NASC Playbook - Winter 2017/2018

Winter 2017-2018

Inside this issue:

Photo Courtesy Brace Hemmelgarn

Photo Courtesy GilmourCreative.com.eps

Registration and Housing Open for 2018 NASC Symposium Knoxville, Tennessee to Host 2019 NASC Symposium eSports in Sports Tourism Forming Stronger Relationships with Facility Partners

National Headquarters

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Telephone/Fax

Letter from the President and CEO ............................1

9916 Carver Road, Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 281-3888/(513) 281-1765

Website

www.SportsCommissions.org

Staff Alan (Al) R. Kidd, President & CEO Elizabeth Young, Director of Membership & Marketing Brad Bellissimo, Member Services Manager

Board of Directors Officers

Chair Ralph Morton, Executive Director, Seattle Sports Commission Vice Chair/Chair-Elect Kindra Fry, CSEE, SMP, Executive Director, Bryan College Station Sports + Events Treasurer Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE, Chief Executive Officer, Harris County - Houston Sports Authority Secretary Michael Price, CSEE, Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority

State of the Industry Survey .......................................... 2 Nominating Committee Seeking Industry Leaders ................................................................. 2 NASC Launches New Website ..................................... 3 Awards Committee Accepting Entries ..................... 4 Registration and Housing open for 2018 NASC Symposium ..............................................5-6 Knoxville, TN will host 2019 NASC Symposium ........................................................................7-8 eSports in Sports Tourism ....................................... 9-10 Forming Stronger Relationships with Facility Partners............................................................ 11-12

Directors Janna Clark, CSEE, Sports and Sales Director, Elizabethtown Sports Park John David, CSEE, Chief Operating Officer, USA BMX Don Dukemineer, CSEE, Convention Sales Manager Huntsville/Madison County CVB, Director Matt Dunn, CSEE, Vice President, Tourism Development, Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches Roy Edmondson, CSEE, Vice President of Sports Business Development, Visit Anaheim Jason Gewirtz, Editor, SportsTravel Magazine Laura Gurreri, CSEE, Director of Sales, Sport York Pete Harvey, CSEE, 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 Matt Libber, CSEE, VP, Business Operations, Elite Tournaments Kathy Nelson, President/CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission Ray Palmer, CSEE, President/CEO, Pensacola Sports Janis Ross, CSEE, Executive Director, Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Kris Smith, CSEE, Director, Detroit Sports

Media & Public Relations Advisers Jackie Reau, Game Day Communications Betsy Ross, Game Day Communications

www.SportsCommissions.org

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 Elizabeth Young, Director of Membership and Marketing, at elizabeth@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.

Letter From The President & CEO As we round out 2017 we should reflect on the resolve and significant amount of support our member organizations have provided to many regions around the country from the many tragedies. During the plethora of natural disasters ranging from hurricanes, tornados, floods, and fires that have destroyed over 220,000 acres and the Las Vegas madness, a number of our members helped organize support groups, raise capital, and manage shelters. Our collective community service and event management delivery have been a foundation to help bring some sense of normalcy back to our communities. Congrats to all who pitched in to make a difference; and thank you to all of our “family” who jumped into action.

It sold out within days! We offered an outstanding, thoughtprovoking presenter slate and plenty of time set aside to ask questions. Speakers included: • Tony Ponturo, retired Anheuser-Busch executive and current adjunct professor at the NYU Tisch Sports Institute for Sports Management • Don Welsh, President & CEO at Destinations International • Team presidents from the Houston professional sports franchises • Mike Gamble, President & CEO at Searchwide

Association Health Plans We are looking into the new changes to AHP’s (association health plans) and their impact and potential opportunities for our membership. Early indications are that membership groups could sponsor insurance plans across state lines.

This may provide opportunities to become part of a larger risk pool as a part of a bigger association grouping. This may have the ability to lower and/or manage costs bit more.

I plan to meet and talk with ASAE, who is studying the proposed plans and will report back as progress is made.

On The Road We had a busy travel season this past fall to meet with current and potential members. Presenting at these conferences help us spread the new vision and direction we are headed. Thank you to Florida Sports Foundation, S.P.O.R.T.S. Conference, OHMO, UMCVB, the Illinois Association of CVBs, Pure Michigan Sports, Tennessee Governors Conference on tourism, the Tourism Summit at Visit Buffalo Niagara and the TEAMS Conference.

Chief Executive Summit Recap The inaugural Chief Executive Summit took place in Houston, TX on November 17. This program was limited to the first 25 CEOs who registered from our membership.

Many of our “veteran” members in attendance stated unequivocally – “This was the best NASC event in 20 years.”

This was a model of collaboration between our members, the industry, our staff, our sponsor, Searchwide, and our host – Harris County - Houston Sports Authority. Well done on all fronts. We look forward to expanding the event in 2018.

Wishing you the best in the New Year, Alan R. Kidd President & CEO National Association of Sports Commissions

#SportTourism 1

State Of The Industry Survey Ohio University is conducting the annual State of the Industry Survey on behalf of the NASC. The primary contact at Active member organizations will be contacted at the beginning of January to participate in the survey.

We appreciate your honest answers and transparency of your organization’s operations. We ask that each Active member organization complete the survey only once.

We hope these findings will ultimately provide industry best practices. All answers will remain anonymous and results will be used to develop the annual State of the Industry Report, which will be presented at the 26th annual NASC Sports Event Symposium.

Nominating Committee Seeking Industry Leaders To Serve On NASC Board Of Directors Board service of the sports events & tourism industry’s leaders is vital for the continued growth and success of the NASC. Board members serve as representatives of the NASC’s 750 member organizations and help guide the future direction of your Association.

The NASC Nominating Committee is accepting nominations now. Self-nominations are recommended and encouraged.

Learn more about the open positions and the basic responsibilities of the NASC Board of Directors at www.sportscommissions.org/About/Board-of-Directors/ Nominations.

In order to be considered, nominations must be received no later than Monday January 8, 2018 at 11:59 a.m. ET. For more information, contact Ralph Morton, Nominating Committee Chair, at rmorton@seattlesports.org, or (206) 461-5819.

www.SportsCommissions.org 2

2018 Membership Renewals As the NASC heads into our 26th year of service to our members, the staff and board of directors thank you for your support and dedication to the sports events and tourism industry. We encourage you to take full advantage of the benefits and resources available to your organization as an NASC member, including our newly redesigned website!

Membership Benefits Directories • Member Directory • Event Owner Directory • Vendor Directory

Events & Certification • Sports Event Symposium • 4S Summit • Chief Executives Summit • Women Executives Summit • Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) Certification Peer–to–Peer Resources • Mentoring • Models & Samples Publications & Resources • NASC Get in the Game eNews • NASC Playbook • Career Center Industry Research • Economic Impact Calculator • Event RFP Database Member Services We aim to provide dedicated service to each and every member. Should you have questions at any time throughout the year, please contact your member services manager, Brad Bellissimo, via email at Brad@SportsCommissions.org or call/text (513) 842-8307.

We are privileged to have served the sports events & tourism industry for the past 25 years and look forward to a bright future.

National Association Of Sports Commissions Launches New Website As The Sports Events & Tourism Industry Resource In December, the NASC launched a new website, www. sportscommissions.org, to serve as an expanded resource for its membership.

“The NASC serves as the leading association for sports commissions, sports destinations, sports event owners and industry partners, and the new website will provide a comprehensive information for members, industry partners and media,” said Al Kidd, President & CEO of NASC. “The new site is a more contemporary and easier to navigate source of information and support tools. We plan to add additional Industry Pulse taking technology and tools to facilitate market and event analysis in 2018. This is a great start for our on-going evolution into a more progressive social and digital member engagement site.”

The website offers several updated features including: Economic Impact Calculator for Sports Events, annual event calendar, ability to regularly poll membership on key issues, Directories, Event RFP Database, Resource Library and a Career Center.

“We are delighted to share a new, modern, and easily navigable website with our members and industry stakeholders. The redesign allows us to present important information to our members and educate the general public about the impact our members make in their destinations and on the spectators and participants who enjoy their sports events,” said Elizabeth Young, Director of Membership and Marketing of NASC and project manager. “Improved search engine optimization will increase visibility and drive more traffic to the site. The new site would not be possible without tremendous support from our technology partners, Systems Insight and Pyxl, who helped us reimagine our website and bring our ideas to life.”

The new website is also the home for the association’s education programs which include the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) credential and the Annual Symposium to be held April 23-26, 2018 in Minneapolis.

Best wishes for a terrific 2018,

Elizabeth Chaney Young Director of Membership and Marketing Email: Elizabeth@SportsCommissions.org Call/Text: (513) 842-8509

#SportTourism 3

NASC Awards Committee Accepting Entries For Annual Member Awards

Sponsored by

The NASC Awards committee is accepting entries for the 2017 member awards.

For the 2018 Member Awards, activities, events, marketing campaigns, web strategies, etc. must have occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2017.

Entries are due by Friday, February 23, 2018 at 11:59pm PT. Organizational Award Categories Population size is defined as the metropolitan area which an Active member serves.

Sports Commission of the Year • Population: Under 500,000 • Population: 500,000 and above Sports Tourism Organization of the Year • Population: Under 500,000 • Population: 500,000 and above Marketing Campaign of the Year • Population: Under 500,000 • Population: 500,000 and above Locally Created Event of the Year • Population: Under 500,000 • Population: 500,000 and above Superior Service Award – Allied member of the year Individual Award Categories Staff who represent member organizations are eligible to apply for individual awards. Great people make a dramatic difference in the sports tourism industry. Exceptional leaders inspire others, set the pace for performance, and nurture success. The NASC seeks to recognize these outstanding leaders in the industry for our highest honors.

• Sports Tourism Executive of the Year – Sports Events & Tourism • Game Changer Award – Sports Tourism Organization/ Sports Commission staff member • Sports Event Organizer of the Year – Rights Holder staff member Judging Policy An independent judging panel comprised of five leaders in the sports events and tourism industry will critique award submissions based off of a the point system that has been determined by the awards committee.

For more information, contact Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE, at jburke@houstonsports.org, or Kathy Nelson, knelson@ sportkc.org, Awards Committee Chairs.

Hall Of Fame The NASC Hall of Fame Committee was established to honor those who played a vital role in the success and promotion of the National Association of Sports Commissions. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to promote the professional management of sporting events and the sports tourism industry as a whole by honoring those individuals who exemplified the values of the NASC in their careers and by acknowledging their legacies to provide guidance for future members of the NASC. To be considered, nominations must be received no later than January 31, 2018 at 11:59 pm PT. For more information, contact Terry Hasseltine, Hall of Fame Committee Chair, at thasseltine@marylandsports.us.

www.SportsCommissions.org 4

Registration And Housing Open For 26th NASC Sports Event Symposium Registration and housing is open for the 26th NASC Sports Event Symposium to be held April 23-26, 2018 in Minneapolis, MN. Special thanks to our hosts Sports Minneapolis powered by Meet Minneapolis and Explore Minnesota Sports.

By attending, you will learn how to produce measurable ROI, elevate your sports events, and improve the quality of life in your destination.

Save $300 when you register before February 16.

The host hotels are the Hilton Minneapolis and Hyatt Regency Minnapolis.

Preliminary Schedule and Important Dates Networking from beginning to end is a critical component of a successful Symposium. Start making your travel plans now!

Early Registration Deadline - February 16, 2018 Cut-off Date to Book Hotel Rooms - March 30, 2018

Schedule

Subject to change.

Monday, April 23 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Noon - 4:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Sports Legacy Fund Community Service Project Sports Legacy Fund Golf Outing Registration and Member Services Marketplace and Exhibitor Booth Set Up New Member Networking

Tuesday, April 24 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.

1:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Registration and Member Services Marketplace and Exhibitor Booth Set Up CSEE Spring 2018 Course (additional fees apply) Open Lunch for Client Meetings New Member and First Time Attendee Orientation Opening Ceremony, Member Awards & Hall of Fame Presentation One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace Sponsor, Exhibitor & Event Owner Social Opening Party

The NASC Shipping Program – a free member benefit!

Enroll today at PartnerShip.com/09NASC

The NASC Shipping Program, managed by PartnerShipÂŽ, helps you save on every shipment you send or receive. From envelopes up to large truckload shipments, PartnerShip allows you to save on your shipping with the most trusted carriers in the country.

and many more ...

#SportTourism 5

Marketplace Appointments

Wednesday, April 25 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

11:15 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Registration and Member Services Trends in Sports Tourism & State of the Industry & Continental Breakfast One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace General Membership Meeting and Networking Luncheon Education Sessions Education Sessions One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace Sports Legacy Fund Happy Hour Minneapolis Beer & Ballparks Tour

Thursday, April 26 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Noon - 1:30 p.m.

1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Registration and Member Services NASC Town Hall and Continental Breakfast Event Overview Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace Education Sessions Closing Luncheon Education Sessions One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace Closing Party

The NASC Sports Marketplace is the longest-running reverse trade show in the sports tourism industry.

Destinations, vendors, and event owners participate in appointments to cultivate meaningful relationships and produce measurable ROI. Educational opportunities and other activities are not scheduled during Marketplace hours, so exhibitors have the undivided attention of attendees.

Appointment Participation Deadline - February 16, 2018 One-On-One Appointment Portal Opens - March 1, 2018 One-On-One Appointment Portal Closes - March 23, 2018 EO Appointment Portal Opens - April 2, 2018 EO Appointment Portal Closes - April 6, 2018 Appointment Schedules Distributed - April 16, 2018

Education Sessions The full schedule of education sessions will be announced in early 2018. Send topics or speakers suggestions to Al Kidd at al@sportscommissions.org.

Thanks to Our Sponsors

FOLEY

Sports Tourism C

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The city of Knoxville, TN, will be the host city for the 2019 NASC Sports Event Symposium.

The city of Knoxville, TN, will be the host city for the 2019 NASC Sports Event Symposium, connecting leaders in the sports tourism industry with event rights holders and venue managers from around the country and across the world.

The Symposium will be held May 6-9, 2019.

The NASC Sports Event Symposium is the annual meeting of the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC), the only non-profit 501(c)3 association for the sports events and tourism industry in the United States since 1992.

Hundreds of sports tourism professionals and industry partners gather there each year to exchange time, resources, strategies, solutions, and more.

Hosting the Symposium is an incredible honor for Knoxville as well as the entire state of Tennessee.

“Visit Knoxville Sports Commission is excited to welcome the 2019 NASC Symposium to Knoxville and we look forward to partnering with all of our teammates at PlayTN to show more than 1,000 sports tourism professionals – Chad Culver, Senior Director, “Sports Tourism is a an unforgettable event,” Visit Knoxville Sports Commission growing market and said Chad Culver, Senior to have NASC choose Director, Visit Knoxville Knoxville is wonderful Sports Commission. for our destination,” states Kim Bumpas, President, Visit “Hosting the Symposium is an incredible honor for Knoxville Knoxville. “Being chosen for this event puts Knoxville on as well as the entire state of Tennessee.” a national playing field with many other cities across the nation.”

“We are excited to bring our Symposium to the heart of Tennessee,” said Al Kidd, NASC President and CEO. “We look forward to bringing the leaders in sports events and tourism to such a vibrant sports city as Knoxville.”

#SportTourism 7

Women’s Summit March 28-30, Columbus, OH in conjunction with Women’s Final Four. Developed by top women leaders in the sports events and tourism industry, the inaugural Summit will inspire you to achieve your career goals.

Topics covered include: • Assertiveness Skills • Positive Self-esteem • Conflict Management Communication Techniques • Tips for Navigating A Male-Dominated Industry • And more!

Successful speakers and enlightening sessions will guarantee to supply the tools you need and give you the direction you need to reach new heights in your professional and personal life.

This illuminating day is filled with several practical, idea-packed sessions. And between workshops, you’ll experience meaningful networking at its best. This winning combination delivers your money’s worth and more!

Registration Fee: $499 Hotel Rate: $179/night Cutoff: February 27, 2018

Experience...

The Wild Wild Wet in Lewisville, Texas

Dive In. Move Fast. Play to Win. Westside Aquatic Center

n Seating

for 1,200 spectators

n 75-meter competition pool

n 36 numbered lanes

n Two 1-meter and two 3-meter diving boards

Lewisville Lake Park

n 8

lighted soccer fields

n 10 lighted baseball/softball fields

n Golf, disc golf, cricket, fishing, boat ramps, and marinas

Hotels / Restaurants

n 1800 rooms within minutes of sports venues

n Variety of dining choices for every appetite

Lone Star Toyota of Lewisville Railroad Park

n 8

lighted soccer fields

lighted football fields

n 4 lighted baseball fields

n Permanent concession buildings n 4

VisitLewisville.com

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eSports in Sports Tourism Seth Bull & Heather Lawrence, Ph.D., Ohio University Center for Sports Administration

With respect to eSports, two groups in sports tourism have emerged. The first group has been following eSports since its’ humble beginnings, understands it, embraces it, and is already in engaged in the industry. The second group sees the headlines, knows it exists, and wants to learn more, but has no idea where to start. If you fall into the second group, this article is for you. Welcome to eSports 101 where we arm you with an overview of eSports, provide potential opportunities in the sports tourism space, and suggest resources where you can learn more.

Before you read, we have one request: please forget about any comparisons you may be tempted to make between traditional sport and eSports, they are different.

Consumption Traditionally, eSports have been watched via a streaming service, such as Twitch.tv or YouTube Gaming. Popular live broadcasts have concurrent viewers of 150,000 or more and matches are called by a commentary team, or “casters”. Casters are key to new fans understanding the game, creating drama and excitement, providing historical information, projecting the next superstars in the sport, and building a story that supports the notion of rivalries between cities and regions.

Most eSports competitors are also “streamers” when out of competition. Streamers play a game and have a live feed where viewers interact with them. Streaming is important to the growth of eSport, as it is a first point of contact with a competitor, team, or game. The speed at which a following is created can be demonstrated by the story of the game PlayerUnknown’s Battle Grounds (PUBG). PUBG has not been fully released as of December 2017, yet it has already unseated League of Legends as the most watched game on Twitch.tv. It is so popular that an in-person tournament was held at IEM Oakland in October 2017 using streaming to cultivate a fan base.

Governance

The Basics eSports are simply video games that are played competitively and typically categorized by the genre of the game. Broad categories include the Massive Online Battle Arenas (MOBAs) (i.e., League of Legends, DOTA2, etc.), First-Person Shooters (FPS) (i.e., Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, etc.), and games based on sports (i.e., NBA2K series, F1 series, etc.). Although this list is not exhaustive, it covers the largest sectors.

In 2016, the eSports industry was valued at $892 million and touted 350 million unique consumers of eSports content (Superdata, 2016). Newzoo projects continued U.S. and global growth quickly moving into the billions. Between DOTA 2 and League of Legends alone, there have been more than 2,350 tournaments and in recent years some of those have moved from entirely virtual to in-venue events designed for both the in-person and virtual spectator.

Clearly, eSports far exceeds the size and scope of many traditional sports and deserves the attention of the sport industry.

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Unlike traditional sport, there are no recognized governing bodies or structures that operate anything like what the sport industry is accustomed to. This creates confusion for many as to how it all works. The details would be beyond the scope of this article, but in an effort to make a traditional sport comparison, we can use college track and field as a point of comparison. There are eSport organizations (i.e., like a specific university), the sport (i.e., college track and field), and many disciplines (i.e., throws vs. sprints, vs. jumps). To illustrate, Cloud9 is one of the leading eSports organizations. Cloud9 participates in esports tournaments and streaming and they field teams in League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Overwatch and many other esports.

There are a few organizations (i.e., Electronic Gaming Federation, National Association of College Esports, etc.,) in the mix for control over the college eSports scene in North America, but none have full or even majority control.

#SportTourism

In October 2017, the NCAA released an RFP seeking out experts to guide an eSports plan of action. This is an area that is still very much in flux.

Events Each eSport is defined by its respective events. There are three sizes of events for the purposes of this discussion; major, mid-tier, and local. Events can be held in venues ranging from a Major League Gaming owned venue (500 spectators) in Columbus, OH to arenas such as Key Arena in Seattle (10,000 spectators) and stadiums like Sang-am World Cup Stadium in Seoul (45,000 spectators). Some major events include the League of Legends World Championship, The International for DOTA 2, and Call of Duty World League. The 2016 League of Legends World Championships held at Madison Square Garden (30,000 tickets over 2 nights) sold out in 10 minutes. Events of this caliber are typically organized by the publisher of the game. but can also be organized by an affiliate of the publisher.

Mid-tier events are normally created and managed by 3rd parties with permission from the publisher. Because these events are not trying to sell out Madison Square Garden,

they occur more frequently with less risk to all involved.

Just like entertainment, you Lady Gaga can’t play in the same City every weekend, but a local band can draw well on a regular basis. These mid-level organizations are popping up in the form of eSports arenas, which can provide a high level of production value more frequently than a publisher can. Some arenas, such as the 500-seat arena in Columbus, are capable of hosting events every night of the week, serving each of the different disciplines on a different night.

Finally, local events represent the smallest tier and can take many forms, from a competitive traditional bracket tournament for prizes to a casual gathering of friends. These events are typically a gathering of enthusiasts with less organization and structure to them. Because they are local, they are also often ignored by major players in the eSports space providing opportunity for monetization for a savvy DMO.

Opportunities for Sports Tourism Leaders Events are the cornerstone of eSports, and they represent tremendous opportunity in the sports tourism industry.

However, the opportunity must be conceptualized differently than traditional bid. DMO’s have a chance right now to define how sports tourism will interact with this booming industry. Could it be via live event creation and production? Or will it be moving into a new space and working within the confines of streaming events? Or will it be related to a new twist on partnership development and activation?

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Live events are the natural entry point for sports tourism. Leaders can begin by establish their region as a friendly destination for eSports.

It would be great to see more eSports publishers and 3rd party event creators/managers at NASC Symposiums in the future. eSports leaders have developed their own subculture and structure that is in existence, so the more the sports tourism industry can understand the environment, the more successful live events will be.

Closing Thoughts The intent of this article was to provide a starting point from which sports tourism leaders can begin to delve into the world of eSports. This industry is far more complex than can be communicated in a few pages, but the basics, how it is consumed, the current governance, events, and opportunities available set the foundation for what comes next for your organization in this niche area. The future in this space is fascinating with a lot of unknowns. For those willing to take a leap of faith and be part of the maturation of the eSports industry, there could be immense rewards.

Some DMO’s that are already creating events may decide to jump in with both feet to creating new eSports events.

Creative event development is exemplified by CrossFit Pell City in Alabama. They have created and launched a competition that combines eSports and CrossFit. Teams will compete in four different video games and three CrossFit WOD’s (i.e., workouts) to test both physical and mental skills. Although the nuances of how acquiring existing events and creating new ones vary from traditional sport, this is certainly an avenue for growth worth exploring.

It may seem well outside the scope sports tourism to exist in the streaming space, but the World is changing and the rewards could be substantial for the masterminds that are able to carve out a space in the eSports streaming landscape. Live events do not exist in eSports without the heavy streaming viewership and following. Therefore, even if the pure streaming space is outside the realm of the mission of the sports tourism organization, engaging with live events means, at least partially, also existing in the streaming space. eSports is tremendous opportunity to generate event partnership revenue. Whether live or streaming, events generate exposure to a difficult to reach demographic.

Currently, multi-day live events have little to no sponsor activation occurring, so this is an areas of tremendous growth potential with some skillful coaching of potential partners. As Nielsen documented in their eSports Playbook, brands that invest in eSports are often met with returns far beyond what they anticipated. Non-endemic brands have an opportunity to jump into a space that is dominated by endemic sponsors. Brands such as Coca-Cola and Bud Light have demonstrated that genuine effort in understanding eSports fans results in incredible returns in the event space. This can go both ways, there is also room for eSports and their products and services to engage in tradition sporting events. eSports lounges at traditional sporting events are one way to cross-pollinate. Imagine a PUBG eSports lounge at the finish line of a large marathon.

This is an event unto itself at the marathon event with separate and distinct partnership opportunities that sports tourism organizations can leverage.

Additional Resources General Information: http://wiki.teamliquid.net/ - Liquipedia is Wikipedia for eSports and contains user-generated information on every aspect of eSports teams. eSports News: http://www.espn.com/esports/ - ESPN’s eSports branch. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/esports - The business side of eSports. https://esportsobserver.com/ - SBJ/SBD affiliated articles on eSports. eSports Organizations: http://cloud9.gg/ - Arguably the largest eSports organization in the world. http://tsm.gg/ - One of the few remaining independent eSports organizations at the highest level. eSports Events: https://en.intelextrememasters.com/ - IEM is a long running gaming championship series known for excellent production value. They host a variety of tournaments in several games as opposed to publisher run tournaments. https://dreamhack.com/ - DreamHack is a gaming festival that holds very large eSports tournaments in different games.

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New Years Resolution – Forming Stronger Relationships with Facility Partners It’s never too early to start thinking about New Year’s resolutions; and my resolution for 2018 is to make it a priority to dig deeper in my personal relationships with our facility partners.

We (Sean Robison on our staff and I), as I am sure that your destinations do as well, have turnover from time to time in our Parks and Recreation Departments.

To be honest, they are not always public about the change or the new hire. In some cases, we found out through another source of the change. We have several different Park and Recreation Departments in our various communities, but they play a key component in hosting tournaments and events here in Dayton and Montgomery County.

Build that relationship with your Parks and Recreation staff because in some event bid cases it may take multiple sites to put a successful bid together. There may be cases as well where an event organizer may call the Park and Rec Department directly. When you have a strong relationship with your Parks and Recreation staff, it is more likely for them to call on you to assist in winning the event.

This also works with the Athletic Directors at your private and public high schools. For us, this is a little more challenging to meet with them as their responsibilities tend to keep them at school during regular hours. We have also found that during the summer their office hours are restricted, and they are as not as eager to meet during their off/down time.

Develop a way to stay in contact and keep your name in front of them. If I find an industry article that I think would be of interest, I forward it to them. It is a small way to show that you are thinking of them. In return, if an event opportunity comes across their, desk whether they can host it or not, they may pull you into those discussions. (Note that you should do the same for your College AD’s knowing that they may have limits due to NCAA regulations on hosting events.)

hopefully your personal relationship with them can open the doors to some new event opportunities.

I know that I have stated the obvious. Over time, we can get complacent in our daily work responsibilities and shouldn’t get stagnant with the status quo. These small steps to building relationships with your local partners could go along way in being successful.

Ron Eifert, CSEE Senior Sales/Sports Manager Dayton Convention and Visitors Bureau Ron has been with the Dayton Convention and Visitors Bureau for 25 years and currently serves on the NASC Mentoring & Engagement Committee as well as the Huber Heights (Dayton) Parks and Recreation Board.

Lastly, stay connected with your private facilities staff.

They do not have limits with school schedules and the NCAA, and their bottom line is filling their facilities.

Granted we run into the issue of “resting the fields” but

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We look forward to hosting the NASC Sports Event Symposium in Minneapolis, Minnesota April 23 - 26, 2018!

Minnesota has the facilities to host Super Bowl size to pint size events – summer or winter – mobility challenged athletes or athletes looking for extreme challenge. Minnesota destinations can help you execute your ultimate game plan. You’re passionate about your sport. We’re passionate about making your sporting event a sensation! Team up with Minnesota Sports!

SportsMinneapolis.org

MinnesotaSports.org