NASC Playbook - September 2016

September 2016

Inside this issue: Don Schumacher, CSEE to Relinquish Title as Executive Director in 2017 NASC Announces Registration and Hotel Information for 2017 NASC Sports Event Symposium NASC Hires New Staff Member SFIA US Trends in Sports Reports Now Available to NASC Members Sacramento Police Activities League Named 2017 Sports Legacy Beneficiary Activating Academic Units and College Students

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#SportTourism

National Headquarters 9916 Carver Road, Suite 100 Cincinnati, OH 45242

Telephone/Fax

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

Website

www.SportsCommissions.org

Staff

Don Schumacher, CSEE, Executive Director Lori Gamble, Associate Executive Director Elizabeth Young, Director of Membership & Marketing Meagan McCalla, Member Services Manager Jeff Rank, Member Services Manager Michelle Long, Event and Operations Intern Jen Beck, Marketing and Communications Intern

Board of Directors Officers

Ralph Morton, Executive Director, Seattle Sports Commission, Chair Mike Anderson, CSEE, Executive Director – Sport Tourism, 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 Greg Ayers, CSEE, President & CEO, Discover Kalamazoo, Immediate Past Chair

TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Executive Director.....................1 NASC Hires New Staff Member.........................2 Tips from the Mentoring Committee...................2 Don Schumacher, CSEE to Relinquish Title as Executive Director in 2017............................3 SFIA U.S. Trends in Sports Reports Now Available to NASC Members......................5 Sacramento Police Activities League Named 2017 Sports Legacy Beneficiary.........................8 Activating Academic Units and College Students...............................................9

Directors

Janna Clark, CSEE, Sports and Sales Director, Elizabethtown Sports Park John David, CSEE, Chief Operating Officer, USA BMX Matt Dunn, CSEE, Executive Director, Tourism Development, Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches Roy Edmondson, CSEE, Vice President of Sports Business Development, Visit Anaheim Jason Gewirtz, Editor, SportsTravel Magazine Pete Harvey, CSEE, Director of Sports Development, Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission Brian Hickey, CSEE, CDME, Director of Sports, Tallahassee Sports Council William Knox, CSEE, Director, Hamilton County Sports Authority Kathy Nelson, President/CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission Michael Price, CSEE, Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority Janis Ross, Executive Director, Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Steve Schell, Sports Strategic Sales Executive, Experient Sports Glen Schorr, Executive Director, Orienteering USA Kris Smith, CSEE, Sales Manager, Event Development, Detroit Sports Benjamin Wilder, CSEE, Director, Savannah Sports Council Marc Zimmerman, CSEE, Sales & Events Manager, Central Florida’s Polk County Sports Marketing

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.

And don’t forget to share your news to be included in NASC Get in the Game eNews each week. Simply have your media relations department add info@sportscommissions.org to its distribution list.

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The 2017 Symposium, scheduled for March 27-30 in Sacramento, CA, marks the 25th anniversary of the only non-profit, 501(c)3 association for the sport tourism industry in the United States. The Symposium features dozens of authentic education sessions, countless networking opportunities, and business development appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace. By attending, you will learn how to produce measurable ROI, elevate your sports events, and improve the quality of life in your destination.

We are delighted to inform you that registration and housing is open now!

Preliminary Schedule Released Networking from beginning to end is a critical component of a successful Symposium, so the Symposium Committee has expanded the schedule to include an Opening AND Closing Party. View the preliminary schedule at sportscommissions.org/symposium.

Event Owner Travel Assistance & 2017 Registration Rates The committee has also instituted a new qualification process for event owners to attend the Symposium and participate in the NASC Sports Marketplace free of charge. This process, created by representatives from all three membership categories and led by John David, CSEE, USA BMX, ensures all Active and Allied members that event owners participating in the marketplace meet a minimum level of criteria established by the committee.

Meeting the established criteria allows event owners to receive complimentary Symposium registration as well as travel assistance to Sacramento.

This new qualification process and accompanying travel assistance prompted the committee to recommend a restructured pricing strategy. The NASC Board of Directors unanimously approved the 2017 price structure at its meeting on July 28, 2016 in Sacramento, CA. View registration rates at sportscommissions.org/symposium.

Meetingmax to serve as official housing provider The NASC has signed a contract with Meetingmax, provider of the travel industry’s most flexible online housing reservation software. Through the agreement, Meetingmax’s online accommodation platform will handle hotel room bookings for NASC’s events and conferences, including the 2017 Symposium.

Call For Proposals The Symposium Committee, which includes more than 40 NASC members from all three membership categories, is accepting proposals for educational session for the 2017 Symposium until October 21, 2016.

Emphasis is placed on curriculum that is relevant and timely based on what leaders in the sport tourism industry are experiencing. Education sessions are designed to raise the level of professionalism and provide training that leads to career advancement in the field of sport tourism.

Educational offerings will include breakout sessions, deep dives, next practices, and speed learning sessions. View complete details at proposals.sportscommissions.org.

Sponsorship Opportunities The Symposium Committee has several exciting new changes set to launch in Sacramento, and their fabulous ideas have been incorporated into the sponsorship prospectus.

An expanded range of sponsorship opportunities will allow for companies with a variety of marketing objectives and budgets to utilize the NASC and our Symposium as a key platform to promote your brand to serious-minded sport tourism professionals. Contact Lori Gamble, Associate Executive Director, at lori@sportscommissions.org to discuss your customized sponsorship today.

The NASC staff, Board of Directors and Symposium Committee are looking forward to seeing you.

Thank you for your kind attention, Don Schumacher, CSEE Executive Director

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

• Market Segment Meetings • • 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

NASC Hires New Staff Member The NASC is pleased to announce the addition of Jeff Rank as Member Services Manager dedicated to serving as the first point of contact for Allied and Rights Holder members.

Rank comes to the NASC from Total Quality Logistics, where he worked with potential clients and cultivated relationships with thousands of carriers under contract. He is a graduate of the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies/Sport Administration and Central Michigan University with a master’s in Sport Administration.

He also has 13 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics at the Division I level with an emphasis in marketing and promotions, corporate sponsorship sales, ticket sales, public relations, community relations and event management.

personal service to each and every one of our member organizations,” said Don Schumacher, CSEE, executive director of the NASC. “We are thrilled to have someone of Jeff’s background join the NASC to more efficiently handle the volume of daily activity required to service nearly 800 member organizations. With his marketing experience, along with his time at the Division I sports level, Jeff is the right person to serve our members now, and in the future.”

“I am very excited to be joining the NASC,” said Rank, “and I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of a very respected association that is a leader in the sport tourism Industry.”

Rank’s primary area of responsibility will be to foster stronger relationships with Allied and Rights Holder Members, focusing on sales and service support. He also will be assisting with projects including membership recruitment and retention, increasing engagement with members to help maximize their return on their investment, and expanding the number of Rights Holder and Allied members who attend and exhibit at the annual NASC Sports Event Symposium.

“With a membership that has grown more than 25% in the last five years, it is of the utmost importance that the national office continues to deliver a high level of

Tips from the Mentoring Committee: Top 3 Takeaways When You Attend NASC Market Segment Meetings

By Tammy Dunn, CSEE, Snohomish County Sports Commission Have you experienced challenges with how to better track room nights, or do you wonder if others pay bid fees and, if they do, where do they receive the money? Well, you are not alone with challenges or issues we may face in the sport tourism industry.

The upcoming NASC Market Segment Meetings in Indianapolis, October 25-26, 2016, is a great meeting to attend for the opportunity to discuss your challenges/issues and to share best practices in the sport tourism industry.

Here are three top benefits for attending these meetings in Indianapolis.

1. Learning Opportunity. Market Segment Meetings are an excellent opportunity for you to sit down with your colleagues and share challenges or questions you may have. Learn best practices, trends, strategies, ideas or solutions in small group discussions. You will be discussing with organizations similar to yours. For the Snohomish County Sports Commission, we meet with

www.SportsCommissions.org

other Small & Mid-Market Sports Commissions. For me, I learn about what others are doing so I don’t have to “recreate the wheel”. I have attended Market Segment Meetings the last three years and learned more about volunteer recruitment, success stories, and facility development to name a few topics.

2. Build relationships. The meetings create an opportunity for each of us to build better relationships with other leaders in our industry. The sport tourism industry is like a family. We are all in it together! We share, we learn, we make friends! Building relationships is the “heart” of what we do, as people are willing to do business with people they know and trust. NASC Market Segment Meetings give me this opportunity.

3. Attend CSEE. In addition to the Market Segment Meetings, a CSEE course is held prior to the meetings.

CSEE is a wonderful program to further your sport tourism education. The fall course is about bringing people together and understanding the objectives of each stakeholder that is part of the sport event equation … sounds like a tremendous class to register for while attending the Market Segment Meetings.

On behalf of the NASC staff and Mentoring Committee, I hope you will register for the Fall Market Segment Meetings.

We’ve lowered registration pricing to $299 per person this year to allow members to send more staff members. See you in Indianapolis!

Complete details can be found at sportscommissions.org/ MarketSegmentMeetings. The deadline to register is October 16, 2016.

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NASC’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO RELINQUISH TITLE IN APRIL 2017; DON SCHUMACHER HAS SERVED AS NASC’S ONLY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR TWO DECADES Veteran sport tourism industry leader Don Schumacher, CSEE, announced in July that he will relinquish the title of Executive Director of the National Association of Sports Commissions in 2017. After 23 years of committed service as the Association’s only Executive Director, Don will pass the baton to his successor during the Association’s annual Symposium in Sacramento next year.

“After decades of dedicated work for the Association, I am searching for the elusive 30-hour week,” said Don, who began with the NASC in 1994 as a contractor and has served in the Executive Director role ever since. “I look forward to staying involved with the NASC while continuing my consulting practice.”

To facilitate a smooth transition, a search committee comprised of the NASC board leadership has been formed and is working to name a new Executive Director by March 2017. “We applaud Don’s leadership and vision over the last two decades to develop the NASC into a leading association for the sport tourism industry,” said Ralph Morton, CSEE, Seattle Sports Commission and Board Chair of NASC. “We are hopeful Don will remain involved with the NASC and continue to share his industry knowledge with veteran and emerging leaders.”

In 1992, under Don’s leadership, the NASC was formulated with an initial group of 15 sports marketing organizations from around the country, who were dedicated to information sharing and cooperation amongst their peers. Today, the NASC is the industry’s only non-profit, member-directed association advocating for the sport tourism industry with an annual budget of $2 million and nearly 800 members.

In 2002, the NASC launched the CSEE (Certified Sports Event Executive) program under Don’s leadership to offer a continuing education certification for sport tourism professionals. To date, there have been 175 graduates of the program, which was completely revised in 2015. In 2016, CSEE began offering online classes and a higher level certification could be offered beginning in 2017.

In 2011, Don launched a consulting service for the NASC to assist sport tourism organizations with strategic planning and facility development. In five years, this practice has yielded $800,000 in revenue for the NASC to use to bolster member services and outreach.

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Don’s career has focused on corporate communications, family entertainment, theme park marketing and operations, arena and stadium marketing and operations, event management, sports marketing and facilities consultation. For the past 35 years he has focused his activities on sport tourism, and has consulted with more than 75 cities on strategies to increase their market share.

Don’s experience includes the following roles: • Hanna-Barbera Productions, where he produced business sponsored films, television commercials and company meetings.

• Hanna-Barbera Enterprises, where he served as Director of Latin American and Far Eastern operations.

• Taft Theme Park Group as Director of Sponsorships and Promotions.

• College Football Hall of Fame and Galbreath Field as General Manager, where he assumed responsibility for guiding the complex to a solid financial footing, successfully bidding on Ohio State Championship Football and Soccer games as well as the 1983 and 1984 NCAA Division III National Football Championship (Stagg Bowl).

• Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum (now U.S. Bank Arena) where Don served as President, developing the 1987 World Figure Skating Championships and the 1987 NCAA Midwest Region Basketball Championships, along with dozens of family shows, concerts and many other sporting events.

• Riber Sports Marketing, as Vice President, where he created the Greater Cincinnati Sports and Events Commission, worked with the LPGA Championship, Kroger Senior Classic, World Cup of Golf, Cincinnati Cyclones Hockey Club and developed promotions for various Procter & Gamble brands. In addition, Don served as executive director of the 1999 Kroger Senior Classic and the 2001 LPGA Classic in Dayton.

#SportTourism

• Don Schumacher & Associates, Inc., his eponymous company which conducted seat license and premium seating campaigns for what became Paul Brown Stadium, Kentucky Speedway and Iowa Speedway and also served the sports marketing needs of national brands such as Pepsi, Huffy Bicycles, Mitre soccer products and Kroger.

DSA sold more than $26 million in seat licenses for Paul Brown Stadium, the home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

And, DSA marketed premium seats, club memberships, and luxury suites for the Kentucky Speedway, a motor racing complex 35 miles south of Cincinnati.

• For the Kentucky Speedway project, DSA also conducted the market analysis leading to the decision to proceed with construction of this $150 million racing complex.

• DSA also conducted other projects for the motor sports industry including feasibility studies, market analyses, and seat license or club membership programs. Projects included Bluegrass Motorsports and Race Course, Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, a proposed Pearl River Speedway in Choctaw, Mississippi, Cayuga International Speedway in Ontario, Canada and Spokane Raceway Park in Spokane, Washington, and a potential motor sports complex near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Suite Directors, the TEAMS Conference, the World Congress of Sports, the Smart Cities Sports Summit, City Events, and SportAccord, an international conference on sports business.

He has also served on the board of the U.S. Travel Association.

Don has been invited to speak on the industry in international destinations including Madrid, Lausanne, Beijing, Athens, Dubai, Cape Town, Quebec City, Ottawa, Tokyo, and Osaka.

He has also been a featured speaker at more than 20 different state governor’s conferences on tourism.

In addition, Don is continually consulted on industry topics relating to bidding procedures, economic impact of events, industry best practices, and issues of concern to the future of sport tourism. Don is quoted regularly in industry publications and daily newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, SportsTravel magazine, Sports Events magazine, Sports Business Journal, and Athletic Business magazine Don was named one of the “25 Influential People You Should Know” by Sports Events magazine.

For nine years, he served as the executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Sports and Events Commission. During those years, Don brought a number of high profile events to Cincinnati including the 1991 U.S. Gymnastics National Championships, 1992 NCAA Southwest Region first and second round basketball games, 1992 Diet Coke Skaters’ Championships, 1994 AT&T Skates of Gold, 1996 NCAA Hockey Championships, 1997 Women’s Final Four, and the 1998 Conference USA Basketball Tournament.

He has served as an adjunct professor in Xavier University’s graduate program in sports administration, teaching courses in sports marketing and event planning and management, and has been an advisor to the undergraduate program in sports marketing for Northern Kentucky University. He is an adjunct professor at Ohio University.

Don is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant on sport tourism. He has made numerous presentations for groups as varied as Destination Marketing Association International, National Recreation and Parks Association, United States Olympic Committee, the Association of Luxury

In addition, Don has taught an elective course on sports destination marketing and management in the Destination Management Association International (DMAI) Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) Program.

Don is a graduate of Lakewood High School, a suburb of Cleveland. He earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Northwestern University.

www.SportsCommissions.org 4

Through a new partnership with the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) and the NASC, a number of new research reports will now be available to our members.

The reports provide detailed research on participation rates per sport ranging from adventure racing to volleyball, spending trends in fitness and sport along with non-participation rates.

Here is a brief summary of the U.S. Sports Fitness and Leisure report on Activities by Participation. Nearly 33,000 individuals were surveyed in 2015 on their sports activities. These are some of the findings: • Participation in sports seemed to be fluctuating over the last few years, with an increase in team, winter, water, and fitness sports participation. Individual sports declined slightly in 2015 while racquet and outdoor sports remained flat. This meant there were 212.6 million “actives” taking part in a wide range of sports and fitness activities in 2015, a slight increase from 209.3 actives in 2014.

• Team sports experienced the most upbeat marks, including increases of at least four percent in baseball, cheerleading, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby, indoor soccer, team swimming as well as flag and tackle football.

• The overall levels of inactivity decreased marginally in the last 12 months from 28.3% of Americans age six and older in 2014 to 27.7% in 2015. However, there are still 81.6 million inactive Americans.

• Inactivity decreased for most age groups, with 13 to 17 year olds having the biggest drop (1.4%) and 35 to 44 year olds having the lowest decrease (0.2%) in 2015. While those Americans between the ages of 45 to 54 remained flat in inactivity, there was a gradual increase in inactivity for 55 to 64 year olds.

• “Gen Z,” or those born in this millennium, continue to dominate team sports category. There continues to be an increase in team sports participation from the “Gen Z” population, which is due partially to the birth boom in 2007, who are now around the age of eight. The Millennials and “Gen X” groups maintain the most participation in fitness sports. Boomers are more likely to participate in fitness activity than any other category.

• In terms of interest, all age groups continue to look at swimming as a means for future fitness, followed heavily by outdoor activities, such as camping and biking. Fitness activities are featured high on the list for most adult age groups while team sports are more attractive to the youths.

An increase in activity The survey found that overall, participation in sports, fitness, and related physical activities increased slightly in 2015. Many people were active, with 56% of the population ages six and over participating in at least one high caloric burning activity.

Over the last few years, participation to a healthy level in high calorie activity has been on the decline, dropping an average of 0.6%.

Both casual and active participates have increased, showing that although Americans may not be as active as often as in the past, they continue to keep moving at some level of fitness.

Fitness, outdoor activities popular When it comes to being active, most of the population prefers a form of fitness followed by outdoor activities. While both winter and water sports are only participated in by less than 15% of the population, their rates have increased over the past year. Both outdoor and racquet sports remain flat and individual sports show a decrease. This decrease has been a continuing trend since 2012, decreasing, on average, 1% over the last five years.

It’s a generational thing The survey shows that in 2015, more than 80 percent of the so-called “Gen Z” members were active, with a quarter of that number being active to a healthy level. At the same time, nearly half of the Millennials were involved in high calorie burning activities, and 48% of “Gen X” respondents participated at least once a week in a fitness activity or sport. About 37% of Boomers participate in high calorie burning activities.

We’re getting off the couch Overall inactivity had dropped in 2015, the study shows, going from 82.7 million people to 81.6 million over the last year.

While these rates seem to fluctuate over the last five years, the 2014 to 2015 decrease (0.6%) is the largest drop since 2010.

This showed that 1.2 million people, who were inactive in 2014, participated in some sort of fitness activity in 2015. Although this doesn’t make up for half of the Americans who became inactive in 2014 (2.6 million from 2013), the 1.2 million additional active people in 2015 was the most gain of active people over the last five years.

#SportTourism 5

Courtesy Experience Grand Rapids

U.S. TRENDS IN SPORTS REPORTS BY THE SPORTS & FITNESS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION NOW AVAILABLE TO NASC MEMBERS

Courtesy VISIT Milwaukee

fitness activity was also mentioned. These two reasons show that people not only prefer to work out or participate in sports with friends, it is a driving force to get them out more and experience different ways to be physically active.

We paid attention in gym class, after all When it comes to the influence of PE on sport/activity participation in adulthood, the effects are amazing. Of adults ages 18 and over who reported having PE in school, 80% said they were active in 2015 and 39% were active to a healthy level (151+ times a year). While those who didn’t have PE, only 61% reported activity and less than a quarter participated 151 times or more in 2015.

How do you get active? Find a buddy Over the last two years, the aspirational participant reports that having someone to take part in an activity with would be the big push to get them involved. Having a friend take them to a

Spending on sports and sports gear Over the last three years, the survey shows that people are becoming more conservative with their sports gear spending.

While both show a decrease since 2013, there was well over 40% of people who purchased sports/recreational footwear or clothing in 2015. Spending on team sports outside of school increased 2015, while spending on team sports at school remained flat.

Expanding on that point, over the last three years pay-to-play school programs have seen decreases in sports fees compared to the previous year. While this is a positive move for school sponsored team sports, 43% of parents reported an increase from 2014 to 2015. Since 2013, 67% of parents, on average, are spending more than $100 on their children’s school sports fees.

In short, we’re slowly becoming more active, especially when it comes to outdoor sports. We’re more likely to be active if we have a friend who participates with us, and if we dive into a new sport, we are choosy about what gear we purchase.

More detail on participation in individual sports, the age groups involved and spending for each sport can be found in the report on the NASC website.

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Cindy Cantor- Ccantor@ccgov.org Greg Pizzuto- greg@visitharford.com Donna Abbott- dabbott@ococean.com Paige Hurley- phurley@co.worcester.md.us Alexis O’Connor- aoconnor@baltimore.org Becky Bickerton- bbickerton@fredco-md.net James Simmons- jsimmons@wicomicocounty.org Denise Bosmans- dbosmans@visitannapolis.org Audrey Vargason- Audrey@visithagerstown.com Sarah Kurtanich- sarah@visithowardcounty.com Catherine Herbert- HerbertC@charlescountymd.gov Terry Hasseltine, CSEE- thasseltine@marylandsports.us Marjorie Hampson- mhampson@baltimorecountymd.gov

Ashley Harper Cottrell, CSEE- acottrell@marylandsports.us 10

Sponsored by

Sacramento Police Activities League named 2017 Sports Legacy Beneficiary The NASC Sports Legacy Committee recently selected the Sacramento Police Activities League (SacPAL) as the 2017 Sports Legacy Fund Beneficiary.

through sports, and I know our members once again will be generous in supporting our fundraising efforts to make a considerable impact for such a worthy cause.”

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 the 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.

Each year, the NASC partners with the host city of the Symposium to donate the proceeds from the Sports Legacy Fund to a worthy organization in the host community.

Originally developed by the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission as an equipment donation program, the Sports Legacy Fund enriches the lives of youth in Symposium host communities.

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. Programs include boxing, football, mountain biking, rugby, skiing and snowboarding, yoga and fishing.

Last year’s beneficiary, Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports in Grand Rapids, received a $27,000 donation from NASC members through the Sports Legacy Fund. The Sports Legacy Committee’s Goal is for 2017 is to exceed last year’s donation.

“We are excited to announce the selection of the Sacramento Police Activities League at the 2017 beneficiary,” said Pete Harvey, CSEE, NASC Sports Legacy Committee Chair.

“As we have learned in the selection process, SacPAL has proven to be an integral part of serving its community

www.SportsCommissions.org 8

Activating Academic Units and College Students

By Dr. Heather Lawrence – Benedict, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sports Administration Ohio University College of Business Nick Kopka, MSA Class of 2018, Ohio University College As college and universities start Fall classes, event managers and sport commission leaders should consider how to engage and activate this eager population. Both students and faculty in sport management and related fields (i.e., marketing, finance, hospitality, event management, travel and tourism, communications, recreation management, etc.) recognize the value of industry driven projects and moving beyond the confines of campus to gain experience. Now, more than ever before, the competition for jobs in the sport industry demands that students graduate with extensive experience outside of the classroom.

project you feel would fit well into their course (ex. event marketing plan in a sport marketing course) and they are identified on the website by topic area taught.

Knowing where to start in developing relationships with an academic unit can be tricky. First, explore the university website and evaluate the best academic fit. At many institutions, sport management, recreation management, communications, and hospitality management are in different units. Start with one discipline and then as the relationship grows, work to expand. Reach out to the Department Chair or, if an internship coordinator is listed, that individual is also a good starting point. Individual faculty can also be very receptive if there is a specific

1. Event Staffing Example: The Sports Commission has developed and owns a program that collects lightly used and new sporting equipment. Before the distribution event there are hundreds of items that need to be organized and inventoried. Understanding that this type of work does not require a lot of previous expertise in sport event management, contact is made with a professor teaching an introduction to sport management course. The professor is able to make a quick announcement in class and provide enough volunteers to sort the items and inventory the donations.

Courtesy Ohio University

Generally, there are three areas in which college students can be particuluary helpful, 1. Staffing events as volunteers, as academic credit fulfillment, or as paid staff, 2. completing projects for your organization that meets a course requirement, and 3. filling internships and jobs. Here are examples of the structure of each that may help you conceputalize how to activate your locale institutions.

#SportTourism 14 9

2. Class Project Example: The Sports Commission hosts a large scale primary event with an associated anciliary 5K road race. With most of the sports commission staff tied up in the primary event, the planning and organization of the 5K is a good class project for an upper division (ex. junior and senior undergraduates) sport event management course. The recreation and sport management department chair is able to help the Sports Commission identify the best class and then the professor and sport commission develop the project together. Some of the duties assigned could include: developing and executing a marketing plan, event set up and tear down, overseeing different locations of the course, securing additional community volunteers, volunteer check-in, on-site registration, packet pick-up, etc.

management students in developing their resume and exposing them to opportunities with professional value.

3. Internships and Jobs Example: The Sports Commission is looking to fill 2 paid internships for the upcoming year. As always, the opportunities are posted on the industry leading job boards. It always proves to be a challenge to recruit someone from out of the area to relocate for one year with no guarantee of future employment. Luckily, this year the Sports Commission established a great relationship with a department of sport management at the local university. The two organizations worked together to craft job descriptions that meet the needs of the Sports Commission and are attractive to sport

Using universities within the community is not only beneficial for the sports commission, but the students as well. Students are provided opportunites close to where they live, they will be separating themselves from the competition in the job search, will be buiding their professional network, and are provided an opportunity to impress you and maybe earn a job or at least a good recommendation. Finding the right academic fit can ultimately save you money, save you time, and help develop the next generation of leaders in our field.

The department of sport management internally narrowed down the list of their interested students prior to forwarding on candidates to the Sports Commission. Ultimately, they forwarded their top 5 student candidates to interview and compete against other candidates identified through regular search channels. As a result of this collaboration, hiring staff at the Sports Commision had a stronger job description than ever before, recognized the areas of importance to the targeted age group, saved time and money recruiting top candidates, and ultimately was able to hire two students already familiar with the locale that did not have to relocate to accept their intership offer.

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NASC Hall of Fame Committee to Select Inaugural Class of Inductees 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 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.

After submittal is tendered and consideration by the committee is complete, the sponsor will be invited to present any other information on behalf of the candidate and appear before the committee at a scheduled time and location designated for the purpose of finalizing the nomination.

Representation on the Hall of Fame Committee is by appointment from members of the NASC Leadership Council (former chairmen of the Association) and approved by the NASC Board of Directors and shall be comprised of not more than five (5) members who will be identified as the NASC Hall of Fame Committee. The Committee elects its officers and shall serve a three-year term, and is eligible to serve one successive term upon majority vote of all committee members.

To be considered, submit your entry via the online entry form at sportscommissions.org/hall-of-fame no later than November 18, 2016.

The induction process and eligibility requirements can be found on the NASC website.

Contact Denny Gann, at dgann123@gmail.com, Hall of Fame Committee Chair, for any questions.

The NASC Hall of Fame Committee, by authority granted by the NASC Board of Directors, is the final authority of which nominees shall be inducted into the NASC Hall of Fame.

Piers & Cheers

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From riverfront cheerleading competitions to a Beach2Battleship Iron Distance Triathlon, Wilmington’s hosted many diverse events filled with good times. Our welcoming year-round weather, breathtaking beaches and bustling riverfront are crowd-pleasers.

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WilmingtonSportsNow.com | 800.650.9064 ext.124 11

NASC Awards Committee Accepting Entries for Annual Member Awards The NASC Awards committee will begin accepting entries for the 2017 member awards in October.

For the 2017 Member Awards, activities, events, marketing campaigns, web strategies, etc. must have occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2016.

Organizations and individuals interested in entering a submission are encouraged to notify the Awards Committee of their intent to submit by January 13, 2017.

Entries are due by Friday, February 3, 2017 at 11:59pm ET.

ORGANIZATIONAL AWARD CATEGORIES Population size is defined as the metropolitan area which an Active member serves.

Sports Commission of the Year • Population: Under 400,000 • Population: 400,000 and above Sport Tourism Organization of the Year • Population: Under 400,000 • Population: 400,000 and above Marketing Campaign of the Year • Population: Under 400,000 • Population: 400,000 and above Locally Created Event of the Year • Population: Under 400,000 • Population: 400,000 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 sport 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.

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Sport Tourism Executive of the Year – Sport Tourism Organization/Sports Commission CEO Game Changer Award – Sport Tourism Organization/ Sports Commission staff member Sports Event Organizer of the Year - Rights Holder staff member

Judging Policy Organizational Awards: Each judging panel will be comprised of three individuals (one Awards Committee member and two NASC members at-large). Judges may not submit an entry for the category which they are judging.

Individual Awards: Each judging panel will be comprised of five Awards Committee members. Committee members may not submit an entry for individual awards.

About NASC Member Awards The annual NASC Member Awards recognize the outstanding achievements of our members and are presented at the NASC Sports Event Symposium each year. Member Awards are the highest honor an organization or individual in the sport tourism industry can receive as they are created and awarded by industry peers.

Members can view winning entries from last year’s awards to learn why the winners participated in the awards program and view the winning submission for various categories.

www.SportsCommissions.org www.SportsCommis-

Contact Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE, at jburke@houstonsports.org, Awards Committee Chair, for any questions.

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