Sports Planning Guide Sample

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SPORTS ARE BIG HERE

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Let Our Team Work For Your Team

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SPG

Vol. 10, No. 1, 2019 Edition

FEATURES

10 Six Nontraditional Trending Sports for 2019 These trending nontraditional sports are the ones to look for in 2019

BY DAN CAMPANA

14 NASC Focusing on Education

When Al Kidd was hired as the President & Chief Executive Officer of NASC, he immediately turned his attention to reshaping the organization’s educational offerings

BY JEFF GAYDUK

17 Volunteers: A Key Ingredient for a Successful Event Here are some best practices in volunteer services for your sporting event

BY BILL HANSON

20 Emerging Social Media and Traditional Marketing Tips to Grow Your Events Combining promotional strategies that are time-tested and effective with cutting-edge social media and its instant reach can help a tournament shine

BY CATHERINE HEEG AND JAY B. PARKER

24 What Sponsors Really Want from Sports Tournament Sponsorships Sports event sponsorship is a big deal for businesses. We break down why many sponsors get involved with sporting events and provide you with some guidance for developing your own program

BY BRENDA BARRON

27 Keys to Developing a Great Sports Facility RFP This special feature for destination managers will help you with the RFP process

BY ERIC SULLIVAN AND ASHLEY WHITTAKER

30 US Sports Congress Heads to South Carolina in 2019 BY JASON PAHA

The United States Sports Congress, the most innovative conference in the sports event industry, announced its 2019 annual event will take place in Columbia, the capital city of South Carolina

COLUMNS

8

Welcome to the 2019 Sports Planning Guide

BY DAN MALONEY

388 10 Sports Industry Trends for 2019

BY JON SCHMIEDER

6

Sports Planning Guide

COVER PHOTO:

(Photo by Korean Olympic Committee)

@SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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SITE INSPECTIONS BY REGION

Here are listings of facilities and attractions of sports-friendly destinations that will help event planners organize their next tournament or meet.

34

WEST

111 MIDWEST

207 278

EAST

SOUTH

STATE GUIDES

Featuring facilities and attractions of sports-friendly destinations that will help event planners coordinate their next tournament or event.

43 69 95 113 143 162 178 189 211 215 227 255 279 303 333 357 SportsPlanningGuide.com

Searls Park, Rockford, IL

CALIFORNIA TEXAS WASHINGTON ILLINOIS IOWA MISSOURI OHIO INDIANA MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS PENNSYLVANIA VIRGINIA ALABAMA FLORIDA NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA Sports Planning Guide

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SPG

Vol. 10, No. 1, 2019 Edition

DAN DAVIS MALONEY

Editorial & Advertising Office 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 info@ptmgroups.com

Welcome to the 2019 Sports Planning Guide‌ This Is Where Relationships Begin

C

ount your sports blessings! How fortu-

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk jeff@ptmgroups.com

Associate Editor – Jason Paha jason@ptmgroups.com

Staff Writer – Miles Dobis miles@ptmgroups.com

improvements to our website to further en-

Editorial Coordinator – Danielle Golab

nate we are to be working in one of the

hance your ability to easily review destinations.

country. The world of sports tourism has

Destination Videos. These videos are perfect

Chief Development Officer – Lance Harrell

a glimpse of our partner destinations up close

Contributing Writers

most exciting and growing businesses in the

exploded in the last decade and we all have

for when you are on the go. Now you can get

As part of the sports tournament commu-

by viewing videos from our partners’ online

front row seats to the action.

nity, you’ve created opportunities for millions

Site InSpections. Just click on the Videos

the benefits of organized competitive play.

homepage to view all of them.

of people who yearn for physical activity and

You’ve included everyone from young to old,

as well as those with special challenges. The

all-inclusive nature of this industry is a result

of your efforts and is one of the many reasons it continues to strengthen and grow. Give

yourselves a pat on the back!

For 10 years now, Sports Planning Guide

has helped you in planning and selection of

your ideal destinations for tournaments and

events. In this past year, we traveled to and

a venue showcase providing you a simple

tab click to view multiple facilities without

scrolling. You’ll find it on all our destination

Site InSpections!

I’m proud to say this is our largest edition

of SPG ever! We’re featuring more state guides

and more destinations than ever before. We

have over 130 destinations featured inside,

50 which are brand new to Sports Planning

from tracks, mats, rinks, links and pools to

beauty of Olympia, Washington to the rolling

Whether you need level playing fields, rushing

We have state guides from California to Florida

rivers, countless courts or adaptive facilities, we work to bring you data, news and information about all of them.

Thanks to you, we’re growing, too!

Our job is to make your job easier. With that

in mind, come January, we will be delivering

Dave Bodle Vanessa Day Courtney Lind Alexandra Mahoney Jon Schmieder Billy Stampfl Dan Campana Bill Hanson Dev Pathik Cairo Lewis Sarah Lewis Stephanie Bailey Katrina McGowan Harry Peck Rebecca Sippel

This year, our newest feature is FacTabs,

Guide.

equestrian centers, stadiums and fairgrounds.

lance@ptmgroups.com

dropdown from our SportsPlanningGuide.com

reported on hundreds of venues around the

country to save you time. We saw everything

danielle@ptmgroups.com

Last year we introduced an industry first‌

You’ll love them all, from the breathtaking

hills of the Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts. to Pennsylvania and many in between.

We hope you enjoy this year’s guide and

hope it brings you closer to building relation-

ships that help build your businesses.

Dan Davis Maloney Director of Business Development

Director, Design & Production – Robert Wyszkowski rob@ptmgroups.com

Director of Business Development – Dan Davis Maloney dan@ptmgroups.com

The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as advertising, but assumes no responsibility for statements made by advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, but the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited photos or manuscripts.

Sports Planning Guide (ISSN 2153-4179) is published annually by Premier Travel Media, 621 Plainfield Rd., Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL 60527. Postage paid at Willowbrook, IL and Lebanon Junction, KY. The magazine is distributed free to sports events organizers. Single copies for all others is $9.95

Send Address Change to: Premier Travel Media 621 Plainfield Rd., Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527

A 8

Sports Planning Guide

publication

All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

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INSURANCE

With over 65 years of sports and leisure insurance expertise, K&K protects sports organizations with coverage designed for your teams, leagues, events and camps. And when claims occur, our colleagues are here to respond quickly and effectively.

Affordable coverage is easy online; visit our website to get your free quote today.

K&K Insurance Group, Inc. is a licensed insurance producer in all states (TX license #13924); operating in CA, NY and MI as K&K Insurance Agency (CA license #0334819)

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By Dan Campana

NONTRADITIONAL TRENDING SPORTS FOR

2019

aybe you’ve seen pickleball at your local park. Perhaps you caught a rugby match on TV. Then there are those social media photos of your friend covered in mud after finishing a race with giant walls and barbed wire.

Gone are the days when nontraditional sports were regulated to the late-night hours of cable sports networks. From cornhole – also known as “bags” – and disc golf to Spikeball and events such as Tough

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Sports Planning Guide

Mudder and Spartan Race, millions of competitors and spectators have raised the profile of sports once considered obscure.

Whether you’re adventurous, looking for a fun new sport to play socially with friends or just want to check out unique athletic competition that goes beyond the four major professional sports leagues, these six trending nontraditional sports are the ones to look for in 2019. @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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Tough Mudder officials estimate three million participants competed at 150 races around the world in 2018. Obstacle courses, like cornhole (below), are nontraditional sports that are taking the country by storm.

1

OBSTACLE COURSE RACING

2

CORNHOLE

Since 2011, Sarah Pozdol went from an obstacle course racing novice to reaching event podiums to training thousands who have become part of the sport’s ever-growing number of racers.

“I was curious about what I was hearing,” Pozdol said of obstacle course racing. “Jumping and crawling through mud, maneuvering through the woods, climbing cargo nets and swinging from things. It all sounded exciting and I wanted to be part of it.”

Spartan exploded from 500 racers at its first event in Burlington, Vermont, in 2010 to one million annual participants in approximately 200 events in nearly three dozen countries around the world. According to Spartan CEO and Founder Joe DeSena, Spartan recently debuted in South Africa to establish a presence in six of the world’s seven continents.

“There are many factors in the growth of Spartan races over the years, but a large part is due to the need for people to be human,” DeSena said.

“Spartan provides people the opportunity to get outside, push their limits and most importantly, have fun. We’re not meant to sit behind desks all day.

We’re meant to move.”

Spartan offers six types of races – Kids, Sprint, Super, Beast, Ultra and Endurance – which cover anywhere from as little as one-half mile for youngsters up to 30 obstacle-filled miles in the Ultra. The Endurance race length varies by event, but is touted as the one to “shatter your limits.”

Similarly, Tough Mudder debuted its OCR event series in 2010 to challenge athletes’ mental and physical strength. Mudder’s half, full and 5K offer varying course lengths and a number of obstacles – including the Kiss of Mud (watch out for the barbed wire), Pyramid Scheme and Hero Walls that also encourage teamwork.

Tough Mudder officials estimated three million participants in 2018 at 150 competitive and non-competitive races around the world. Tough Mudder and CBS Sports also have partnered on a deal to air programming, such as World’s Toughest Mudder and Tough Mudder X, on its broadcast, cable and streaming/on demand platforms.

Once considered a backyard game, cornhole has come a long way in a short time. Millions of viewers on social media and a digital network dedicated to the sport help prove that point.

Frank Geers started the American Cornhole Organization (ACO) in 2005 to give cornhole a governing body. What’s followed has been unprecedented growth that continued in 2018 with 20 regional tournaments across the country and the organization’s 13th World Championships which boasted nearly $70,000 in cash and prizes.

Cornhole’s humble roots at cookouts and among those tailgaters support the notion it’s an accessible sport with simple rules that can be played anywhere by nearly anyone. ACO officials believe those facts spur cornhole’s ongoing popularity that has seen its membership originate from at least 25 states and its number of Facebook followers swell to nearly 34,000.

ACO launched its digital network in July 2018 to capitalize on its place as the country’s fastest-growing sport.

“We want to build around programming that invigorates viewers to want to play more. We want backyard players to start following their favorite professional players, to get ideas of how to make their cornhole experience even more enjoyable,” Geers said.

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RUGBY

Kurt Weaver, director of USA Rugby, offers two explanations for the sport’s gains in participation and popularity in America.

“We have had a few growth spurts along the way, but our largest surge to get us to our current number has been in the last 10 years.

The acceptance of rugby into the Olympics, along with a restructure and refocus on our grassroots youth development, helped spark this growth,” Weaver said.

USA Rugby reported nearly 132,000 members in 2017 ranging from referees and coaches to players at the high school and college levels – and beyond. That represents a slice of around one million participants in the U.S., according to World Rugby officials.

The 2018 World Cups Sevens, played at AT&T Park in San Francisco, drew around 100,000 fans to the three-day tournament which also garnered large TV numbers – nearly 10 million viewers – for five telecasts on NBC. Weaver said the explosion of interest has generated many new partnerships, opportunities and interest from the general sports fan. That Olympic exposure has opened doors for high schools and universities to start rugby programs. It extends further to the youth level. Weaver calls rugby the “perfect game for kids.”

The game’s fundamentals add to the appeal – all you need is a ball and a field, and every person on the field has the chance to run, pass, catch, kick and score, Weaver said.

“We have had a few growth spurts along the way, but our largest surge to get us to our current number has been in the last 10 years. The acceptance of rugby into the Olympics, along with a restructure and refocus on our grassroots youth development, helped spark this growth.”

—Kurt Weaver, Director, USA Rugby

You know a sport is growing in notoriety when it makes ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays. Spikeball, or roundnet, has done that and more in recent years – even earning a coveted spot during the ESPN’s now-annual “ESPN 8 The Ocho” takeover which showcases the best of the best in sports you might not have heard of.

The fact is there are a quarter-million Spikeballers in the United States playing a growing number of local competitions and national tournaments.

What’s not to like? The sports offers fast-paced action as solo players or teams of two swat and spike a ball into what looks like a mini trampoline.

Google “Spikeball rally ESPN” to find videos – with millions of total views – of the wildest Spikeball points captured on video.

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Sports Planning Guide

David Tan

4

SPIKEBALL

@SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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PICKLEBALL

6

DISC GOLF

On the other end of the spectrum is the uniquely named pickleball. You won’t necessarily see players diving and flailing around, but you will find a sport founded in social fun that had 2.8 million players in the United States in 2017 – a 12 percent bump over the previous year, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

USA Pickleball Association boasts other numbers to show undeniable growth and popularity in a sport created by three Seattle-area friends in 1965. It might look like tennis, but once the sound of a Wiffle-like ball being volleyed across a short net on a 22-foot-by-40-foot court catches your attention, you can tell this is something different.

Drew Wathey, USAPA’s director of media relations, said the increase in participation has been noticeable in the last seven to 10 years. In 2017, USAPA carried a membership of 22,120 and reported nearly 17,000 pickleball courts around the country.

And, although the sport initially appealed to active older adults who didn’t want to run around a tennis court, youngsters are helping develop the next generation of players. That’s partly because school physical education programs are incorporating pickleball into their curriculum, but Wathey also highlights the sport’s relatively low cost and the ability to set up a court almost anywhere.

Similar to other trending sports, TV and online exposure helps fuel growth. Several matches from the 2017 USAPA Nationals aired live on Facebook reached 1.5 million viewers. The Nationals also appeared on the CBS Sports Network and, in 2018, the event took place at the famed Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California.

While the top players match up at the Nationals, pickleball is a sport for the masses in Wathey’s view.

“You don’t have to be a great tennis player to play pickleball,” he explained. “It’s a very social activity. For most players it’s an opportunity to get outside…it’s about camaraderie.”

In a five-year span from 2010 to 2015, the Professional Disc Golf Association watched as its active membership doubled – cracking the 30,000 mark for the first time in its long history.

By all accounts, things haven’t slowed down, especially in burgeoning hotbeds for the sports such as West-Central Illinois, which plays host to some of the biggest PDGA events.

“The first thing that comes to mind when we talk nontraditional sports is our PDGA 2018 Ledgestone Insurance Open,” said Danielle Bensing of the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Bensing points out the tournament is the most lucrative disc golf event in the world and second largest held in the United States. Ledgestone has called Central Illinois home since 2011, using nine courses across the region and featuring players from at least 40 states and four countries. The 2019 PDGA Pro World Championships is on the docket for the area next year.

There are no shortage of opportunities for the approximately one million players in the United States to find a nine- or 18-hole course to toss some flying discs. PDGA reports nearly 6,300 courses across the country and portions of Canada. SPG ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dan Campana is a Chicago-area writer who spent nearly a decade as a newspaper reporter before moving into the freelance world where, since 2010, he has written for a variety of traditional, digital and niche publications.

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NASC FOCUSING ON EDUCATION

When Al Kidd was hired as the President & Chief Executive Officer of NASC, he immediately turned his attention to reshaping the organization’s educational offerings.

F

The Chief Executive (CE) Summit draws sports tourism leaders from across the country for a day of high-level learning.

or nearly two decades, the National Association of Sports Commissions operated under a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy.

After all, the organization was growing, along with the sports events industry.

When Al Kidd took the reins of the 25-year old association, one of his first areas of attention was inclusiveness in its educational offerings. “When I came in, the centerpiece of the organization was our annual symposium.

I felt one of the things we had to get away from is that NASC is not defined by our annual symposium and the symposium does not define NASC. In order to build a sustainable business, we need to have multiple products and services that our members can support,” Kidd said.

That strategy includes looking out into the marketplace to see where there’s a gap. Kidd found one in the association’s market segment meetings. Previously defined by size of market served, NASC sought a forum for all members. The result was the inaugural 4S Summit, focusing on four pillars of sports success – service, sales, strategy and sponsorship.

The first event was held in Detroit in the fall of 2017 and with the new format, attendance rose 50 percent from the previous year. Twenty different educational courses were offered over a day and half including keynotes and specific subject matter around technology, digital engagement, video conferencing and social media.

Based on the success of the inaugural 4S, NASC is expanding the event by one day in Cleveland in October 2018. “We’re 20 percent up over last year and the Cleveland people are really excited,” Kidd commented.

Another new event, the Chief Executive (CE) Summit, draws sports tourism leaders from across the country for a day of high-level learning.

The first two years, the event was hosted by Janis Burke, CEO and her 14

Sports Planning Guide

Oliver Luck discusses the new XFL.

@SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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Oliver Luck with Jeff Mielke and Al Kidd.

CSEE attendees enjoy the suite life.

it’s a much wider swath with an opportunity to provide more comprehenteam from the Houston Sports Authority. Featured sessions at this year’s summit included seminars on the impact of Title IX on women’s sports, a sive products and service.

“My mantra is equal and inclusive,” Kidd said. “We should provide presentation by the new XFL Football commissioner Oliver Luck, FBI Special Event Operations personnel discussing event security protocol, services and value across all levels of membership. Four hundred and seventy DMOs are predominate members. There are 21 state organizastadium redevelopment ideas and enhancing corporate culture. tions and about 200 rights holders. We have to “The CE Summit has become one of the ask what are we going to do to provide a more best annual events the NASC offers. The inclusive array of services to all members.” session, led by Jason Williford of Culture “The CE Summit has become Part of that inclusiveness is a focus on Index, was the best single session that I have one of the best annual events women in sports. Collaborating with the NCAA, ever attended in 21 years of membership the NASC offers. The session, led the association hosted a women’s forum in with the NASC. It was mind-blowing stuff,”

by Jason Williford of Culture Index, conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final said Jon Schmieder from the Huddle Up was the best single session that Four basketball tournament in Columbus, Ohio Group.

I have ever attended in 21 years this spring. Fifty professional women attended “I have enjoyed attending the first two the event which featured leaders from ESPN, CEO Summits in Houston,” said John Gibof membership with the NASC. the Columbus Blue Jackets and major industry bons, executive director from the Rhode IsIt was mind-blowing stuff.” land Sports Commission. “Janis Burke and associations talking about empowerment for —Jon Schmieder, Huddle Up Group women in sports management. The NCAA her team put together a great group of speakers and it is nice to get together with industry was so pleased with the program that it’s going colleagues to network and hear from leading experts. I am grateful to to be incorporated into Final Fours in both Tampa and New Orleans.

Al Kidd and NASC for adding this to their list of meetings.”

NASC has found there is a pent-up demand for knowledge. The The centerpiece of the new educational objective is a shift in strategy focused educational content, upgraded learning experience for members away from strictly sports commissions programming to more well-rounded and enhancements to the educational tract at the annual symposium will education for the sports events and tourism industry. As Kidd points out, help its members better prepare for the future. SPG

Linda Logan, Greater Columbus Sports Commission, overlooking an Astros win with Mike Millay.

SportsPlanningGuide.com

John Gibbons, Rhode Island Sports Commission, Scott Dupree, Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance.

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VOLUNTEERS

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A Key Ingredient for a

Successful Event

By Bill Hanson

Building and maintaining a successful volunteer program is hard work and requires a talented and committed person to accomplish it.

SportsPlanningGuide.com

Sports Planning Guide Gansstock/Bigstock.com

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olunteers are the foundation of nearly every successful nonprofit organization and competition organizing committee. This article will define the factors involved in organizing a volunteer program that will support a large-sized activity or competition, and for maintaining it as a full-time program to support future events and activities.

But be forewarned, building and maintaining an effective and successful volunteer program is hard work and, like fundraising and public relations, requires a talented and committed person to accomplish it.

We’ll look at the process in three operational time periods: pre-event planning, event conduct and post-event communications with its lead-in to the next event or to an ongoing program The PRE-EVENT PLANNING phase starts with the hiring or recruitment of a volunteer coordinator. This person needs to possess a variety of skills and personality traits and to settle for less will eventually result in an ineffective program or a coordinator who quits. Your selected person should have excellent organizational skills and be attentive to detail. Past experience tells me your coordinator should be all of the following: self-motivated, even tempered, a good mediator/have good people skills, patient, able to see the big picture, able to handle multiple projects simultaneously, able to function with little sleep, and able to prioritize, maintain focus and delegate.

Once the volunteer coordinator has been identified, work can begin to create the volunteer services plan. There are a number of items that must be included in the plan, such as:

1. What committees need volunteers and how many are needed?

2. What will they be doing and are written job descriptions available?

3. Where will they need to be and how do they get there?

Joshua Rainey Photography 4. When do you need them and for how long?

5. What services/benefits/parking/uniforms are available?

6. Fully define the recruiting process, to include: a. A volunteer registration form b. An established information bank/database c. Target markets for recruiting, i.e., people, groups, businesses, etc.

smuay/Bigstock.com

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It’s important to remember whatever you provide in the way of volunteer services, it will always be far less than what you would pay for comparable labor.

d. Processing and screening of applicants and, finally e. Contacting and verifying the selected volunteers This plan should be in place before any public announcement is made of an event or activity because, as with ticket sales, interested volunteers will assuredly start inquiring immediately.

The organization that takes the time to format a detailed volunteer services plan will find the second phase, EVENT CONDUCT, that much easier and most certainly more efficient.

Your organizing committee must have a clearly defined staff structure and lines of communication. Volunteers must know to whom they report, especially in an emergency situation. If you’re organizing a large event that requires many volunteers over a period of days, then a volunteer handbook becomes almost a necessity. It would include information about the event itself, venue information with a diagram showing key locations, a venue evacuation plan, event schedules, transportation schedules and key contact phone numbers. One useful list would be Important Names to Know, so that a volunteer who came into contact with a VIP could be extra friendly. A list of Volunteer Policies and Procedures is essential and should emphasize dress code, conduct and shift information. Local information should also be a section in the handbook, to include restaurants, entertainment and shopping areas and local modes of transportation.

Participants with questions will approach the first recognizable volunteer. The golden rule for a volunteer is this: “If you don’t know the answer, find it or send them to someone who has it.” This leads to the primary source of information, your own staff. There is nothing worse than an organizing committee staff member who is unable to answer simple questions about the event. With months of preparation and committee meetings, all staff members should have a basic knowledge of every other area of operation. Just as important, your staff needs to be instructed to constantly acknowledge and show appreciation to volunteers, both individually and as a group. Public mention of volunteer support will show them they are appreciated and it results in good work performance.

Volunteer training is most helpful when provided in advance of the

Joshua Rainey Photography/Bigstock.com

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event, especially a few days prior. An orientation not only provides important information to them but it gives the organizing committee leadership the opportunity to motivate them and to explain the importance of their support. All of the basic information, uniforms, parking passes and job descriptions can be distributed this orientation.

With all of the aforementioned accomplished, the event itself is a snap. Volunteers show up, report to their work stations, do their jobs properly, and leave. Staff members must do their jobs by providing excellent supervision and, most important, giving the volunteers the support items needed to do their jobs. While realizing that large events are often challenged to fill all volunteer positions, creating a contingency pool is recommended. Our organization has called these reserves the Fifth Wheel or the Rapid Response Team, and they can be sent quickly to a trouble spot. A final helpful item is a critique by the volunteers, using a form at their check-out table. Getting input from them has been extremely valuable to conducting future events.

It’s important to remember that whatever you provide in the way of volunteer services, it will always be far less than what you’d pay for comparable labor. Items such as T-shirts, caps, vests, pins, parking, a lounge area, meals, snacks and beverages, and event tickets will all appeal to volunteers and make them feel appreciated.

Finally!!! It’s over!!! The participants have departed, the venue has been vacated, the event has been declared a success, and you’ve got hundreds, maybe thousands, of volunteers totally excited about staying involved. Whatever POST-EVENT COMMUNICATIONS projects you do or don’t do will affect both your organization’s future and theirs.

Before thinking about the future, however, finish up this event. Your volunteers need closure in the way of an appreciation letter, certificate or gift, and possibly a party. A party or pep rally immediately upon completion of an event is nice, but often not feasible due to event tear-down, Gansstock/Bigstock.com but staging something soon after is a way to express your appreciation as well as announce future events.

Establishing an effective communications system should be a priority if you plan to utilize this group of volunteers again. Using emails is

certainly the most economical means, but setting up a Facebook group is also effective. Maintaining the list, be it email or on Facebook, now becomes very important. If your organization maintains the ability to do some quick-recruiting of volunteers, then you have an efficient volunteer program. A word of warning about recruiting volunteers for outside events or organizations. Not everyone treats volunteers the same, and your volunteers will notice the difference, especially if they don’t receive proper treatment from others. When sending recruitment notices for outside events, make it very clear to the volunteers that you are not involved in that event.

As for ongoing projects, our organization utilizes volunteer receptionists with each one working a specific half-day each week, and we naturally have a group of key volunteers who do various office projects.

A Volunteer of the Year program is a great way to show appreciation and generate interest in the organization.

Lastly, the best method of maintaining an efficient volunteer program is to include volunteers in an assessment process and provide them with a channel for their suggestions. We have found a Volunteer Action Council to be very effective and most helpful for developing policies and procedures.

If this whole process sounds complicated to you, it should. There is nothing easy about managing an effective volunteer program and it requires a special person to do so. But with the right amount of effort and due diligence, you should be able to recruit excellent volunteers who will make your event a big success. SPG ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bill Hanson is a co-founder of San Antonio Sports, a sports commission which was established in 1985 and which was also a founding member of the National Association of Sports Commissions. Retired after 42 years involvement in sports administration and operations, his event management experience includes the sport operations of the AAU Junior Olympic Games, U.S. Olympic Festival and State Games of Texas. He has organized and directed individual competitions for the 1984 and 1996 Olympic Games, Pan American Games, Goodwill Games, professional soccer and numerous NCAA, NGB, local youth competitions and other local events created

by San Antonio Sports. Bill is a past chairman of the National Association of Sports Commissions and, in 2018, was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame.

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Emerging Social Media and Traditional Marketing Tips to Grow Your Events

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@SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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By Catherine Heeg & Jay B. Parker

ombining “old school” promotional strategies that are time-tested and effective with cutting-edge social media and its instant reach can help a tournament shine. Let’s explore some examples to use before, during and after your event to create a winning outcome.

BEFORE

Utilize personal contacts, email marketing and print advertising to get your message in the right hands.

It’s important to stand out from the crowd with a personalized approach to pre-event marketing.

1 2

Utilize the existing contacts of your organization. Likely yours is a tight-knit community, so call the coaches. Have the coaches call other coaches they’ve competed with or against. Consult membership directories, past hosts, officials and referees for new prospects and reach out to personally invite them.

Create a Facebook Custom Audience using your email list. This can then be used in social ads on Facebook and Instagram.

13 14

Research from Hookit found that engagement by a younger audience is found more often on Instagram while older audiences typically engage more on Facebook.

Publications and print collateral like event programs add legitimacy to your event while social keeps the conversation lively.

15 16

Ads to promote your event in your sport’s governance and association publications will place your message in front of the right audience.

To help you focus your social marketing effort, ask your contacts what social sites they use.On your social sites, friend and follow the contacts you found. Invite these new friends and followers to “like” your business or event page.

3

When your friend request is accepted, add this person to a friend list.

Create a new list for your next event. This way, you can share posts to just the people on your list, not your personal friends and followers.

4 5 6

Host conference calls with participants to let them know what to expect at your event.

Set up a Facebook group for your tournaments and events. Move your relevant Facebook friends into this group. Consider making it a “closed” group if you want more privacy in your group conversations.

Reach out to page owners of related events, sponsors, officials and experts and ask to post your tournament info onto their social sites.

Manuel Ferrero, with the world governing body of International Slow Pitch Softball, reminds us it’s important to be a part of the community and grow your fan base organically.

7 8 9

Develop a social advertising strategy and budget.

Email is an easy and economical communication tool. The same people you made personal contact with should be considered for email communication too. Set up your email template to directly address people by name to add personalization. Utilize team lists, club and association membership directories to grow email addresses.

10 11

Consider an e-blast provider like Constant Contact to do the heavy lifting of list maintenance and email scheduling.

Make sure e-blasts contain engaging content and are personalized enough that they won’t be considered spam. An intriguing subject line is the most effective way to get your email read. Use peer pressure by including a preview of who’s signed up.

Create more excitement for your email by embedding video. If your provider doesn’t support video embedding, create a still image of the video and hyperlink it to your YouTube or Vimeo channel.

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17 18

Set up an Event Page on Facebook. Place event details, ticket purchase information and photos here.

Work with your local Convention and Visitors Bureau to find key markets for promotion of your event. These organizations do lots of research on potential sources of visitors. They can provide collateral to promote the area that you can include in your promotional materials and inside your registration packets.

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Connect with sponsors for co-op advertising dollars for social ads and print ads.

Set up lead-generation social ads to build awareness and grow your email list.

Set up the Facebook pixel to track conversions from your ads and optimize future ads and audiences.

Shorten your event URL and include it in print publications.

Consider tools like Bit.ly.

Share your social ads and posts on the pages of event sponsors, related social groups and invite key influencers to share it on their personal social feeds.

If your event includes attendees from China, learn about WeChat as Facebook and most of our other social sites are not permitted in China.

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Create an Instagram or Snap Chat geo-filter for your event.

Geo-filters allow attendees to overlay a design you create over their own photos for added marketing power and to drive awareness.

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DURING

Keep participants engaged during the event and be prepared for those inevitable hiccups.

Representatives should do more than just staff the event information booth. Check on participants, parents, and coaches throughout the proceedings. Be visible and approachable.

1

Set up a # (hashtag) for use at the event. Market the hashtag prior to and during the event and use it in every post. Ferrero suggests researching hashtags to ensure you’re finding the right audience.

2

Use live-streaming video to keep people engaged during the event. Consider going live from the information booth to draw in more questions and reach people who may need assistance.

3

Create a phone tree of the main contacts of the teams participating.

Get several phone numbers per team. This multiplier effect will make sure any necessary messages such as weather delays or changes in schedules gets delivered.

4

Shoot plenty of photos showcasing the personality of your event.

Capture images you can use immediately and to market future events.

5 6 7

People habitually check their email several times a day, even when away from work. Tap into this during your event.

A group email can reach most participants. A distribution list should be created early to make sure you don’t miss anyone. Keep in mind email may not get read instantly, so there could be some gaps in communication.

Email is a good tool for sharing scores, standings, and news during the tournament. These emails will be forwarded by participants, so make sure to include your organization and contact info.

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Add a social sharing button to your eblast and invite readers to share your email.

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Posters and newsletters at the event can provide direction and detail for teams and coaches

Maintain a consistent theme with all publications. Colors and logos create instant recognition.

High visibility and placement of the marketing material at events and at host hotels will keep your participants on the right path.

Set up a photo booth and invite people to use your backdrop or cardboard photo cut-out when snapping photos or selfies.

Use hashtags on all print collateral to marry print and social.

Continue to post news, schedules and live updates in your Facebook Group and on your social sites.

Use a combination of live and prescheduled posts to save time and build reach and engagement. Roger Breum, director of Marketing at Hookit, finds Twitter is great for in-the-moment news, but doesn’t elicit the engagement that Facebook and Instagram do.

Remember to conduct interviews and seek testimonials to be used in your future marketing efforts. Keep in mind the need to gain permission to use a person’s name or photo in your marketing.

Having a stack of photo release forms on hand during the event will make the process much easier.

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Breum also finds that showing a rolling feed of social posts during a game boost engagement.

When posting during an event, invite comments and interaction.

@SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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AFTER

Follow-up is key to capture tournament vibes and future tournament success

1 2 3 4 5

Call each team or coach after the tournament, thank them and invite them to the next event.

Use @ in your social posts to mention key people, sponsors, teams or players.

Remember to communicate with the officials and other staff.

Keep the enthusiasm going by posting photos and videos after the event.

Create a Facebook Story and photo album, a Pinterest board, an Instagram Story or a Twitter Moment to capture highlights in a more enduring format.

6 7

Be on the lookout for past attendees at upcoming conventions, club meetings or other functions. Make a point of greeting them in person.

Ask people to share their own photos and videos onto your social sites. Gain their permission (in writing) to use these images in future marketing.

8 9

Thank you ads in the same publications used should include info on future events.

Printed certificates of recognition or participation can be a lifelong memory and trigger future participation. Add these certificates to Facebook, Snap Chat and Instgram or create a Twitter Moment.

Ferrero has found that audience involvement in #RateMySwing builds engagement year-round. Viewers post video of their swing and other comment and offer suggestions. An awesome way to keep the buzz going.

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11 12 13

Update and maintain stories on Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat along with Twitter Moments.

Posting team photos after the event creates a longer lasting bond to the event as evidenced by Breum.

Measure your social success in terms of interactions, reach, and names added to your email list. Track video consumption, popular post times along with social shares.

14 15 16

A thank you email is imperative. Again, address it personally.

Emails with video, group photos, news and final standings will rekindle positive memories for attendees.

Provide a call-to-action inviting readers to ‘like’ your social sites, sign-up for your newsletter or next tournament. Set up a special landing page to capture names and email.

Utilizing some of these tips for effective promotion of your tournament will lead to happy participants, exposure for your organization and future engagement. It will be a memorable event. SPG ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Catherine Heeg, International speaker & trainer, focuses on social media marketing strategies for the tourism and hospitality industry.

Connect with her at www.cmsspeaking.com and socially.

Jay B. Parker is a veteran sales manager and writer in the cruise and tour industry. He is an advocate of the PMB sales system, an upbeat and practical way to achieve better sales results. Contact Jay on Twitter @ToursJay or toursjay@gmail.com

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Beyond Banners: What Sponsors Really Want from Sports Tournament Sponsorships

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By Brenda Barron

ports event sponsorship is a big deal for businesses. For some, it’s a way to get their products directly into the hands of their target user base. For others, it’s about increasing visibility of their brand. Still, there are some who use it as a way to give back to the local community.

For your sports governing organization, it’s about drumming up revenue to balance out the costs of running those events. According to Sponsorship.com, estimates put sports sponsorship revenue at around $17.05 billion in 2018.

Keep in mind, however, that just because your event has a well-publicized sponsorship program, that doesn’t mean every corporation you approach (or that has been involved in it) will want to support your next event. In fact, 58 percent of surveyed businesses are currently looking to get out of a sponsorship.

Corporations have to be very careful about how they handle their advertising spend. The wrong sponsorship opportunity could lead to a lot of wasted spend, which makes this a decision that most businesses will heavily scrutinize before signing on the dotted line.

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With 68 percent of companies currently exploring new opportunities, it’s up to you to make your sponsorship program the most attractive it can be.

The following guide will break down why many sponsors get involved with sporting events and, consequently, provide you with some guidance for developing your own program.

What Do Sponsors Look for in Sports Sponsorships?

Sponsorships might be what fuel your sporting event, but, to your sponsors, they’re a new marketing opportunity. As such, companies need to ensure that any money put into it will result in a positive return on investment.

It doesn’t matter if you’re appealing to sponsors for: n Money n Uniforms n Equipment n Refreshments n Travel-related costs n Or something else @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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Your sponsors want to leverage this partnership to build brand awareness, increase publicity, boost sales, improve customer loyalty and differentiate from the competition.

Studies have demonstrated a connection between the goodwill of a sporting event with the sponsoring corporation’s employee loyalty. In an article published by Human Resource Management, pride in one’s company directly correlates to its sponsorship of the Olympics. It wasn’t just the super recognizable name of the sporting event that led to the increase in pride either. It was its ties to community and peaceful efforts that led employees to view their company in a more positive light.

Curious to know what you can do to drive up the value of your sponsorships and get more quality companies to sponsor your sporting events? Statistics collected by IEG in 2018 will shed some light on this:

Most Valuable Sponsor Perks

Much of what sponsors want nowadays extends beyond just getting a logo printed on uniforms. Due to the ever-increasing rise of digital, the most valuable sponsorships are ones that utilize a multi-channel approach.

These are the most valuable sponsorship perks as indicated by survey respondents: 55 percent want category exclusivity 42 percent want digital, mobile, and social media advertising 38 percent would like tickets and hospitality for entertaining purposes n 32 percent want to be featured on on-site signage n 19 percent would like access to the sports governing body’s audience data n n n

Russell Athletic continues to serve as the official uniform provider for Little League Baseball, even though it’s pivoted in recent years away

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from uniform sponsorships. However, its 30-plus-year relationship with Little League Baseball has proven to be a worthwhile investment for the company.

Clif Bar & Company offers its well-publicized goody bag program to sports organizations seeking sponsorships from the company. Within the program, they hope to get their brand in front of “community-minded, human-powered, athletic and/or socially responsible and sustainablyminded events for all kinds of people all over the nation.”

For sporting events that get accepted into the goody bag program, Clif Bar & Company lends its logo for promotion across all channels: on-site, digital, merchandise and more.

Most Common Objectives for Sponsors

These are the most common objectives corporations want a sponsorship to help them attain: 50 percent want to boost brand visibility 46 percent want to increase customer loyalty 33 percent want to entertain clients or prospects with sporting event tickets n 30 percent want to reach more prospects and, in turn, increase trials and sales n 29 percent want to demonstrate their company’s commitment to community and social responsibility n 26 percent hope to sell their products or services to the sports organization n n n

DICK’S Sporting Goods is an example of a company that targets sponsorship opportunities within local communities.

With 68 percent of companies exploring new opportunities, it’s up to you to make your sponsorship program as attractive as it can be.

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According to the DICK’S Sporting Goods Community page: “DICK'S Sporting Goods Community Program proudly supports leagues, teams, athletes, and outdoor enthusiasts through thousands of youth sports and outdoor recreation organizations in communities surrounding our stores.”

Most Popular Sponsorship Channels

These are the channels that are in highest demand by sponsors: 98 percent would like social media promotions 79 percent want a press release 79 percent are interested in hospitality benefits 77 percent want to leverage space on-site to provide an experience or sell goods at events n 56 percent want traditional advertising n n n n

Buckeye Nutrition’s partnership with the Equine Affaire is a good example.

While the event gets to take advantage of Buckeye’s nutritional feed products for its horses, Buckeye gets two on-site opportunities in exchange. The first is a booth where staff can answer questions horse owners have. The second is an opportunity to present during a seminar on the connection between horse performance and nutrition.

Nesquik has spoken openly about what types of platforms it’s happy to leverage in its sponsorship of soccer and other sporting events around the U.S. “On-site presence is a very important aspect of all our sponsorships and we leverage our local presence marketing ambassador teams to continuously build out the on-site presence with clubs…Social media and retail integration are also becoming more and more important components of our sponsorship activations.”

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Sponsors are Interested in Data, Too

It doesn’t stop at the event gate. Sponsors want insight into your teams and fans.

50 percent want assistance measuring the ROI of their sponsorship campaign. n 46 percent would like a fulfillment audit. n 34 percent want to know what your audience thought of their brand’s image. n 31 percent would like your help developing related content. n

Coca-Cola takes its cause-related sponsorships so seriously, it’s worked with Demos to develop its own metrics for evaluating the impact its sponsorships have had both internally as well as externally.

What Will Your Sponsorships Offer?

As you can see, it’s not just about billboards, uniforms, or running advertisements during live broadcasts anymore. Sponsors expect to get a valuable return on their investment, which means offering a trade-off that works just as well for you as it does for them. Now, take this info and run with it! SPG

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brenda Barron is a writer from southern California. She enjoys spending time with her family, doing yoga, knitting, and completing random craft projects. matimix/Bigstock.com

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@SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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Special Feature for Destination Managers

RFP Keys to Developing A Great Sports Facility

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A

By Eric Sullivan & Ashley Whittaker

Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document used in business, particularly in government or on large projects, for procuring goods and services in a competitive bid process. An RFP is best used when the application requires specialized expertise, specific capability, or where the product or service may require several organizations to team up. If administered properly, the RFP process will often help to select the best product and/or most qualified service provider.

As we see continued growth of sports tourism destinations, there are now more RFPs going out than ever for planning, development and operational support. Common examples in the sports tourism industry are: n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Feasibility/ Market Assessment Financial Forecasting Program Planning Capital Campaigns Development Partners FF&E Procurement Marketing & Branding Owner’s Representation / Design Consulting Operational Development & Consulting Outsourced Management Regional & National Events Facility Performance Assessments Performance Optimization Plans

The objective of an RFP is to solicit customized responses from experienced providers so that your municipality, board, commission or committee has the ability to select the optimal fit for your project. To do this for a sports facility, the issuer generally provides information on the background, goals, and need for the project. The RFP will also may direct, to varying degrees, the specific structure and format of the supplier's response.

resulting dialogue of the RFP process, it is often times unchanged. An RFQ on the other hand is just asking for a firm’s qualifications to be able to perform the task at hand, not a price for services. An RFQ is often used when the project is very large scale and the ultimate scope of the project may not be defined. This allows the issuing group to build relationships with qualified firms to help shape the working relationship.

In some cases, an RFQ is a step in the process to get to an RFP. This allows municipalities and organizations to cast a very wide net for their sports complex planning needs and qualify select groups. These groups, often no more than 3-5, are issued an RFP with more detail to arrive at an actual price quote.

Key Components of a Sports Facility Feasibility RFP n n n n n n n n n

Introduction and Project History Statement of Purpose Key Dates for RFP Submission, Question Deadlines, and Any Meetings/Calls Any pre-bid requirements (site visits, pre-submittal meetings, information downloads, etc.)

Submission Details & Requirements Proposal Format Firm Qualifications & Experience/References Key Firm Team Members & their project role Firm Approach, Scope, Timeline, and Pricing

The process from issuing the proposal to review is often 4-6 weeks with another 2-4 weeks for interviews and evaluations. Along with clear selection criteria and deadlines, assigning a single point of contact early in the development to manage the process and coordinate the logistics often helps keep the process focused and moving forward.

“RFP” vs. “RFQ”

In our world of acronyms, RFP and RFQ (Request for Qualifications) are often used interchangeably. However, there is a distinct technical difference. An RFP is an actual solicitation of a bid for a product or service with a price. While the price may be negotiated based on the

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@SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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Legal Requirements

Government and quasi-government agencies will often have to follow specific procurement guidelines. Often times, municipalities will have a procurement department to ensure legal compliance. Either as an issuer or a respondent to an RFP, make sure that you abide by all local regulations. Some jurisdictions may include closed bid submittals, where pricing is submitted separately from the rest of the proposal. Other considerations may be anti-collusion statements, drug-free workplace requirements, licensing requirements, proof of good financial standing, and other legal requirements.

RFP Deliverable Specification

When defining the submission details and requirements, it’s important to first understand what criteria your team feels is most critical to determining who will be awarded the work. Some municipalities create a weighted scoring system or categorical scorecard to help them evaluate the submission. Page numbers, tabbed dividers, binding, printed vs. digital, document order, and number of pages are several examples of deliverable specification. A more specified, strict approach to format creates a more uniform response which may be easier to evaluate sideby-side. On the other hand, with a little more leeway, you may receive more creative submittals with information you may not have otherwise considered.

It is very important that your RFP clearly state your desired qualifications and outcomes for the project or quality of the product. Some issuers choose to publish their budget for the project, while others do not. The hope without publishing a project budget is that you may be pleasantly surprised with a bid that comes in well under your internal budget. However, we have found it is often helpful to provide a budget or a range of fee to allow submitters to more accurately tailor their approach.

Questions & Addendums

In every RFP process, there is a 3-4 week period following issuance where respondents are allowed to submit questions. The result of this phase is often an addendum or series of addendums that is sent to all interested parties with both the specific question and answer or some other clarifying statement. These are generally distributed in the same way as the RFP (email, public website posting, online bid service).

During this period of questions and addendums, there are typically specific people and/or means of communication. This often means only certain representatives are able to answer questions on behalf of the project and answers need to be shared with all interested responders.

It is critical to adhere to these requirements because failure to do so may result in disqualification from the process for submitters or undermine the authenticity of the process for issuers.

Making A Selection

The first step in awarding the winner of your RFP is to have all members of your selection committee review the proposal. Depending on the complexity or competition involved in your responses, you may also want to have a conference call or in-person presentation with each group and your committee to provide an opportunity for real-time Q&A. Groups that are selected as finalists make what is referred to as the “short list.”

The short-list is often 2-5 teams who had the very best proposal and you would like to have a presentation made to the selection committee.

The length of these presentations vary, but usually a 30-60 minute overview of the firm/proposal followed by 30-60 minutes of Q&A is standard. The more complex the project and larger the project budget, the longer the presentations tend to be. During the Q&A, some selection committees like to ask the same questions to all submitters while others ask unique questions to each group based on their proposal.

After each group has made a presentation, the selection committee will often meet to discuss their opinions and rank the responses. Once a decision is made, the selection committee will enter negotiations with the finalist. Some groups choose to publish their rankings while others keep them private. Regardless, best practice is to formally thank each of the respondents and to let them know they have not been chosen.

This keeps respondents informed and you never know when their services may be needed in the future. SPG

Free Guide to Better Request for Proposals (RFPs) Planning a new sports tourism project?

Download our quick reference guide for sports commissions, community leaders, and developers starting a sports, events, recreation, or wellness project.

Topics include: n n n n n

RFP Deliverable Specification Must-have Components Tips tor Assessing the RFP Responses Ready-to-use RFPs for your next project Order your free copy today @

http://sportsplanningguide.com/rfpguide SportsPlanningGuide.com

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THE US SPORTS CONGRESS IN V I T E S Y O U T O

FOR NEXT YEAR’S SPORTS CONFERENCE

DECEMBER 2019 Hosted by Experience Columbia SC Sports BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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elcome to the US Sports Congress, a “Sports Conference Like No Other.�

We extend to you an invitation to explore what makes the USSC different. At the Congress you’ll find increased opportunities to build relationships, learn side by side with industry partners and gain deeper insight into the sports event industry.

If you are looking for a way to move your event marketing and operations to the next level, we’re confident that the US Sports Congress will be the channel that leads to your success.

W

LOU MENGSOL PRESIDENT US SPORTS CONGRESS

Intimate setting â– 1 to 1 Ratio â– Exemplary Professional Development â– Proven R OI 94% of attendees reported that they booked business because of meetings or contacts they made at the US Sports Congress. â–

REGISTER TODAY Call 608-363-0873 or visit USSportsCongress.com

SPG

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Columbia is the second largest city in South Carolina and is home to outstanding sports facilities, numerous trails, gardens and rivers and a vibrant downtown area.

US SPORTS CONGRESS Columbia, the capital city of the Palmetto State, to host esteemed sports conference

HEADS TO SOUTH CAROLINA IN 2019

T

he United States Sports Congress, the most innovative conference in the sports event industry, announced its 2019 annual event will take place in Columbia, the capital city of South Carolina.

The conference will take place Dec. 9-11, 2019, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, a facility centrally located in the city. Built in 2004, the 142,500-square-foot convention center is a modern and architecturally significant complex that has played host to some of the most impressive events in the Southeast. The congress will be another addition to its hosting legacy.

“Columbia has that unique southern charm, steeped in history with a mix of looking toward the future,” said Lou Mengsol, president of the US Sports Congress. “You'll see this in their downtown historic buildings and progressive food scene. Their convention center is a great example of this. Set among the historic buildings, you see this beautifully modern facility and somehow, it just works. It's one of the things that attracted us to this destination and is sure to influence our program.”

The congress is built on the credo that relationships drive business, so sessions are structured in a collaborative fashion while networking events and an interactive trade show allow for a free flow of conversation and ideas. This gives attendees an opportunity to construct bonds that aren’t possible at traditional 10-minute appointment-based shows.

The congress attracts top-level decision-makers from the world of amateur sports and sporting events. The attendees of this conference are senior level executives who represent sports rights holders and Olympic national governing bodies, the destinations who desire to host their events, along with many suppliers to the industry.

“We are truly thrilled to be hosting the US Sports Congress in December 2019,” said Scott Powers, executive director of Experience Columbia SC Sports. “The congress will cap off an amazing 2019 for Columbia as we will be hosting events like the S.C. Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel, March Madness, LuLaRoe Leadership Meeting, Southern Gas Association Spring Meeting & Expo and the Mayors Innovation Project, just to name a few.”

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Columbia is the second largest city in South Carolina and features several shopping districts, a recently revitalized downtown, a delectable food scene and a distinct public art collection, which ranges from outdoor sculpture and maker spaces to murals and a laser installation.

“One of the most exciting parts about hosting the US Sports Congress will be getting the opportunity to showcase why Columbia is the real southern hot spot to attendees who either have never made a trip to Columbia or have not been to Columbia in several years,” Powers said.

“Attendees will get the opportunity to experience our diverse culinary scene, unexpected outdoor excursions and bustling entertainment districts.

From ziplining at the zoo to taking in an art exhibit, playing a round of golf, going on a history tour or visiting one of our many craft breweries, Columbia offers fun for all ages.”

Among Columbia’s highlights are the Town Theatre, the country’s oldest community theater in continuous use; the Columbia Marionette Theatre, which is the only freestanding theater in the nation devoted entirely to marionette arts; and the South Carolina State Museum, a comprehensive museum that contains exhibits in science, technology, history and the arts. It is the state’s largest museum and one of the largest museums in the southeast.

Another popular destination in Columbia is the Congaree Vista, a cosmopolitan section of the city near the banks of the Congaree River.

This section includes many small, upscale shops and restaurants, often in renovated warehouse buildings.

“I think more than anything, our attendees will be surprised by Columbia,” Mengsol said. “Every street and turn, there is something different from their food scene and craft breweries to music and nightlife.

All you need to do is walk down the Vista and you see all these things.

Best of all, it's just steps from our host hotel.”

Columbia can be accessed through the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, five miles southwest of the city.

More information can be found at ussportscongress.com and experiencecolumbiasc.com. SPG @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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This is where hustle gets rewarded and action is inevitable. And our roster of pros will work as hard as the athletes to get your crowd on their feet.

So take that big shot. Host your next sporting event in the same city that’s hosting Interbike Marketweek, starting in 2018. We’re ready.

Ready to go for gold?

Contact Shelli Fine, Director of Sports Development 775.827.7704 /sfine@RenoTahoeUSA.com

TM

VisitRenoTahoe.com/Sports

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SI

Portland Sports Complex, Portland, TX

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esidents of the Western United States are fortunate to live in a region containing impeccable weather and magnificent landscapes. The West is also filled with tournament-ready fields and an impressive array of pools, arenas, stadiums and waterways. Each destination highlighted in this section offers attractive facilities and a dedicated staff of experts who will help make your tournament run seamlessly.

WEST REGION 36 38 40 50 52 55 56 58 34

Eugene, Cascades & Coast, OR Reno Tahoe, NV Colorado Springs, CO Sacramento, CA Redding, CA Fresno County, CA Bakersfield, CA Visalia, CA

Sports Planning Guide

60 62 64 66 76 78 81 82 84

Vallejo, CA Fairplex, CA Camarillo, CA Irvine, CA Arlington, TX Portland, TX Abilene, TX Fort Worth, TX Round Rock, TX

86 89 90 92 102 104 106 108

Midland, TX Temple, TX Plano, TX Wichita Falls, TX Snohomish County, WA Olympia, WA Tri-Cities, WA Seattle Southside, WA @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG

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Eugene, Cascades & Coast, OR Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission demonstrates Lane County’s potential for cutting-edge sporting events.

2 Courtesy of University of Oregon

In recent years, Oregon has gained popularity as a travel hotspot due to its breathtaking coastline, wine country and endless outdoor activities. Oregon’s dramatic, everchanging coast has spectacular viewpoints that invite storm watching, picnicking, whale watching and countless photo opportunities along the way.

Lane County’s attraction lies in its plethora of outdoor activities and adventures to partake in. A unique Lane County experience is sandboarding, a board sport like snowboarding or surfing, but on sand. The Oregon Coast has the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America, providing a year-round exhilarating sporting experience for those visiting the region. Another exhilarating sport to indulge in is river rafting. McKenzie River, one of the treasures of the Pacific Northwest, is a classic alpine river high with crystal clear waters and an abundance of dancing rapids, offering a variety of high country expeditions in and around the Eugene, Cascade and Coast region. The area is overflowing with waterfalls due to consistent rainfall, allowing group visitors the opportunity to wander through magnificent rivers with 36

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luscious waterfalls, such as Proxy Falls, Sweet Creek Falls and Salt Creek Falls. A nature center and wildlife hospital in Eugene specializing in raptor rehabilitation, Cascade Raptor Center has one of the largest collections of native raptor species for visitors to observe in large outdoor aviaries. Skip the sunscreen at Splash! at Lively Park, a year-round indoor waterpark with a wave pool, waterslides, lap pool, spa and kiddie pool.

Getting to Lane County The Eugene-Springfield metro is located directly off Interstate 5, the major freeway system running north and south from Canada to California. Serviced by Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines, Eugene Airport is the fifth-largest airport in the Pacific Northwest.

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FACILITY SPOTLIGHT 1. Hayward Field Sports: Track and Field One of the most historic track and field venues in the world, University of Oregon’s beloved Hayward Field in Eugene was home to the 1972, 1976, 1980, 2008, 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials competition.

Established in 1920 to honor Bill Hayward, the Oregon track and field coach from 1904 to 1947, the venue has a seating capacity of 10,500 spectators and has hosted the NCAA Outdoor Championships more times than any other venue in modern history. Hayward Field is currently under renovations in preparation for the 2021 IAAF World Championships.

2. Autzen Stadium Sport: Football

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Autzen Stadium in Eugene seats 54,000 spectators and is regularly ranked amongst the nation’s top 10 venues to watch a college football game. With consistent renovations since 1969, Autzen Stadium now features a FieldTurf surface with polyethylene and polypropylene fibers designed to resist extreme temperatures and weather conditions. With the 1981 addition of The Club at Autzen, the facility offers supplementary meeting space and functional surroundings for pre-game activities. Autzen Stadium has hosted Nitro Circus and the Grateful Dead.

3. Matthew Knight Arena Sports: Basketball, volleyball, gymnastics

Planner Perspective “Two years ago the NWAC took a giant leap of faith and partnered with the Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission to bring our Soccer Friendlies tournament to the Bob Keefer Center for Sports and Recreation in Springfield, Oregon. The effort, hospitality and genuine support provided by the commission is second to none. Last year 48 college soccer teams competed and this year there will be an additional 32 volleyball teams competing to make a one-of-a-kind College Indoor/Outdoor Fall Festival. Their partnership, vision, and energy has played a vital role in making this event happen.”

– Marco Azurdia, NWAC Executive Director, Northwest Athletic Conference

Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission Joey Jewell Director of Sports Sales & Development Phone: 541.743.8757 Email: Joey@EugeneCascadesCoast.org Website: http://eugenecascadescoastsports.org SportsPlanningGuide.com

Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene opened in 2011 and is one of the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified arenas in the NCAA. This 12,364seat multi-purpose arena is home to the University of Oregon Ducks basketball team.

The venue features a 65,000-pound centerhung scoreboard and four 20-by-12-foot high definition LED monitors.

4. Bob Keefer Center for Sports and Recreation Sports: Basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer Located in Springfield, Bob Keefer Center for Sports is a 97,000-square-foot venue with three regulation-sized basketball courts, four lighted outdoor turf fields, four indoor tennis courts, three roller derby rinks, 11 volleyball courts, eight pickleball courts, a 33-foot high climbing wall and a fitness center. One of the largest sports and recreation facilities in the Northwest, the center can accommodate any type of event, from small games to large scale tournaments.

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Reno Tahoe Sports events big and small are finding a new home and a willing partner in Reno Tahoe .

Planning a sports event is never easy, and finding a location that meets all of your specifications is even harder. A successful event is about more than the games won and lost; it is about the time spent with family and the memories made. That’s why Reno Tahoe is a sports planner’s dream come true, and another reason why Interbike, the country’s largest bicycle industry trade show, is moving its week-long event to northern Nevada.

Things to do in Reno In a city as exciting as Reno, there’s enough entertainment for everyone in the family. Enjoy a relaxing day at one of the region’s 50 golf courses, or take your pick of firstclass spas and resorts. Enjoy a stroll or art walk along the Riverwalk District or the burgeoning MidTown area.

adventure at Ultimate Rush Thrill Park. Combining the elements of hang-gliding, bungee-jumping and sky diving into on 185-foot tower fall, this park sets the stage for the perfect team-building activity.

How to Get to Reno Getting to Reno Tahoe is easier than ever with new nonstop service to Los Angeles, Oakland, Boise and New York City. With more nonstop flights to Dallas and Atlanta coming online soon, arrangements for your next event will be even more convenient.

At The Discovery Museum in downtown Reno, everyone can get involved in the science center’s hands-on experiments and exhibits. Wild Island Family Adventure Park gives kids a chance to run around at its many pools and water slides, test out their driving skills on the gokarts or strike out the competition at the bowling alley.

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FACILITY SPOTLIGHT 1. RENO-SPARKS CONVENTION CENTER Sports: All

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With a little creativity, the Reno-Sparks Convention Center can host virtually any indoor sports event. The 500,000-square-foot facility has hosted events such as the Summer National Fencing Championships, Junior National Volleyball Championships, USA Taekwondo National Championships and Jam On It AAU basketball tournaments. Choose from one of five massive exhibit halls to host your event. The facility also has meeting rooms that can be used for registration, coaches meetings or trophy ceremonies. Boasting superior costumer service, guaranteed for all clients, this convention center is an easy choice for any sports event.

2. Reno Events Center Sports: All From pop superstars to headlining comics, the Reno Events Center is just the right size. Every square foot of Reno’s most versatile venue is built for entertainment, from world tour concert kickoffs to electrifying boxing matches, and everything in between. Its flexible 7,000-seat capacity and its location in the liveliest part of the city make it the place to be in Reno. The REC also hosts the NBA D-League Reno Bighorns, and has been the home of multiple D-League Showcases as well as World League Volleyball. This center is the perfect place to accommodate a sports planner’s every need.

3. Golden Eagle Regional Park Planner Perspective “Triple Crown Sports has seen increasing success in the Reno Tahoe area over the last four years. The RSCVA sports staff, our hotel partners, and all the area’s sports facilities have gone above and beyond for TCS and our tournaments. All four sports properties that Reno Tahoe hosts are not only successes on the field, but off the field as well. Our athletes and their families truly enjoy the destination as they can come and seriously compete on first-rate fields, then relax after the competition in a world-class setting. The Reno area is a great destination for our growing national event business.”

– Katrina Maestas, Western World Series Director, Triple Crown Sports

Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority

Sports: Soccer, baseball, football, softball, volleyball, bocce Consistency can be a major challenge when it comes to field maintenance, and can also prove costly for budgets and natural resources. In an efforts to curb these concerns, the City of Sparks constructed Golden Eagle Regional Park. Built in 2008, Golden Eagle covers more than 100 acres and feature more than 1.4 million sq. ft. of artificial turf, making it the largest facility of its type on the continent. The complex houses four full-size baseball fields, four youth baseball fields, six softball fields, three full-size football/soccer fields, four volleyball courts and two bocce courts. With ample parking, seating, lighting, pavilions and a full-service restaurant, Golden Eagle Regional Park is a great, all-in-one tournament venue.

Shelli Fine Director of Sports Development Phone: 775-827-7790 Email: sfine@renotahoeusa.com Website: www.visitrenotahoe.com SportsPlanningGuide.com

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