston-Salem, was honored as Woman of the Year.
Adam Andrasko, CEO of USA Artistic Swimming, was honored as Rights Holder of the Year.
John David, STS, CEO of USA BMX, was honored as Rights Holder of the Year.
LEADER
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From the facilities to the location, Myrtle Beach is the perfect spot to host the biggest sports events. The Myrtle Beach area continues to be a lead destination within the regional and national sports tourism event industry. Combining our picturesque beach location, hotels and attractions with our world-class venues, the future remains bright for continued growth in sports tourism. The John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center opened in March 2015. This $12.4 million facility boasts over 100,000 square feet of event space, with the ability to host court sports including gymnastics, wrestling, pickleball, table tennis plus other sports group events. The venue can also host trade shows. The sports facility includes team rooms, an elevated mezzanine and an indoor/outdoor cafe. With eight basketball courts, 16 volleyball courts, a large multi-screen video wall and the ability to seat up to 2,000 spectators on telescopic bleachers, it’s the perfect place to play on The Beach.
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Other Myrtle Beach area sports facilities include: •
Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium and Ashley Booth Field featuring an NCAA-certified lighted track, Daktronics video board, a FieldTurf field, and press
•
box and Otherconcessions. Myrtle Beach area sports facilities include: Grand Park Athletic Complex featuring nine lighted • Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium and Ashley Booth Field featuring NCAA-certified lighted track, multi-purpose FieldTurfanfields, two natural-turf youth Daktronicsbatting video board, a FieldTurf field, and press fields, a six-lane tunnel, complimentary live box and concessions.
streaming, free parking and more, all just 1 mile from •
Grand Park Athletic Complex featuring nine lighted
the Atlantic Ocean. •
multi-purpose FieldTurf fields, two natural-turf youth
Myrtle Beach Convention Center with 100,800 square fields, a six-lane batting tunnel, complimentary live feet of exhibit space, 250,000 total square feet of streaming, free parking and more, all just 1 mile from the Atlantic Ocean. flexible space, a 17,000-square-foot ballroom • Myrtle Beach Convention Center with 100,800 square and more.
•
feet of exhibit space, 250,000 total square feet of
The Ripken Experience Myrtle Beach with nine
flexible space, a 17,000-square-foot ballroom
lighted, state-of-the-art, historic replicated pro and more.
FieldTurf fields, scoreboards, batting cages • The Ripken Experience Myrtle Beach with nine and more. lighted, state-of-the-art, historic replicated pro •
FieldTurf fields, scoreboards, batting cages TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark, which and more. plays home to the Chicago Cubs’ Low-A Affiliate •
TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark, which
Myrtle Beach Pelicans, has 5,200 fixed seats, nine
plays home to the Chicago Cubs’ Low-A Affiliate
luxury suites, two clubhouses and was voted one
Myrtle Beach Pelicans, has 5,200 fixed seats, nine
of the top 10 minor league baseball luxury suites, two clubhouses andstadium was voted one experiences five straight years. of thefor top 10 minor league baseball stadium experiences for five straight years.
Last but not least, the Myrtle Last but not least, the Myrtle
Beach Bowl returns for the
Beach Bowl returns for the
second straight year to Brooks
second straight year to Brooks
Stadium, of the Coastal Stadium, home home of the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. The Carolina Chanticleers. The annual matchup of teams annual matchup of teams from from the Conference USA, the USA, the the Conference Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
and the Sun Belt Conference
and the Sun Belt Conference
will kick off at 2:30 p.m. EST on
will kick December 20. off at 2:30 p.m. EST on December 20.
Connect with Jonathan Paris today to book your sporting event! 618-365-5231
Connect with Jonathan Paris today to book your sporting event! jonathan.paris@visitmyrtlebeach.com 618-365-5231 visitmyrtlebeach.com jonathan.paris@visitmyrtlebeach.com visitmyrtlebeach.com
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Thanks to our sponsors Opening Party – 2021 Host
Closing Luncheon – 2022 Host
SPORTS COMMISSION
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Opening Breakfast
Closing Party
MVP Reception
Registration and Member Services
Power Panel
Name Badges
Keynote Luncheon
Wi-Fi
Extra Innings
Education Sessions
Marketplace
Fun & Games Zone
DJ & Daily Entertainment
Transportation
Happy Hour in the Marketplace
Event Owner Breakfast
Event Owner Headshots
Event Owner Amenities
Espresso Bar
Hotel Room Key
Event Owner Locker Room
EventConnect –
Northstar – Research Partner
Technology Showcase
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