Summer 2017 playbook

Summer 2017

Inside this issue: 2017 NASC Symposium: It’s a Wrap Introducing the 2017 NASC PROPEL Scholars Marking the 45th Anniversary of Title IX Top Five Things to do in the Twin Cities during #NASC18

www.SportsCommissions.org 2

#SportTourism 1

National Headquarters

9916 Carver Road, Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45242

Telephone/Fax

(513) 281-3888/(513) 281-1765

Website

www.SportsCommissions.org

Staff Alan (Al) R. Kidd, President & CEO Lori Gamble, Associate Executive Director Elizabeth Young, Director of Membership & Marketing

Board of Directors Officers

Chair Mike Anderson, CSEE, Executive Director – SportsTourism, Myrtle Beach Regional Sports Alliance 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 Immediate Past Chair Ralph Morton, Executive Director, Seattle Sports Commission

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS President and CEO Update ........................................ 1-2 2017 NASC Symposium: It’s a Wrap ........................... 3 New NASC Leadership Elected ................................... 3 NASC Introduces Inaugural Hall of Fame Class .........................................................................4-5 NASC Donates $33,000 to SacPAL ............................. 5 NASC Members Honored ......................................... 6-8 Marking the 45th anniversary of Title IX .......... 9-10 Introducing the 2017 NASC PROPEL Scholars .............................................................. 11 State of the Industry Report ........................................ 12 Creating An Inclusive Work Culture In Sport Tourism ..........................................................13-14 Top Five Things to do in the Twin Cities during 2018 NASC Symposium ........................... 15-16

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.

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

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Kidd’s Komments I am pleased to present my first communication to our membership since I started nearly 90 days ago. We have begun several initiatives that will lead us toward NASC 2.0, which will provide a broader array of services, programs, and value to all our members.

One area of focus will be expanded member communications and access. I have had the privilege of meeting or speaking with more than half of our membership since beginning in March, including speaking at the annual Florida Sports Foundation Summit in May. I look forward to connecting with all members in the coming weeks.

Key initiatives include expanding our footprint by partnering with more national and international organizations, taking a greater role as the “industry voice” for sport tourism, expanding our revenue sources, and continuing to improve and expand all current offerings. More specifics will roll out in the coming months.

Collaboration We will explore new avenues for collaboration and national products under a program we are calling our National Pipeline Project. The idea is simple; we want to develop, incubate and deliver programs for national use – in any market at any size.

Brian Hickey, CSEE, Director of Sports Visit Tallahassee

Involvement Several volunteer opportunities exist within our committee structure that enable members to assist in reviewing new ideas and opportunities. I encourage all members to learn more about each committee and its mission and objectives on our website, then join a committee where your passion lies. If you have an interest or an idea, feel free to send an email to al@sportscommissions.org or text 513.281.3888.

THINK BIG! Al Kidd President & CEO National Association of Sports Commissions

“It was a privilege to have Al Kidd, CEO of the National Association of Sports Commissions join us at the 2017 Florida Sports Foundation Annual Summit. His leadership and foresight was on display as he positioned future endeavors the association will see in the coming months.

It is a very aggressive plan that I am excited to see come to fruition.”

....................................................................

“What a tremendous contribution to the FSF Sports Summit and value for our Sports Commissions to have Al present the new vision and direction of the NASC. I remember when our May Sports Commission Meeting was 20 individuals in a room (including our staff). Now to have 22 Sports Commissions represented, 28 organizations presenting and over 90 people in attendance shows the growth and impact of our industry in Florida.”

Stephen V. Rodriguez, Sr. Vice President Florida Sports Foundation

Annual Membership Benefits

The NASC continues to develop benefits and services to make your organization more efficient and effective in the sport tourism industry each year including: • • • • • • •

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Online Directories Online Event RFP Database NASC Economic Impact Calculator Industry Research and Reports NASC Career Center Models and Samples CSEE Certification

• • • • • •

Best Practices Webinars • Event Webinars

4S Summit • Sports Event Symposium • Consulting Services

Shipping Discounts, courtesy • of PartnerShip®

Car Rental and Airport Shuttle Discounts Premium Item Discounts SportsBusiness Journal subscription discount SFIA Reports

#SportTourism

“2017 is a year of growth and opportunity on so many levels!

While attending our Annual Florida Sports Foundation Summit I was able to get a glimpse of the newly created NASC 2.0. Having NASC be the voice of Sports Tourism and allowing its members the tools, innovation and value are crucial components to the organization. I look forward to supporting Alan and the NASC team in the rebranding and direction that NASC is headed.”

Tara Hamburger, CSEE, Sports Sales Manager Daytona Beach Area CVB ....................................................................

“It was great that Alan took time to attend the Florida Sports Summit. We were all excited to hear more details about his visions and expectations for the future of NASC and its member organizations.”

Jeff Mielke, Executive Director Lee County Sports Development

Announcing NASC 4S Summit: Strategies, Sponsorship, Sales, and Servicing in Sport Tourism Market Segment Meetings are getting a makeover!

Beginning in 2017, the meeting will be called the 4S Summit. Conversations will focus on four key areas: strategies, sponsorship, sales, and servicing sports events.

Schedule

Monday, October 9 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ....... Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, October 10 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ....... Registration and Member Services 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. ........ CSEE Breakfast 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ...... CSEE Live Course 12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. ..... Keynote/Networking Luncheon 2:00 .m. – 5:00 p.m. ......... Small group discussions 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. ....... Happy Hour Wednesday, October 11 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ....... Registration and Member Services 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. ........ Continental Breakfast 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ....... Small group discussions Noon – 1:00 p.m. ............. Networking Luncheon

Registration Rates 4S Summit - $299 CSEE - $400

Location

The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit 1114 Washington Blvd Detroit, MI 48226

For more information, visit sportscommissions.org

MOTIVATION

“It was great having Al Kidd attend the Florida Sports Foundation Sports Summit. Al shared with the Florida Sports Commissions the NASC’s new vision and support of the sports tourism market. We are excited to see what the future holds for the sports tourism market and we look forward to growing the industry to even greater heights for the Florida economy.”

Rick Hatcher, CSEE, Executive Director Treasure Coast Sports Commission

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2017 NASC Symposium: It’s a Wrap The National Association of Sports Commissions celebrated the industry and its leadership at its 25th annual symposium in Sacramento with more than 900 members attending.

Members took time to elect new NASC leadership, honor members with national awards and participate in dozens of continuing education programs led by industry leadership.

NASC Leadership Elected Board of Directors

Directors

Officers

Chair Mike Anderson, CSEE, Executive Director – SportsTourism, Myrtle Beach Regional Sports Alliance 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 Immediate Past Chair Ralph Morton, Executive Director, Seattle Sports Commission

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

#SportTourism 3

NASC Introduces Inaugural Hall of Fame Class The NASC recently introduced its inaugural Hall of Fame class: Hill Carrow, Kevin Gray (posthumous), Jack Hughes, CSEE (posthumous), Diane McGraw, Tim Schneider and Don Schumacher, CSEE. The mission of the NASC Hall of Fame is to promote the professional management of sporting events and the sport 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. Inductees into the NASC Hall of Fame include (in alphabetical order): Hill Carrow: Carrow is a founder of NASC and the North Carolina Sports Association as well as the founder of North Carolina Amateur Sports and its first executive director. He served as chair for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 2011 and 2015, US. Olympic Trials in Table Tennis in 2012 and 2016 and is a founder and CEO of USA Masters Games.

Sports Commission. Subsequently, she moved up to the state level and was the executive director of tourism and film for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Diane was a founding member of the NASC and the first female chair.

She presently is an active member of the NASC Leadership Council. Diane McGraw is the President of McGraw Productions, with offices in Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

Kevin Gray: Gray also was a founding member of NASC and was the first paid associate of the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation. Over the 22 years leading the KC Sports Commission until he died in 2011 of cancer, the KC Sports Commission grew from one full-time employee to 10 and now includes 14 employees. Since 1990, the KC Sports Commission has helped generate in excess of $700 million in estimated economic impact. He also was instrumental in helping secure the Kansas Speedway in 2000.

Tim Schneider: He became the first publisher to establish a magazine dedicated to the sports-event industry when he launched SportsTravel magazine in 1997. He also created the TEAMS Conference & Expo, which has established itself as one of the leading business development opportunities in the sports-event industry. He has served two terms on the board of directors for the NASC in its early years. He has also served a variety of roles in the travel industry, including past chairman of the Destination & Travel Foundation and board member for both DMAI and the U.S. Travel Association.

Jack Hughes: For 29 years, Hughes was the owner of Event Service and Organization Professionals (ESOP) and was a sports, festival, convention, and tourism consultant for cities and sports commissions throughout the United States.

His notable contributions were transferring the U.S. and North American Hot Air Balloon Championships to Baton Rouge; coordinating the U.S. Olympic Festival Torch Run relays in Louisiana, Texas, and North Carolina; and the World University Games Torch Run in New York. He was also the venue director for Archery and Cycling at the U.S. Paralympic games in Atlanta, GA. and Executive Director with the Gainesville Sports Commission.

Don Schumacher, CSEE: Schumacher is the only executive director the NASC has had. He was one of the group’s co-founders and has grown the association to nearly 800 member organizations. Before the NASC, he was president of Riverfront Coliseum (now U.S. Bank Arena) and successfully hosted the World Figure Skating Championships and the men’s NCAA Midwest Regional Finals. He also served as head of the Greater Cincinnati Sports & Events Commission, attracting the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, NCAA women’s basketball Final Four, the Frozen Four NCAA hockey championship, women’s gymnastics and major skating events.

Diane McGraw: Diane was the executive director of the Philadelphia Sports Congress and also was the first full-time president of the Orlando Area Sports Commission, known today as the Central Florida Sports Commission. She was the first-ever President of the LA Sports and Entertainment Commission, and later went on to lead the Greater Louisville

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NASC Members Raise Thousands for the Sacramento Police Activity League The NASC Sports Legacy Fund raised $33,000 to benefit Sacramento Police Activity League which fits the NASC’s criteria of donating to non-profits that provide individuals – particularly at-risk youth, veterans, or physically or intellectually disabled individuals – opportunities to participate in sport and encourage healthy lifestyles.

The Sacramento Police Activities League is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that strives to make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth in underserved communities.

Each of their programs has at least one Sacramento Police Officer who serves as a coach and/or mentor and helps foster positive relationships between law enforcement and the community. Together, employees of Sacramento Police Department and members of the community volunteer their time to provide valuable opportunities, develop leadership skills and teach meaningful life lessons that prepare participants for a better, more successful future.

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NASC Members Honored The top sport commissions and organizations were honored at this year’s NASC Symposium. The national awards honor those organizations and professionals, who are doing outstanding work in their communities, growing the sport and making their market a sport destination.

Sports Commission of the Year

This award is given to a stand-alone sports commission, sports council, or sports authority that had an outstanding impact on their local community through sports events and beneficial impacts.

Population Under 400,000 Ames Area Sports Commission Population 400,000 and above Harris County – Houston Sports Authority Sport Tourism Organization of the Year

The award is presented to a DMO, parks and recreation department, chamber of commerce, or other host organization that has had an outstanding impact on their community through sport tourism.

Population Under 400,000 Sarasota County Sports Commission Population 400,000 and above Visit Anaheim Marketing Campaign of the Year

This award is given to an organization that has created an impactful promotional strategy with measurable ROI. Population Under 400,000 Visit Greenville SC Population 400,000 and above VisitPITTSBURGH Locally Created Event of the Year

This award is give to an event that is new or long-standing, but must be owned and operated by a sports commission or DMO. The event can be new or long-standing but must be owned and operated by the winning organization.

Population Under 400,000 Spokane Sports Commission Population 400,000 and above Kansas City Sports Commission

Game Changer Award

The game changer award recognizes the invaluable contributions made by a sport tourism executive who is vital to the success of their destination’s sport tourism efforts but are not CEO’s. These executives distinguish themselves every day and deserve an honor for exceptional contributions to their organizations as well as our entire profession.

Mary Lee Malmberg, CSEE, GO Cedar Rapids Sport Tourism Executive of the Year

This award honors the sport tourism industry CEO who demonstrates only the highest levels of achievement, personal conduct, and professionalism. the recipient demonstrates exceptional qualities of leadership in his or her own organization and displays a deep commitment to the advancement of the sport tourism industry.

Terry Hasseltine, CSEE, Maryland Sports/ TEAM Maryland

High Five Award

The high five award is given to an individual who exhibits leadership in the sport tourism industry on a particular initiative or new idea.

Marc Schreiber, St. Louis Sports Commission Sports Event Organizer of the Year The award is given to a rights holder staff member who exhibits exceptional commitment to athletes who participate in sports events owned by their organization and has positively impacted growth of the sport tourism industry.

Dr. Roger Goudy, Amateur Athletic Union of the United States Superior Service Award

The superior service award is given to an allied member who demonstrates exemplary support of the sport tourism industry and who has made especially outstanding contributions to the advancement of the profession through innovative ideas or new technology.

Huddle Up Group

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#SportTourism 1

Congratulations to our 2017 Class of CSEE Graduates!

Carrie Baulwin, Vallejo Convention and Visitors Bureau Mike Carey, Yakima Valley Sports Commission Alvin Dominique III, USRowing Brenda Hill, VisitPITTSBURGH Thomas Lee, Visit Charlotte Robert Lopez, McAllen Sports Commission Aaron McCreight, GO Cedar Rapids Stephanie Pappas, Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Karen Primeaux, Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission Cris Rohrer, Lubbock Sports Andy Carl, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board/PA Sports Brooks Hierstein, Sports Hampton Ann Hortman, Rome Sports Commission/Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau Jay Kasten, Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Frank Lett, Kingsport Convention & Visitor Bureau Jamie Schlagel, West Michigan Sports Commission Rob Wells, Sarasota County Sports Commission James Simmons, Wicomico County Convention and Visitors Bureau/TEAM Maryland

Janis Ross, Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Kris Pursell, Palm Beach County Sports Commission Tim Ellis, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group Terra Alphonso, Branson Chamber and CVB Jennifer Breedlove, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau Danielle Vincenti, Richmond Region Tourism Derek Bombeck, Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau Rio Andrasko, Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau J.D. Wood, City of College Station: Parks & Recreation Jennifer Stoll, Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission Matt Reed, Team San Jose Robin Wright, Visit Greenville SC To learn more about earning your CSEE credential, visit our website.

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Marking the 45th anniversary of Title IX Betsy Ross, Game Day Communications

In an era when the longest college basketball winning streak belongs to a women’s team, the U.S. National women’s soccer team has gold medals and world cups the men’s team can only dream about, and a female pitcher (Mo’ne Davis) was the star of the Little League World Series a couple of years ago, it might seem unimaginable that American athletics wasn’t always this way.

But you don’t have to go too far back to find women’s college basketball teams playing in auxiliary gyms, no scholarships (in fact, no teams) for women soccer players and girls not being allowed to play in Little League.

The ironic part is, Title IX was not originally created to make the playing fields equal. It was, instead, created to make education equal. In part, it states that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Signed on June 23, 1972, Title IX gave women and girls the right to play the same sports, use the same facilities and have the same top-line equipment as the boys’ and

men’s teams. Before Title IX, only about 1% of college athletic budgets went to female sports. In high school, male athletes outnumbered female athletes nearly 13 to 1. After its passage, there was a 600% increase in the number of women playing sports.

In fact, the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta often is called the “Title IX Olympics,” for the number of gold medal teams from the U.S. Along with the “Magnificent Seven” gold medal women’s gymnastics team, American

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women also claimed the team gold medals in women’s basketball, softball, soccer and synchronized swimming — while also finishing first in all five track-and-field and swimming relays.

The 1972 Olympics, held two months after the passage of Title IX, saw 84 women compete for the U.S., representing 21% of the team. At the 2016 Rio Games, more than half

of the U.S. Olympic team was female. The nearly 300 U.S. Olympian women in Rio was the highest number of female athletes to ever represent a single nation.

Yes, Title IX has its critics from those who argue that women’s sports are sometimes added at the expense of men’s programs. But it’s hard to deny the opportunities that young girls are now afforded to be able to play the sports they love. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, the increase in girls’ and women’s participation in sport since Title IX was passed in 1972 (by 560% at the college level and 990% in high schools) demonstrates that it was lack of opportunity – not lack of interest – that kept females out of high school and college athletics for so many years.

For Rebecca Lobo, the star of the 1995 UConn national championship team, Title IX meant she was able to play on her grade school’s basketball team, even though there weren’t enough players for a girls’ team. In the book, “Playing Ball With the Boys: The Rise of Women in the World of Men’s Sports,” Lobo recalled: “My mother talked with the coach of the boys team, and he said, ‘There’s not enough girls to make a team so Rebecca won’t be able to play.’ And my mother said, ‘No that means that Rebecca will play on the boys’ team.’ And I did. So you might say I am a child of Title IX.” In June, several organizations will have events celebrating the 45th anniversary of Title IX. But the most meaningful celebration might be your daughter’s winning goal or her college scholarship offer. Because without Title IX, those celebrations might never have happened.

www.SportsCommissions.org 10

Introducing the 2017 NASC PROPEL Scholars A new program called NASC PROPEL Scholars was introduced at the Symposium along with the first recipients, all of whom are college students studying sports management at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Led by NASC members Kris Smith of Detroit Sports Commission and Chris Massey of Houston Sports Authority, who are both serving as mentors to the students, PROPEL seeks to connect the sports event community with increased access to a diverse pool of talented leaders. Additionally, PROPEL Scholars will provide undergraduate and graduate students from identified under-represented groups (people of color, lesbian/gay/ bisexual/transgender people and people with disabilities) with support, access and opportunities for employment in the sports event community.

The current roster of NASC PROPEL Scholars is: • Quincy Carpenter, Hampton University • Angel Corona, Texas-Southern University • Darius Davis, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore • Brandon Escamilla, Texas-Southern University • Devin Hill, Sam Houston University • Jasmine Holmes Settles, Hampton University “We are looking for NASC members to make an investment in the PROPEL Scholars with your time, money or opportunities for internships,” said Kris Smith of the Detroit Sports Commission along with Pure Michigan Sports and Houston-Harris County Sports Commissions are inaugural sponsors of the PROPEL Scholars.

Sports Commission donors who are interested in participating will invest $5,000 for a two-year commitment to cover administrative costs and hotel/travel to future NASC Symposium events.

Additionally, the selection committee for the PROPEL Scholars program will begin identifying candidates for the second class. PROPEL Scholars must be recommended by their college advisor, volunteer at the 2018 NASC Symposium, meet with their NASC mentor as least once per quarter and submit a final capstone presentation.

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State of the Industry Report Other findings from the report show that 97% of the organizations have seen either consistent sponsorship revenue streams or an increase in sponsorship revenues for their events. Individual organizations reported they were the hosts, on average of 53 sports events over the last year, an 18% increase from 2015.

In April, the NASC, in conjunction with Ohio University, released its annual State of the Industry Report for the sport and event tourism industry. The survey shows the industry continues to be strong throughout the United States.

Estimated visitor spending associated with sports events in 2016 was $10.47 billion, a 10% increase from 2015, when the total was $9.45 billion. Between 2012 and 2016, according to the study, visitor spending in the United States has increased at a strong 26.1%.

“The survey results show that sport event continues to be a major economic driver,” said Alan Kidd, president and CEO of NASC. “Our members lead the way in holding well-run events that keep rights holders as well as participants coming back year after year.”

NASC members also showed high participation in community health and wellness initiatives. The survey found that 29 organizations were involved with communitybased health and wellness activities in 2016, with emphasis on youth-based programs.

The complete 2016 State of the Industry report can be found Together, our organizational members create opportunities on the Member section of the NASC website. for people of all ages to participate in the sports they love and lead healthy, active lifestyles.

VISITOR SPENDING IS ON THE RISE Between 2012 and 2016, visitor spending in the United States has increased a staggering 26.1%, indicating the overall health of the sport tourism industry.

In 2016 visitor spending was $10.47 billion

SURVEY INFORMATION 70% of survey respondents classified themselves as a Convention and Visitors Bureau/Destination Marketing Organization.

For the first time in three years, the Southeast region had the largest response rate at 34%.

$10.5B $10.0B $9.5B $9.0B $8.5B $8.0B

Twenty-six percent of NASC members operated with a budget of $100,000 or less in 2016.

15% 17%

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

$0

19%

Organization’s website

Participation in event owner marketplaces

Personal selling

SOCIAL MEDIA The sport tourism industry continues to expand their presence across various social media platforms. Facebook is the social media platform of choice, as 95% of respondents reported that their organization has a Facebook account.

500,001 - 1M

Greater than 1M

250,001 - 250,001

23%

100,001 - 250K

MARKETING STRATEGY

Respondents ranked the following items in order of importance (from left to right) to their organization’s marketing strategy

100K or Less 26%

EVENT OWNERSHIP Of responding organizations, 27% indicated they own their own sports events. The top three ranked reasons for owning sports events were:

To increase revenue

To promote the organization

To engage in the community

COMMUNITY WELLNESS A vast majority indicated that programs were youth-based.

The following were the top ways that sports organizations supported community health and wellness in 2016:

Youth Festivals & After-School Programs

Partnerships with Parks & Recreation Departments

Financial and operational support for existing community events

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It’s The Little Things: Creating An Inclusive Work Culture In Sport Tourism (Part 1 of 2) Heather Lawrence-Benedict, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Associate Professor of Sports Administration, Ohio University College of Business Christina Wright, Lecturer of Sports Administration and Multicultural Faculty-in-Residence, Ohio University College

Before jumping into some ideas on how leaders create an inclusive work environment, we set the stage with a few definitions and why this is an important concept for sport tourism. The terms “diversity” and “inclusion” are frequently misunderstood and often paired together.

Diversity is the mix of people in any environment and goes beyond surface differentiators, such as race and age, and includes all differences, such as background, religion, sexual orientation, and culture. Inclusion is a broad term that refers to leveraging a diverse group of people individually, and collectively, to prosper and succeed.

The “big stuff” related to workplace diversity is easy (i.e., compliance with law, non-discrimination policies, etc.), but the “little stuff” that promotes inclusion is what can propel an organization from good to great.

Alongside the construction and retail industries, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also identified the customer service, hospitality, and service industries as having the highest turnover rates. You likely already know this because you have seen it. What does this mean for sport tourism? A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study forecasts it costs organizations between six to nine months’ salary to replace one salaried employee. That means if your colleague makes $40,000 per year, it costs the organization up to $30,000 if he or she leaves. And for C-level executive roles, the loss doubles. In the 2016 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® study, 9 out of 10 employees at top companies report that there is a “family” or “team” culture where they work. These same Fortune 100 best companies also have turnover rates approximately half that of their industry peers. Putting dollars to the cost of turnover illustrates the importance of culture to the bottom line and can help justify directing time and energy to actions associated with inclusion.

It’s not only about the bottom line, it’s the right thing to do. According to research conducted by Kristof-Brown, Zimmerman, and Johnson, employees who fit well with their organization, coworkers, and supervisor had greater job satisfaction, were more likely to remain with their organization, and showed superior job performance.

Our goal in Part 1 of this two-part series, is to help leaders nail the “little stuff” so your organization reaps the cultural and business benefits of a top-notch inclusive workplace culture. Leaders not only have the decision-making power in the organization. When it comes to culture, they set the tone

and expectations for everyone else in the organization. Here are some of our favorite ideas for leaders. Part 2, in the next NASC Playbook will provide ideas anyone, not just those in leadership positions, can immediately implement to enhance inclusiveness.

Recruitment and Hiring Hiring a diverse workforce is the foundation for being able to have an inclusive workplace. You should always be on the lookout for future hires inside, and outside, your core professional network. Humans tend to engage with people like themselves, so in the relationship-based world of sport tourism, this has the potential to become a closed circle of homologous reproduction (like hiring like) within the organization. You may be able to convince yourself it’s okay or that qualified candidates are limited; however, according to a McKinsey study, organizations in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have greater financial returns above their national industry median. It’s worth the effort to become more diverse.

Whether it’s NASC Symposium, 4S Summit, your local university, or even outside of sport tourism - you can always be passively looking for your future rock-star employee. To build a winning team, move outside your comfort zone to people that bring different strengths to the group.

Once you have a diverse candidate pool, you can start on the inclusion piece of the equation. Have you ever gone to an interview without any information? And then when you get there, no one is on time, no one is there to greet you, and the

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questions they ask are uncomfortable or borderline illegal.

Talk about a first impression! Simple things like sending a schedule to the job candidate a few days prior, identifying a point of contact to answer questions, providing driving directions, and setting a service oriented tone are all things we do in sport tourism. It’s no different when it comes to recruiting candidates.

As for interview questions, there are thousands of resources on how to conduct interviews. No, you cannot ask if the candidate is married, has children, plans to have children, or how old they are. But, you can ask behavioralbased questions. For example, “Describe an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team and how you handle it?” Identifying a common set of questions for each candidate, briefing your search committee on the ideal candidate, and providing the list to your search committee are all things you can do with your next job opening. Culture and a feeling of inclusion starts with individuals who haven’t decided to join the team yet.

Flex Hours Flex hours can get complex with hourly employees because of federal regulations, but the idea is to allow employees to vary their arrival or departure times on a standard work day and sometimes work remotely. It can be structured as four 10-hour work days and get the fifth day off or maybe it’s work an extra hour each day and on the fifth day get a half-day. Adjusting the work schedule, especially during the “off-season,” makes your employees feel valued.

Sport tourism is a 365 day a year profession. Unless you have an event Thanksgiving Day, who is really emailing or calling you the day before? For holidays that do not disrupt your normal business, close the office early and send people home. If you have an event over the entire weekend, give your staff a day to work from home or the day off to catch up on laundry, grocery shopping, and life in general.

Workplace Attire Most organizations have moved to a business casual or smart casual dress code while others are comfortable with jeans and sneakers every day. When people are comfortable, they are happier. Consider “Jeans Day Fridays” or “Wear Your School or Team Colors.” Some organizations will collect a

small monetary donation for their choice charity or pantry item for the local food bank in exchange for wearing jeans to work.

Training and Development Whether it’s earning your CSEE or attending an NASC event, training and development opportunities are a great way to invest in employees. Great managers and supervisors get to know their employees and ask individuals about their goals and then help get them there. Setting annual goals, identifying tactics and resources to achieve goals, and reflecting on what was achieved or not are all points of conversation that should be both formal and informal in nature as a business culture.

Rewards and Recognition Employees like to be recognized, especially by their direct supervisor or peers. How they like to be recognized varies.

Some like public recognition, other prefer one-on-one.

Some like monetary rewards, others are happy with a free cup of coffee. To be effective, you must understand what motivates each member of the team. The Carrot Principle,

by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, is one of our favorite resources for recognition ideas that boost employee productivity, engagement and retention.

Glassdoor, a robust database with company reviews, annually identifies the top 50 best places to work in the U.S. Although you may not be able to compete with 2017 greats like Amazon, Google, Microsoft or IKEA, you can take note of what they all have in common: they have mission-driven company cultures with employees who trust their leaders and in turn, their leaders invest in their employees.

Greatness cannot be achieved overnight and neither can a fully inclusive environment. Hopefully your office already engages in some of the inclusive actions above, but if notstart today. Keep moving forward. Pick an idea and run with it. When that works, pick another idea. Depending on which idea you select, sometimes you’ll see immediate results and sometimes it takes longer. Stay the course as change is uncomfortable and there could be resistance, but working to become more inclusive will pay off. The reality is most culture shifts take between three to five years to show holistic impact.

Want more ideas? Part 2 of this two-part series will be available in the Fall 2017 issue of the NASC Playbook and will focus on ideas for any member of the organization to enhance the inclusiveness. What are you waiting for? Finish reading the Playbook, pick an idea above, and get to work today!

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Top Five Things To Do In The Twin Cities During 2018 Nasc Symposium The 26th annual NASC Symposium will be held April 23-26, 2018 in Minneapolis. As you begin your travel plans, here are five things you don’t want to miss.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are sister cities; they share a lot of traits, but they each sparkle in their own way according to VisitTwinCities.com.

Take in a Minnesota Twins Game at Target Field Hit the Links

There are 65 golf courses within 20 minutes of downtown Minneapolis. May we suggest these three from our friends at VisitTwinCities.com: Brookview Golf Course, StoneRidge Golf Club or Rush Creek Golf Club.

StoneRidge has been named the #1 public access course

by GolfWeek while Rush Creek offers a restaurant called The Highlander, which features smoked meats prepared on-site.

Courtesy GilmourCreative.com © 2010

Courtesy Brace Hemmelgarn

The Twins were in town for a few games in late April this year so let’s hope they will be home for next year’s Symposium. The Twins call Target Field their home, a ball park that opened in 2010 and is located in the North Loop of downtown Minneapolis. Trivia answer: The Twins have won three World Series titles in 1924, 1987 and 1991.

Create Your Own Brewery Tour

There are a number of breweries with tap rooms for tastings around the Twin Cities. The early brewer of the craft beer scene in Minneapolis is Surly Brewing Co., located south of the University of Minnesota. Dangerous Man Brewing Co. offers a cozy tap room and is close to a number of nearby restaurants if you are looking to entertain clients for dinner and drinks. Inbound BrewCo. is housed in the North Loop warehouse district and produces small batch beers.

Make it to the Mall of America

With 520 stores, 50 restaurants and attractions, we suggest you carve out time ahead or after Symposium to visit the Mall of America. It’s about a 20 minute drive from downtown Minneapolis or light rail transit is an option from downtown too.

Hop on a Nice Ride

Nice Ride is the Twin Cities’ bike-sharing program with 190 locations and 1,700 bikes to ride. There are handy maps to make your way through downtown or to local attractions such as the Walker Arts Center for a culture break.

For more on registration rates and the host hotels, visit sportscommissions.org/symposium.

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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

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