NASC Playbook
Photo Courtesy Grand Park Sports Campus
Spring 2019
Score BIG with Sports Tourism Events
Bring your next event to St. Joseph, MO and make some unforgettable memories
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WE’VE GOT THE SPACE ... YOU BRING THE GAME. With state-of-the-art facilities, great restaurants and a variety of accommodation options, St. Joseph is the perfect setting for your next sporting event. Away from the action, you can enjoy the history of our city at one of our 13 unique museums. Add in great shopping, a historic home tour and a friendly hometown atmosphere, and this is one trip your group is sure to enjoy. St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau Contact: Lindsay Bernard LBernard@StJoMo.com 800-785-0360 | www.StJoSports.com @StJoMo on Facebook and Twitter Sports Events and Tourism
Contents Letter From President and CEO....................... 1-2
National Headquarters
Letter from the Chair-Elect..................................... 2
9916 Carver Road, Suite 100 Cincinnati, OH 45242
4S and Chief Executive Summit ......................... 4
Telephone/Fax (513) 281-3888/(513) 281-1765
Member Services News .......................................... 5
Website www.SportsCommissions.org
What Kind of Leader Do You Want To Be ..... 6 Sports Facilities Summit .......................................... 8
Team Alan (Al) R. Kidd, President & CEO Elizabeth Young, Vice President Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement Madison Fante, Member Services Coordinator Michelle Wessels, Meetings and Events Manager Rebecca Myles, Sponsorship and Advertising Jennifer Stoll, PhD, CSEE, Research and Education
Board of Directors
On Motivating Your Employees ........................ 7-8 Why Rebrand the NASC .......................................... 11 That Aha Moment ..................................................... 13 12 Questions for CVBs and Sports Commissions ............................................................... 14 Symposium Education Track Line-Up .... 15-16
Officers Chair: Kindra Fry, CSEE, SMP, President/CEO, Bryan College Station Sports + Events Vice Chair/Chair-Elect: Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE, Chief Executive Officer, Harris County - Houston Sports Authority Treasurer: Michael Price, CSEE, Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority Secretary: Janis Ross, CSEE, Executive Director, Eugene Cascades & Coast Immediate Past Chair: Ralph Morton, Seattle Sports Commission
Salt Lake City 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know ........................................................... 17-18 Staying Competitive On and Off the Sports Field ........................................................... 21-22
Directors Derek Bombeck, CSEE, Sales Development Manager, Lincoln CVB John David, CSEE, COO, USA BMX Josh Dill, CSEE, Director of Sports & Events, Visit Frisco Don Dukemineer, CSEE, Deputy Director of Sports Tourism, Foley Sports Tourism Matt Dunn, CSEE, Executive Director, Palm Coast and The Flagler Beaches Pete Harvey, Director of Sports Development, Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission Jim Hilb, CSEE, Associated Premium Corporation William Knox, CSEE, Director, Grand Park Frank Lett, CSEE, Senior Associate Executive Director/Director of Sports Marketing, Visit Kingsport Brent Nelson, Sr. VP of Business Development, Central Florida Sports Commission Kathy Nelson, President/CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission Ray Palmer, CSEE, President/CEO, Pensacola Sports Hank Pivarnik, CSEE, Director of Sports Sales, Hilton Worldwide Christine Simmons, Senior Director of Operations, USA Fencing Marissa Werner, CSEE, Senior Sports & Entertainment Manager, VISIT Milwaukee
LOOKING TO SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE? Information-sharing is a founding principle of the NASC, and the industry knowledge among the NASC membership lends itself to unprecedented expertise. The NASC encourages members to share information with your peers. Contact Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement, at Meagan@SportsCommissions. org to learn more about how you can contribute to a future edition of The NASC Playbook. To include your news in the weekly Get in the Game eNews, send press releases and articles to info@sportscommissions.org.
www.SportsCommissions.org
Letter From President and CEO From The Clubhouse Registration for the 2019 Symposium is tracking on pace with our recordsetting 2018 Symposium. If you haven’t registered yet – don’t wait! We are launching our Sports Facilities Summit on Monday, May 6 in Knoxville, just prior to the Symposium kicking off. Geared toward facility managers and destinations who want to be more informed about facility development, this special interest summit is the first of many tailored educational events we will be rolling out in next 18-24 months. The event is open to members and non-members. We encourage all destinations to share details about this one-of-a-kind opportunity with facilities in your community.
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This event would not be possible without the tireless efforts of the Sports Facilities ad-hoc committee, including: • Michael Grade, VP of Sports Operations, Atlanta Sports City • Ben Huffman, CSEE, Director of Sports Enterprises, Warren County CVB • William Knox, CSEE, Director, Grand Park Sports Campus • Mike Millay, Managing Partner, Clancy’s Sports Properties, LLC The second annual Women’s Summit, in partnership with the NCAA, will take place in advance of the Women’s Final Four in Tampa, FL, April 3 - 5. More than 55 attendees are already registered, and our room block is full. Claire Lessinger from the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and Meredith Scerba from the University of South Florida have done an outstanding job arranging for local speakers and assisting with event logistics. The intimate format will encourage audience participation and an opportunity to build meaningful relationships Thank you to our sponsors, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, Snohomish County Sports Commission and the Florida Sports Foundation.
Front Office Musings The bylaws ad-hoc committee wrapped up its work reviewing our bylaws. In accordance with our bylaws, members must submit their amendments to the Chairperson, Kindra Fry, 60-days prior to the Symposium for consideration by the membership. The branding ad-hoc committee, with the addition of Scott Powers from Experience Columbia SC Sports and Bill Frederick from FanBrandz, are putting the finishing touches on the presentation to the members. A detailed overview of the strategy will be available to the membership to review
and comment on for a 30-day period. From there, the team will review the input and make a final recommendation to the board. The presentation of the branding work will take place at the Symposium.
On The Road One of the best parts of my job is to visit our members and see firsthand some of the great work they are doing. These past few weeks, I have once again jumped on the milk truck to deliver the new strategy we are embarking upon, as well as visit with and listen to our members. My first stop of 2019 was PA Sports in State College, PA. Ron Sertz, Mark Jeanneret, Amy Capcara, and the team are in the process of building a coordinated marketing and promotion plan for the state of Pennsylvania, delivering consistent messages that fit their members and the assets they have in the state. My next stop was the first VA Sports Summit. Joni Johnson and Wes Hall invited me to the two-day affair to share our new strategy, updates from our bylaws and branding committees, and our new initiatives for 2019. Wes Hall and his team did an excellent job of organizing a strong list of speakers, educational content for CEUs, sponsors and exhibitors in a comfortable paced program to network and learn. Congrats to both state groups on a job well done. From there, I traveled to Kansas City to attend their 25th Anniversary WIN for KC recognition luncheon. Over 2,000 attendees were entertained, educated, and witnessed the impressive impact this premier Women’s initiative has had for the entire community. The only drawback was not having tissues on the tables to dab away all the tears that flowed freely in the audience after watching the compelling video tributes for the six recipients. What a perfect example of return on mission work that is a part of the community fiber and leads to return on investment opportunities. More communities need to follow suit and convince their funding sources the correlated value of ROM to ROI. Lastly, I attended the 2019 Destinations International Partnership meeting in Washington DC. There were 40 organizations in attendance. The day and a half meeting provided an outstanding opportunity for us to network with the leadership from some of the most influential tourism and tourism support organizations in the country. We continue our talks with Destinations International, Meeting Planners International and International Association of Venue Managers on collaborative education programs. We spent
Sports Events and Tourism
time with several research organizations who supply on-going and custom research across the entire tourism, travel and hospitality value chain. Lastly, we had discussions with potential partners to establish a more formal approach to Diversity and Inclusion.
Letter from the Chair-Elect
Out of Left Field Look for the launch of two new research and resourceoriented tools during the first quarter of 2019: The Pulse, a short survey on industry trends, and The Vault, a robust, multi-tiered tool box for sports events and tourism industry professionals. Mike Price is leading the charge into national advocacy programs. We are looking to move into a leadership position on key national initiatives that impact your work. We will share more details as our advocacy initiatives develop.
Unique Factoids About Sports • 23 new members have joined the NASC since January 1, 2019. • 153 NASC members subscribe to the Destinations International Event Impact Calculator. • Viewership ratings for SB LIII were reported down. However, they do not account for streaming and non-network viewers. • International travel to the US increased slightly in 2018, but below the global average increase – causing some concern on the US maintaining increased incoming international travel, according to Adam Sacks, Tourism Economics. • China visits were flat last year, Germany down 7% and South Korea down 3%. • The Tampa Bay Rays Tropicana Field will become the first cash-free sports venue in North America at the start of the 2019 season. THINK BIG!
Al Kidd President & CEO National Association of Sports Commissions
Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE CEO, Harris County – Houston Sports Authority In-Coming Chair, NASC
Your talents are needed! Please accept this invitation to become a volunteer committee member and make a difference for your association. This year, the opportunities to serve are building upon the great work done by our 2018/2019 committee members. The committee chairs focused on producing impactful results while being mindful of the members time. Will you take a moment to look at the volunteer committee opportunities and jump on board in the area that interests you most to help us deliver on the 2019/2020 vision for our association? We strongly encourage you to consider getting involved with one of the committee opportunities available in the upcoming year. You can view a full list of committees at www.sportscommissions.org/about/committees. If you have never served on a committee before, you will find that this is a great way to give back to your association and build long-lasting relationships with peers in the industry. Your talents, passions, leadership and input are critical to the NASC, and it helps us to build effective, vibrant, inclusive and diverse committees. Every voice counts. The NASC is supported annually by more than 100 committed members who volunteer their time and resources for the association. Participating on a committee allows you to contribute to the decision-making that positions the NASC as THE resource for sports events and tourism professionals and the sports tourism industry.
www.SportsCommissions.org
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CHAMPIONSHIPS · 2016 & 2017 NAIA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S LACROSSE NATIONAL INVITATIONALS · 2015 USA CYCLING PROFESSIONAL CRITERIUM & TEAM TIME TRIAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ·
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Sports Events and Tourism
Registration Open for Fall Events
Chief Executive Summit
November 5-6, 2019 | Louisville, KY
The CE Summit equips Sports Events and Tourism CEOs with the tools necessary to advance the mission of your organization. CEOs of sports destinations and sports events are invited to learn from industry experts addressing highlevel topics including crisis management, board governance, office culture, and more. Participants will earn 2 credit hours toward CSEE certification or recertification.
Registration Member Rate: $499 Non-Member Rate: $699
4S Summit October 8-10, 2019 | Providence, RI The 4S’s of sports events and tourism: strategies, services, sales, and sponsorships, will be covered during general sessions, small group discussions, and off-site excursions. Takeaway key tools, resources, and best practices from your peers as well as experts in the sports events and tourism industry. This summit is an ideal learning opportunity for sports commission and DMO sales, services, events, and business development staff.
Who Should Attend • Presidents • CEOs • Executive Directors
Register Online www.sportscommissions.org/education/chief-executivesummit
Participants will earn 2 credit hours toward CSEE certification or recertification.
Registration Member Rate: $499 Non-Member Rate: $699
Who Should Attend • Sales/Business Development directors, managers, and coordinators • Event directors, managers, and coordinators • Service directors, managers, and coordinators • Sponsorship directors, managers, and coordinators
Register Online www.sportscommissions.org/education/4s-summit
www.SportsCommissions.org
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Member Services News We would like to thank all the organizations who have recently joined our growing list of members. Thank you for the privilege of serving you! We will earn your membership every day.
Renew Your Membership for 2019!
Destinations
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• Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau • City of Surprise • Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau • Dorchester County Office of Tourism/TEAM Maryland • Garland Convention & Visitors Bureau • Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau • Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau (AL) • Maryland SoccerPlex • Panama CIty Beach Sports Complex • Powdr Corp • Salina Parks and Recreation • St George Area Sports Commission • The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism-The LeConte Center at Pigeon Forge • Union County CVB • Visit Fort Collins • Visit Indy • Waco Convention Center and Visitors Bureau
Don’t forget to renew your membership for 2019! In order to access the appointment portal for the 2019 NASC Symposium, your membership dues must be received by March 22, 2019. To renew, contact the member services department at info@sportscommissions.org or call 513.281.3888.
Rights Holders • 3v3 Live National Soccer Tour • Corporate Run Events by Run 365 • Fuzzy Goat Athletics • IRONMAN - TIME TO TRI • Kayak Bass Fishing • Kentucky Hawg Wild • Major League Quidditch • Medalist Sports • National Intercollegiate Running Club Association • Premier Soccer Services • RMN Events • World Triathlon Corporation
2019 Event Calendar Women’s Summit April 3-5 | Tampa, FL
Sports Facilities Summit May 6 | Knoxville, TN
27th NASC Symposium
Industry
May 6-9 | Knoxville, TN
• Crossroads Consulting Services LLC • GoVision • Loco Canopies • University of Mobile Athletics Department
4S Summit October 8-10 | Providence, RI
Chief Executive Summit November 5-6 | Louisville, KY
Sports Events and Tourism
What Kind Of Leader Do You Want To Be? If you were to do an exercise and write down on a piece of paper just three traits you believe describes a good leader, what would those words be? Did you write down words similar to: distrust, timid, inept, boring, disorganized, and attention seeker? No? Why not? Well, the reason is that those words are not positive. We would not want to see these type of words in a leader – or in ourselves.
Really? Another article about leadership from someone? Yep – I know. It seems as if we are constantly exposed to blogs, articles, stories, books, podcasts, etc. about leadership. Why is this? My guess is because everyone has an opinion or idea about what leadership should look like. In my humble opinion, there is no textbook formula, or perfect blueprint that says if you do A, B, and C you will become a “leader.” A quick search on Google provided a multitude of options to review when it comes to leadership traits; Forbes listed 10, Inc.com 9, CNN 23, Leadership toolbox 7. Wow, so many choices – which one is right? Please do not get me wrong – there are some very good resources that each of us can take bits and pieces of information from to add to our arsenal, and implement into what we do, or how we lead – if it “fits” the person, we are. I believe you can develop leadership traits through your own personal experiences (good and bad) that fit your personality.
Most likely, you wrote down words like honest, confident, positive, inspirational, collaborative, and compassionate. These are all positive words, and ones we would want associated with a leader/mentor, or have associated with ourselves. As we grow as a person and a professional, we should want to emulate characteristics from others we deem attractive – but they need to be a good fit for who we are. I believe you can appreciate certain characteristics from others, but they may not be a good fit for you – do not be a fake. I also believe that it is important to find characteristics you do NOT want to emulate – remember them and work hard to avoid having them be a part of who you are.
True leaders don’t create followers – THEY CREATE MORE LEADERS.
Carl Lahr, Senior Vice President, LA Clipper
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Once you are fortunate enough to achieve a “leadership” position, never forget what it was like before you ascended to that position. Try to remember what was important to you in a leader “back then.” Try to think about what would have made you feel differently about your boss/supervisor if only they had…
As Carl Lahr, the Senior Vice President of the LA Clippers has said, “True leaders don’t create followers – they create more leaders.”
I have been a part of the sports industry in some fashion for 30+ years, from a student manager of a team, to an assistant college basketball coach, to a head coach, to an Athletic Director, to an Assistant Commissioner of a Division I Conference, to my current position as Director of Business Development. I have gone from peon, to worker bee, to boss, to teammate. I can honestly say that I have learned leadership traits and skills at each stop in my career. I have been exposed to several leaders over my career and have had the chance to learn something from each of them (good and bad), and I am sure if you have had more than one work experience you could say the same.
Whether you know it or not – you are a leader now, but the real question is, “What kind of leader do you want to be?” Mike Sharpe Business Development Director Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation NASC Mentoring Committee
www.SportsCommissions.org
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kENtUCkY
rediscover your winning spirit. Red River Gorge Central Kentucky
Please join us at the closing party during the 2019 NASC Sports Event Symposium on Thursday, May 9th at the Jackson Terminal for networking, hors d’oeuvres and, of course, Kentucky Bourbon.
Score BIG with Sports Tourism Events May 6, 2019 | Knoxville, TN
Developed by industry leaders in the sports events and tourism industry, the inaugural Sports Facilities Summit will provide education and best practices to senior leadership of sports facilities who want to learn how to secure and operate more sports tourism events. Participants will receive 1 credit hour toward CSEE. Learn practical and proven methods to secure and operate more sports tourism events.
Who Should Attend • • • •
Register by April 19
$199
Convention Centers • Sports Destinations Indoor/Outdoor Facilities • Sports Parks Non-traditional Sports Venues • Stadiums & Arenas Sports Complexes
Schedule Subject to change.
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Monday, May 6 8:30 am - 9:10 am .......... Opening Session - Overview of Sports Tourism/Facilities and the day ahead 9:15 am - 10:00 am ........ Session #1/Administration 10:05 am - 10:45 .............. Session #2/Culture and Labor 10:50 am - 11:30 am ...... Session #3/Facility Management 11:35 am - 12:00 pm ...... Break 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ....... Lunch 1:05 pm - 1:45 pm ........... Session #4/Programming and Business Development 1:50 pm - 2:30 pm .......... Session #5/Event Operations 2:30 pm - 2:50 pm .......... Break 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm ......... Session #6/Roundtables 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm ......... Session #7/Recap and Close Out All meeting functions will take place at the Knoxville Convention Center.
Michael Grade VP of Sports Operations Atlanta Sports City
Mike Guswiler President West Michigan Sports Commission
Register Online sportscommissions.org/education/sports-facilities-summit
Ben Huffman, CSEE Director of Sports Enterprises Warren County CVB
www.SportsCommissions.org
William Knox, CSEE Director Grand Park Sports Campus
Mike Millay Managing Partner Clancy’s Sports Properties, LLC
On Motivating Your Employees: Stop Trying! Application By Gregory S. Sullivan, Ph.D, MBA, MAPP Ohio University College of Business, Department of Sports Administration AECOM Center for Sports Administration
This column represents the second installment of a two-part series on motivation..
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n the previous column discussing motivation, different levels of motivation and the need to reconsider the concept of motivation was offered. Essentially, the primary idea of that first column was for leaders to stop trying to motivate others but rather, create a motivational climate where people can motivate themselves. In the previous column, it was explained how we can assist employees to motivate themselves by meeting some vital psychological needs. Those three elements, Autonomy (amount of self-regulation or choice in the workplace), Belonginess (feeling cared for and caring for others), and Competency (perceiving one’s self as skilled) are the ABC’s of motivation and of creating a climate which provides need satisfaction and enables people to motivate themselves.
big picture > ideas matter > 9
Of course leaders need to be creative and to know their followers well but I would like to share 15 creative suggestions (5 for each need) to meet these important psychological needs in the workplace. Let’s start with autonomy: 1. Create choice – with a given task or assignment empower the employee (within boundaries) to decide the best way to get it done. 2. Manage by task rather than time – allow employees to determine when and where they are most productive to complete a task. Focus on performance rather than the clock. 3. Make the contribution of ideas matter – knowing that their ideas matter makes employees more willing to contribute and with greater effort. 4. Permit job crafting – allow employees some time to pursue other interests within your organization that is unrelated to their current job. For example, the accountant with and interest in marketing can spend a portion of her day with the digital marketing team. 5. Re-train and retool the micromanagers – share the important information that their inclination to control might be the reason for stifling engagement and motivation in your office and provide skills that are autonomy supportive.
Here are some tips for increasing the level of belongingness in your workplace: 1. Begin meetings with recognitions – all members can be provided some time to express sincere and specific gratitude to employees and coworkers. To be good at this, everyone need to ‘catch others’ doing things right. 2. Walking one-on-ones – promote the opportunity for co-workers to build social connections (and get some exercise) by pairing up employees and provide them a special topic on which to walk and talk. If they are willing, they should be provided the opportunity to share any insights learned. 3. Life outside of work – employees can have the opportunity to present a brief (10 slides at ten seconds per slide) PowerPoint presentation with pictures of them, their families, pets, etc., so that people get to see others outside of the work environs. 4. Conflict resolution training – most conflicts arise from poor assumptions and miscommunication. Providing the skills to deal with conflicts when they arise will create a more interconnected workplace. 5. Play a game – play is one of the best ways to build connections and unity. Finding an appropriate workplace game is a great strategy to connect, unite, and get to know each other better. For example, at a recent retreat, colleagues played Two Truths and One Lie where each person tells two truths and one lie about themselves and colleagues have to guess which one is the lie.
Sports Events and Tourism
create choice > mentorships Finally, some tips about creating the perception of competence for followers: 1. Mistakes – how you deal with mistakes in the workplace will go a long way towards building competence. Famed UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, referred to mistakes as the building blocks of success. Leaders who want followers to be creative and productive must view some mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. 2. Goal-setting – leaders can be encouraged to meet individually with followers and create S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals together. It is then important to meet regularly and ensure that the follower is on target to meet those goals. Once goals have been met, consider the next set of goals.
5. Training – technological improvements have made distance learning attainable, affordable, and practical. Examples include webinars, online courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, certificate programs and even accredited higher degree programs like the Ohio University PMSA program! Hopefully, as you read these suggestions you are thinking of ways to apply these, and other strategies of need satisfaction in your workplace. Consider ways to enable employees to motivate themselves. You have the opportunity to increase engagement, lower retention and create a more efficient and productive workplace and, most importantly, you can create the kind of organization that is the place employees think of when asked about their best work experience.
3. Mentorships – create a mentoring program that enables experienced colleagues to assist with the learning of the junior staff. Experienced colleagues can assist with current obstacles, actions to improve performance, and in expanding knowledge about the organization and industry. Further, it also serves to enhance belongingness within the organization. 4. Big picture – enable your followers to see how their role allows the organization as a whole to meet their goals. Have employees spend time with other areas of the organization so that they understand a systems perspective (inputs – transformations – outputs) and how it is related to their function.
www.SportsCommissions.org
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Why Rebrand the NASC The NASC has grown to become the leading trade association and national advocate for sports events and tourism in the United States. As the brand has expanded and grown in influence, the brand platform needs to conform.
Rebranding Goals The NASC’s branding goals are two-fold: First: Develop a naming convention and brand platform that is relevant to the larger membership and stakeholders. Second: Whatever title results as part of the naming process, the new visual identity should be developed as a brand platform rather than “a logo”. The ability to easily communicate the core brand AND easily extend and activate the branding system into sub-brands, events, and related initiatives is crucial to it’s ultimate success.
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What is the NASC’s Position? The NASC is an industry leader that educates and informs our stakeholders to generate economic impact, create new jobs and promote participation in sports to enhance the quality of life through sport events and sports tourism.
Strategic Plan and Vision Highlights Become the leading voice and go to source for sports event and tourism in the United States.
Creative Notes The new NASC identity should project confidence and strength. These are the qualities that will reassure members that NASC is emerging as the preeminent influencer in this space and positioned as the singular industry association leader.
Leverage brand footprint for domestic and international partnerships.
Visual Considerations
Drive and widen economic impact and value. Increase membership value and engagement in all stakeholder categories. The NASC will reposition the organization to be inclusive of an expanding membership and signal both continuity and a re-energized vision, future strength and viability. An effective brand should provide a central, unifying idea around which all actions and communications are aligned.
• Consider the established brand equity of the current mark. Is there any brand equity that we want to carry-over? • Should the visual brand be an “evolution” or a “revolution”? • How much National vs. USA identity should be infused in the brand? Bill Frederick Principal, Creative Director Fanbrandz
The brand strategy should be built on expanded business interests and growing NASC values and culture.
Sports Events and Tourism
Sports-Related Travel Generates 88 million room nights and $31 billion in direct spending every year. * Get your share at teams ’19!
OF SPORTS, BY SPORTS, FOR SPORTS
WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND • Sports-specific educational content including innovative programming such as the EsportsTravel Summit and Sports Betting Forum • One-on-one meetings with sports-event organizers and host cities, venues and sponsors for your future events • Interactive, appointment-based trade show • USOC Olympic Sportslink and NGB Best Practices Seminars • Unrivaled networking opportunities
For complete information, visit
TEAMSCONFERENCE.COM
*Longwoods International/Travel USA Survey
MULTI-YEAR PARTNERS
www.SportsCommissions.org
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That aha moment… By Charlene Lennon, Director of Sales, Visit Santa Rosa
I will be attending my seventh NASC Symposium this year, and with each one I have incredible “Aha Moments”. From the definition noted above, I have experienced the following: • A sudden realization that my destination can host events and play in this marketplace. • Inspired by incredible leaders within the sports tourism industry that have made me see things in a slightly different way, changing my whole perspective. • Incredible insight from my counterparts from all over the country on all the aspects of our work. • Recognition, with articles published, successful events achieved and the ability to show the impact of what we do for our communities. • Comprehending all the processes from RFP to Recap. As we approach the next Symposium in Knoxville, I encourage you to take it all in and let yourself have those
Aha Moments. I was very nervous and out of my comfort zone, attending my new attendee orientation, I didn’t wear a polo shirt with my destination logo proudly displayed, no clue about the NCAA and all its requirements, bid fees, LOC?? My mentor was incredible, quickly put me at ease and asked great questions that made me realize, hey, maybe I could play in this arena. Lean on your mentors! They want to provide help and guidance because they know how you feel, they’ve been in your shoes. My mentor is still my mentor and a good friend. The education is also so relevant and can be applied to many situations. I attended the Six Critical Drivers to Optimizing Sports Tourism, and Critical Driver #2 was so obvious and yet so helpful, “Who are you?” You and your destination are a valued resource. And by attending the Symposium and the other NASC events, webinars, committees, etc., you continue to grow, learn and foster that valued resource for your destination and sports community.
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Play Myrtle • Grand Facilities • Diverse Accommodations • Exciting Attractions • Incredible Shopping • Family Entertainment • Pristine Beaches
VisitMyrtleBeach.com
Sports Events and Tourism
12 Questions Every CVB/Sports Commission Should Be Prepared To Answer By Don Flynn, Sr. Director of Development and Relationships, GameDay USA
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What are facility rental fees and is financial support offered for a first-time event? Does CVB/Sports Commission have a grant program? Or perhaps assist with securing discounts on facility rental fees? Is there a bonus paid for reaching pre-determined number of room pick-ups? For one year, or longer?
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Has there been another event organizer/tournament on this weekend? If so, why are they no longer hosting an event this weekend?
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What other large events or festivals are scheduled the same weekend (or week) that might have an effect on hotel availability and getting around the community easily?
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Will a public endorsement of the event be provided by the Mayor, CVB/Sports Commission Exec Director or other notable dignitary? If so, in what medium and how often.
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Will local hotels work with Event Organizers Hotel Booking company and pay rebates when overnight teams stay at participating hotels? Event would be Stay-To-Play!
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Does CVB/Sports Commission know a local individual that can hire and supervise local officials/umpires/ referees? This individual would be paid for their service by Event Organizer.
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Will facility field crew work on wet fields at 3am to prep for 8am games if rain has stopped? This mainly applies to baseball, softball and perhaps soccer and lacrosse.
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Is Event Organizer allowed to bring in outside Vendors to set-up and sell products?
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Is there another established event or tournament, in the same sport, within 60 miles that may be competing against Event Organizer on desired weekend(s)?
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What is likelihood of securing same weekend(s) for next year? Next three years? Next five years?
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What support can CVB/Sports Commission offer leading up to, during, and after the event? i.e. player swag or social, DJ dance party, coach social, radio or billboard ads, free tickets to waterpark, putt-putt, or host outdoor movie? Does CVB/Sports Commission provide webpage specific for the event listing restaurant discounts, top 5 activities for families and other community amenities?
What local social media platforms can be utilized for promotion and for how long? From CVB/Sports Commission, City, Facility Owner, Mayors office, local sponsors?
www.SportsCommissions.org
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Activate Your Sponsorships to Achieve Business Results By Jackie Reau, CEO, Game Day Communications
Estimated sponsorship spending on the National Football League and its 32 teams rose 5.1% to $1.39 billion in the 2018-19 season, according to IEG research. Sports sponsorship is the overwhelming majority of the sponsorship industry in North America at more than 80% of all sponsorship dollars going toward a sporting event or property. We all want sponsorship dollars and the association with companies that comes with it but it’s a daunting task to launch and maintain a corporate sponsorship program, especially for small and midsize organizations. As you think about sponsorship, think about how you will activate the sponsorships so they are effective for your organization and property, and your corporate partner.
Sports sponsorship is the overwhelming majority of the sponsorship industry in North America at more than 80% of all sponsorship dollars going toward a sporting event or property.
15 Here are a few activation strategies. 1. Audit your event(s) or organization for activation opportunities: physical spaces for displays, signage, on-site stores, etc. so you can update your sponsorship menu. 2. Create a strategic sponsorship plan for your organization with the following: a. Business objectives that are sponsor centric b. Revenue goal for your organization and how you will get there with various levels of sponsorship (exclusive levels to in-kind) c. Target sponsors (current and prospective in six categories) i. Financial ii. Health iii. Automotive iv. Telecom v. Insurance vi. Retail/Consumer Product d. Activation initiatives i. Benefits of the sponsorship (more than just signage and tickets) ii. How you will help your sponsor achieve business goals
e. Timeline of activity and who will do the work f. Budget needs i. Revenue ii. Expenses for activation g. Metrics for measurement 3. Meet with current sponsors and listen. Ask them questions about their business objectives, target consumers, new product launches and company values. Take this information and create an updated proposal for them adding in the results of your audit. 4. Meet with potential new sponsors in categories you don’t currently have and listen. (See above for questions to ask.) 5. Create a dashboard report to measure effectiveness of sponsorship program a. Create individual sponsor recaps or proof of purchase based on their business goals and the activation of their sponsorship plan
Sports Events and Tourism
As you think about activating sponsorships, look to other sport and/or entertainment properties for best practices.
transportation. If you don’t drive a Ford, you probably spend a few extra minutes waiting in line and there isn’t a golf cart waiting for you.
A few of my favorite activations include: Rock-n-Roll Marathons: A few years ago, I ran the New Orleans Half Marathon. While I was shopping at the Marathon Expo, I saw a promotion where you could receive a VIP Pass to the Start Line restrooms if you spend $200 in the official merchandise shop. This was an enticing carrot for a newbie half marathoner, so I added another tech shirt to get me over the spending threshold. And no, I didn’t even use the VIP pass.
Also, think about perks you can offer at your event that take away barriers from a positive guest experience. Most pain points for fans occur around parking, entrance into the event, and a lack of creative food and beverage options. How can you upgrade your options and tie a sponsorship opportunity around each? Strategize, activate and measure the results of your sponsorship program to achieve results for both your organization and your corporate partner.
Ford at Kentucky Speedway: Ford is a sponsor of the Kentucky Speedway and their NASCAR race. If you drive a Ford to the race, you are treated like a VIP where you park in lot adjacent to the track with golf cart
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SOMETIMES IT ReALLY IS ALL FUN & GAMES. Whatever your sport, Wisconsin has the ideal venue. Explore your options at sportswisconsin.com
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Tina M. Gohr - Door County Advocate
See you at the NASC Symposium
WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN, WE’RE HAVING FUN.
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2019 Education Track Line-Up This year’s educational content promises to be compelling and informative. Special thanks to our education committee for brainstorming more than 50 session ideas and to the 30 plus subject-matter experts who submitted a proposal to present a session. Read more about the sessions at sportscommission.org/symposium/education.
> Administration & Management > Events & Services > Large Markets > Revenue Development & Fundraising
> Rights Holders > Sales & Business Development > Trends & Research
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Sports Events and Tourism
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Important Dates Appointments can’t be guaranteed if your 2019 membership dues and Symposium registration is not paid in full by March 22! One-On-One Appointment Portal Opens March 27, 2019 One-On-One Appointment Portal Closes April 17, 2019 Event Overview Appointment Portal Opens April 22, 2019 Event Overview Appointment Portal Closes April 24, 2019 Schedules Distributed April 26, 2019
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Salt Lake: Your sports event city.
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visitsaltlake.com When considering a city to host your next game or tournament, consider Salt Lake. Salt Lake is an experienced, full service sports authority. Our community’s diverse venues enable us to host a variety of national level events – some of which are unique to Salt Lake as part of our Olympic legacy. And our services are award-winning. From developing dynamic bid packages to partnering with local clubs to executing powerful presentations, we rise above to win the business. Once selected, Visit Salt Lake provides a full range of support services, including housing and registration.
Give Clay Partain a call today at 801.534.4923 Sports Events and Tourism
10 Things You Know About Salt Lake and 10 Things You Probably Don’t If there’s one thing everyone knows about Salt Lake, it’s this: It’s beautiful. A year-round-drop-dead-gorgeous-manicured-citywith-majestic-mountains-for-a-background kind of beautiful. But beyond that, what do you really know?
1. We are a sports city.
6. Salt Lake is a great value. Compared to most other U.S. cities, people find Salt Lake to be overwhelmingly more affordable. From hotels to meals to transportation to entertainment, the prices you’ll pay here will stretch your dollar to the maximum amount it can be stretched.
Salt Lake is home to a thriving sports community and some amazing sports facilities – some of which are unique to Salt Lake as part of our Olympic Legacy. From traditional team sports like basketball, soccer, and volleyball, to individual sports in martial arts and equestrian sports, Salt Lake has an incredible variety of venues. Among the most famous are the Maverik Center where the Utah Grizzlies hockey team plays; the Vivint Smart Home Arena where the NBA Jazz play; and Rio Tinto Stadium where the pro soccer team, Real Salt Lake, plays.
7. You can get a drink here.
2. Getting here is easy.
While it’s true that Salt Lake’s food scene hasn’t always been on par with other cities, we’ve grown up – at least culinarily. Fact is, Salt Lake is now considered by even the most discriminating critics to be among the country’s best foodie cities. Creative entrepreneurs, ambitious chefs, and an influx of people relocating here from around the globe have given rise to an astonishing number and variety of dining options. Another way to say it: You and your team should show up hungry.
Salt Lake City International serves as Delta Air Lines’ western hub, is served by all major U.S. airlines, and provides non-stop service from 92 cities. Plus, it has the distinction of having more on-time flights than any other airport in the country. (Are you listening, LAX?) Furthermore, the brand-new international airport will be completed in 2020 (replacing the current one) and will be easier to navigate, have an easier check-in and boarding process, and will have more shops and restaurants.
3. Getting around here is easy. (No, this is not a Tinder reference.) Salt Lake is only a 10-minute ride from the downtown district via taxi, Uber, Lyft, or TRAX light rail. And the very same TRAX light rail system provides access across the valley on three color-coded lines.
4. Not everyone here is Mormon. While about 62% of Utahns are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), less than 40% of the population of Salt Lake is Mormon. That said, the virtues of the Mormon faith rub off on everyone here – which is probably why Salt Lake is consistently ranked as one of the friendliest, healthiest, and most family-friendly cities in the country. Oh— and the obligatory follow-up fact: the custom of having multiple wives isn’t something practiced by members of the mainstream faith. So, if you’re hoping to get a taste of polygamy, we suggest asking your bartender for a locally-crafted beer called Polygamy Porter. It’s delicious.
Like a lot of other places, we have a few quirky liquor laws, but rest assured, Salt Lake is no different than any other city when it comes to serving guests that perfect dinner cocktail or posttournament beer. In fact, over the last decade, Salt Lake has grown and evolved into a vibrant, urban, energetic city full of great breweries, distilleries, and more than 200 bars.
8. We’re a foodie city.
9. We have more hotel rooms than you can shake a stick at. Full disclosure: we’ve never really tried that, but it’s fun to use old-timey expressions. More specifically, there are 7000+ hotel rooms in downtown, alone. And if you extend the room count to the rest of the Salt Lake Valley, you’re looking at more than 20,000 rooms. From architecturally stunning fivediamond luxury hotels to economical, select service properties, Salt Lake’s hotels are numerous and diverse enough to accommodate groups of most any size or type.
10. Lots of other cool stuff is close by. It’s not uncommon for people attending sporting events here to tack on a couple of extra days for the express purpose of getting out and seeing what people all over the world come to Utah to see: 4 world-class ski resorts. 43 state parks. 7 national monuments. 2 national recreation areas. 6 national forests. And, of course—Utah’s 5 world-famous national parks: Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef.
5. Did we mention we’re family-friendly?
Bottom Line:
Yes, we did—right above in #4. Still, this point can’t be overstated. The tough-as-nails, mountain-crossing pioneers who showed up here in the mid-1800s were family-oriented and nothing’s changed since. Add in the fact that we’re also one of the cleanest and safest cities you’ll ever visit, and it makes us a pretty hard choice to pass up.
We’re a sports city that’s small enough to be clean, safe, affordable, and family-friendly—yet big enough to offer unlimited options in lodging, dining, venues, and entertainment. And we’d be absolutely honored to host YOUR next event. For more information, go to visitsaltlake.com.
www.SportsCommissions.org
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Staying Competitive On and Off the Sports Field By Nichole Farley, Civitas
Soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, destination management organization… what do all of these have in common? Competition. Each one is competing to win the tournament, to win the meet, to win the event. Parents are spending an exorbitant amount of money on trainers, coaches, and advanced leagues to help their children excel in hopes of winning and future scholarships. Destination management organizations are investing hundreds of thousands (sometimes millions) of dollars to renovate and/or build the best sporting venues to attract large multi-day tournaments for multiple year contracts.
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As destinations look to sports tourism as an option to increase overnight visitation, resulting in additional tax revenues for the destination, the question is often asked “should we invest in our current infrastructure or build new sports facilities?” If the answer is yes, then the question of “how do we pay for those infrastructure improvements” usually follows. Destination management organizations like Placer Valley Tourism in Placer County, California have turned to a tourism improvement district to generate funding for sports facility development and renovations of existing facilities to attract and retain multi-day sports tournaments that benefit the lodging communities of Roseville, Rocklin, and Lincoln.
“Placer Valley Tourism welcomes some of the biggest title events in youth, amateur and professional sports in the west,” states CEO David Attaway. “This is possible because we are investing in building and renovating state-of-the-art sports facilities.” In 2017, Placer Valley Tourism entered into a partnership with the County of Placer to assume operations of the Placer County Fairgrounds. They have recently completed a $10M renovation project overhauling the existing site. Additionally, they successfully bonded their tourism improvement district to secure $36M to make additional improvements to the fairgrounds, which include a proposed 190,000 square foot indoor event center that will be home to either fifteen basketball courts or thirty volleyball courts.
Furthermore, according to their 2017 Annual Report, Placer Valley Tourism invested an additional $964,000 into other facilities that are critical to the sporting events in South Placer County. Facility improvements consisted of pool and equipment renovations at the Roseville Aquatics Center and new sand volleyball courts at Sierra College.
Placer Valley Tourism welcomes some of the biggest title events ... This is possible because we are investing in building and renovating state-of-the-art sports facilities. – David Attaway, CEO
Sports Events and Tourism
What are Tourism Improvement Districts? Tourism improvement districts go by many names – tourism business improvement district, tourism marketing district, even hotel marketing district. But no matter what it’s called, a tourism improvement district is a revolutionary way to fund destination development programs. Tourism improvement districts are special assessment districts which typically provide services that include marketing, sales, promotions, website and internet presence, and group sales. They can also include capital improvements or other projects designed to make the destination more appealing to potential visitors.
The charge is usually passed on to the customer and funds raised are typically collected by the local government in the same manner as bed taxes. However, unlike bed taxes they cannot be spent on general programs by the local government. Instead, they are directed to a destination marketing organization, and must be used on programs that put more heads in beds. Civitas is a full-service firm specializing in tourism improvement districts. Whether you have a tourism improvement district and need help, would like to create a TID, or are just curious and would like to know more – feel free to contact us, www.civitasadvisors.com, and discover the funding potential for your destination today!
Tourism improvement districts can be customized to attract overnight groups to local sports attractions – golf courses, regional aquatic centers, youth soccer facilities, indoor sports facilities for volleyball and basketball, and the like. Hotels in cities that are not traditional tourist destinations can greatly benefit from the targeted sports marketing and destination development which utilizes existing sports facilities to drive room night sales.
WEBINAR: Staying Competitive on and off the Sports Field
Each year, more than 175 tourism improvement districts throughout the United States raise nearly $350 million for destination marketing. These districts usually include all hotels in a city or county (or in some cases, multiple cities and the county). They place a charge on all hotels, which is typically a percentage of room night sales or a fixed dollar amount per night. Rates are usually 1-2 percent or dollars per night but can be as high as 4-5 percent or dollars per night.
Did you miss the live webinar? Email info@sportscommissions.org to receive a copy of the recording.
March 27, 2019 | 11am PST/2pm EST Register Online: www.sportscommissions.org
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Confirm your sponsorship for 2020 while in Knoxville and we will honor 2019 rates. Contact Rebecca Myles at Rebecca@SportsCommissions.org.
Sports Events and Tourism
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