NASC Playbook - March 2015

March 2015

Inside this issue: Industry Trends: What to Watch in 2015 Record Attendance Expected for 23rd annual NASC Sports Event Symposium NASC Announces Dates for 2015 Fall Meetings

Courtesy of VISIT Milwaukee

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Website

Industry Trends: What to Watch in 2015..............4

Staff

Call for Volunteers.............................................5

(513) 281-3888/(513) 281-1765 www.SportsCommissions.org Don Schumacher, CSEE, Executive Director Lori Gamble, Associate Executive Director Elizabeth Young, Director of Membership & Marketing Meagan McCalla, Member Services Coordinator

Board of Directors Officers

Kevin Smith, CSEE, Director, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, Chairman Greg Ayers, CSEE, President & CEO, Discover Kalamazoo, Vice Chairman/Chair-Elect Ralph Morton, CSEE, Executive Director, Seattle Sports Commission, Treasurer Mike Anderson, CSEE, Executive Director, Myrtle Beach Sports Commission Terry Hasseltine, CSEE, Executive Director, Maryland Sports, Immediate Past Chairman

Directors

John David, CSEE, Chief Operating Officer, USA BMX Tammy Dunn, CSEE Sports Marketing Manager, Snohomish County Sports Commission Greg Fante, CSEE, Director of Sports Development, Louisville Sports Commission Kindra Fry, CSEE, SMP, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bryan-College Station CVB John Gibbons, CSEE, Executive Director, Rhode Island Sports Commission Rick Hatcher, CSEE, Executive Director, Treasure Coast Sports Commission Brian Hickey, CSEE, Director of Sports, Visit Tallahassee/ Tallahassee Sports Council Mike Hill, CSEE, Senior Director, Sports Sales, Hilton Worldwide - Sports Sales Jeff Jarnecke, Associate Director of Championships and Alliances, NCAA Michael Price, CSEE, Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority Janis Ross, Executive Director, Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE, Executive Director, Harris County - Houston Sports Authority Benjamin Wilder, CSEE, Director, Savannah Sports Council Nancy Yawn, CSEE, CDME, Director, Round Rock CVB 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

Record Attendance Expected for 23rd annual NASC Sports Event Symposium....................... 6-9 NASC Launches New Career Center in the Sports and Athletics Career Network...........................10 Running Rebels Community Organization is 2015 Sports Legacy Fund Recipient ............................11 NASC leadership attends ACES Conference and National Sports Forum.......................................12 NASC Announces Dates for 2015 Fall Meetings................................................... 13 To Ticket or not to Ticket Your Sporting Events....14 Timeless Ticket or Unique Crowdfunding?...........15

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. Just have your media relations department add info@sportscommissions.org to its distribution list.

Industry Trends: What to Watch in 2015

By Don Schumacher, CSEE, Executive Director, NASC In 2015, I think one of the most interesting trends, for those of us who working in the sports commission and CVB industries, is the fact that park and recreation departments are becoming increasingly interested in the NASC. I find this particularly interesting because we’re discovering that many park and recreation departments actually create, promote and run their own events, which makes them even more similar to a sports corporation. I am sure that many of our sports commission and, perhaps CVB members, have close working relationship with their parks departments so we look forward to highlighting these relationships in future programming.

We are excited to welcome additional park and recreation departments to our NASC membership as partners. We’re at something in the range of 20 departments now, and we will continue to take steps during the year to increase that number because they bring a lot to the table. And they’re truly qualified as active members of our association, because they’re so involved with the production of their own events.

The second trend is the issue of hotel room rebates as it relates to bid packages. We continuously hear the debate on room rebates from both our membership as well as hotel partners to the sports events industry. I remember being surprised when rebates were in the $5 to $10 range per room. Today, I am shocked that we have managed to get into the $50+ range in some cases around the country. So I encourage you to keep an eye on how to manage room rebates in your market. NASC will continue to monitor the situation to share insights with members.

And from that standpoint, I think it’s good to look back 20 years ago when sports commissions were the primary organization to bid on an event. There was a tremendous focus on quality of life as the reason for the bid effort.

Destinations were looking for events that were going to make something exciting happen in their communities.

And yes, television exposure was very important, and still is to markets—big and small.

For example, the NCAA, one of the major event owners in the United States, has moved to a commission on all room nights for all NCAA championships, across all divisions. That was a seismic shift and we’ll see how that works out for all concerned, including the spectators and ticket buyers of these championships.

Finally, there’s a trend in our industry that developed at the end of 2014. There is a shrinkage and/or consolidation of some of the events that take place every year in the sports travel industry. For example, the United States Olympic Committee recently made a decision to assign the rights to the SportsLink Congress to Connect Sports in a not-for-profit transfer of the rights to a for-profit. With this in mind, I can tell you that the NASC will maintain its independence - in this issue, we are announcing our Fall Meeting Schedule to be held in Colorado Springs – while still attending several industry events in support of our membership.

In 2015, we look forward to working with you as your industry association to share insights and trends at our CSEE sessions, NASC Symposium, Market Segment Meetings in addition to our weekly digital correspondence.

Donald G. 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 sports tourism industry each year including: • • • • • • •

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

• • • • • •

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

#SportsTourism 4

Volunteers are the foundation of the NASC. In the last year, more than 100 committee volunteers contributed to progress and growth of the NASC in many ways including: • Referring industry colleagues to join the Association • Recommending educational content and programming for the annual NASC Sports Event Symposium, the original conference and longest-running reverse tradeshow for the sports tourism industry • Enhancing mentoring activities for new members and first time Symposium attendees • Establishing new categories and serving on judging panels for the annual member awards • Developing CSEE modules • Creating the inaugural NASC Sports Legacy Fund community service project We invite you to respond to this year’s call for volunteers.

We need your skills, passion, and perspectives to build a vibrant, inclusive, and multicultural group of volunteer leaders throughout our committees.

The NASC is YOUR association; committee participation is one of the best ways to be engaged and help contribute to the decision-making that continues to position the NASC as the most valuable resource available to sports event professionals.

Members, including new committee members and those who currently serve, must respond to the call for volunteers by May 8, 2015. Thank you for your consideration!

Yours in Sport,

Greg Ayers Greg Ayers, CSEE, CTA President & CEO, Discover Kalamazoo Chair-Elect, NASC Awards Committee The Awards Committee is responsible for developing award categories and criteria for the annual NASC Member Awards.

The committee also serves as judges for the various categories.

Membership Committee The Membership Committee oversees membership retention and recruitment. The committee contacts inactive and cancelled members on behalf of the association to encourage them to renew. The committee also evaluates membership benefits and resources on an annual basis.

Mentoring Committee The Mentoring Committee cultivates relationships with new members to help guide them through their first year of membership. The committee is also responsible for planning and hosting first time attendee activities at the annual Symposium. Pre-requisites: A minimum of four years of NASC membership and industry experience Professional Development Committee The Professional Development Committee assists with the development and implementation of the CSEE Program.

Committee members are required to join and fully participate in monthly committee calls, assist in the development of modules and continually evaluate the program to strengthen the CSEE brand. Pre-requisites: Must be currently enrolled in the CSEE Program and have attended at least two modules Sports Legacy Committee The Sports Legacy Committee manages the Sports Legacy Fund. The committee establishes the criteria and eligibility requirements for beneficiaries of the fund and selects the beneficiary each year. The committee also coordinates all aspects of the annual fundraiser, including promotion, solicitation of donation items, and ticket sales, as well as equipment donations.

Symposium Committee The Symposium Committee assists in the planning and execution of the annual NASC Sports Event Symposium.

Committee members are required to join and fully participate in monthly committee calls, recruit event owners, develop education sessions including review of topics, examination of proposals, and selection of speakers, and promote the Symposium through word of mouth marketing to industry peers and colleagues.

Staff Travel March 22 – 24 Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism Elizabeth Young March 30 – April 1 Southeast Tourism Society Spring Symposium Don Schumacher, CSEE, Elizabeth Young April 12 – 14 Oregon Governor’s Conference Don Schumacher, CSEE April 25 – 30 23rd annual NASC Sports Event Symposium Don Schumacher, CSEE, Lori Gamble, Elizabeth Young, Meagan McCalla June 2 – 5 ACES Spring Meeting Don Schumacher, CSEE Lori Gamble

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The NASC Sports Legacy Committee will be launching a new community service project this year. In addition to providing the 2015 beneficiary with a cash donation, this hands-on community project is a way for sports tourism professionals to give back to the host city of the annual Symposium and leave a lasting impact in the cities we visit.

The Schedule is Set for 2015 Symposium (subject to change)

A record number of sports tourism professionals are expected to be in attendance for the 23rd annual NASC Sports Event Symposium scheduled for April 27 - 30 in Milwaukee, WI. More than 825 serious-minded professionals, including over 150 individuals from 96 event owner organizations were already registered by the early registration deadline on March 13.

Register by April 3rd in order to pre-schedule appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace.

NEW IN 2015 - GROUP APPOINTMENTS We are now offering the option to participate in group appointments in addition to one-on-one appointments.

Both NASC Sports Marketplace afternoon sessions (Tuesday, April 28, 4:30pm – 6pm and Wednesday, April 29, 4:00pm – 5:30pm) are reserved for group appointments. Exhibitors (event owners and vendors) will meet with up to four (4) individuals per time slot.

Sunday, April 26

4 p.m. Registration 5 p.m. NASC Board of Directors meeting

Monday, April 27

6:30 a.m. NASC Community Service Project 8:30 a.m. Registration 8:30 a.m. NASC Sports Marketplace booth setup 11:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 2015 Spring CSEE Module SOLD OUT 5 p.m. First Time Attendee Reception 7 p.m. Beer, Brats and Bowling tour SOLD OUT 8 p.m. Bourbon, Blue Grass, and Belles

Key Highlights NEW NASC COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT LAUNCHES THIS YEAR Monday, April 27 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (CT) Transportation provided from host hotels.

Departures begin at 6:45 a.m.

More than 100 Symposium attendees have already volunteered for the inaugural event. Volunteers will assist in painting picnic tables, mulching around trees, cleaning up the playgrounds, renovating soccer fields, and more.

Light breakfast, transportation, and a t-shirt will be supplied. There is no fee to join, only a commitment of your time and energy.

CSEE SPRING 2015 MODULE

Building Your Brand

Presented by Stacey Watson, Senior Director, Retail Development and HDCX Services, Harley-Davidson Motor Company Monday, April 27 11:45 a.m. -4 p.m. (CT) Transportation provided from Wisconsin Center.

Departures begin at 11:30 a.m.

The focus for CSEE in the spring module will be branding.

Where better in Milwaukee to learn the ins and outs of brand development, extensions, protection and expansion than at the home of one of America’s most iconic brands: Harley-Davidson.

Harley-Davidson has had many ups and downs over the past century, but the brand remained paramount in every step taken to preserve the company and its products.

These efforts had to survive the depression, a world war, and acquisition by another automotive brand. After regaining its independence, H-D has never looked back as it continues to grow and extend their brand.

The session will be held in a meeting room at the Harley-Davidson Museum®. After a presentation by Stacey Watson, Director, Retail Development and HDCX Services at Harley Davidson, participants will be sent on a series of tasks in the museum. Some of the issues discussed will include knowing what you are, the importance of experiential marketing, personalization of the brand, how to tell your story, building brand loyalty and repeat customers. Once the tasks are complete a discussion will take place on key learnings, including the importance of engaging the customer in activities that reinforce the purchase decision.

#SportsTourism 6

Tuesday, April 28

7 a.m. Registration 8 a.m. Opening Ceremonies, NASC Member Awards Breakfast 9:45 a.m. Breakout sessions including:

• Destination & Event Services

• Event Management Track

• Financial Track

• Leadership Track

• Sales & Marketing Track 11:15 a.m. Sports Marketplace Individual Appointments 12:45 p.m. NASC Membership Meeting Luncheon 3:15 p.m. Breakout sessions (see above) 4:30 p.m. Sports Marketplace group appointments 6:15 p.m. VIP Transportation Departures Begin for Sponsors & Event Owners to Welcome Reception (invitation required) 6:45 p.m. Transportation Departures Begin to Welcome Reception 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Welcome Reception 9:00 p.m. - Midnight Extra Innings

Key Highlights OPENING CEREMONIES & AWARDS BREAKFAST

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING Tuesday, April 28 12:45-2:45 p.m.

VISIT MILWAUKEE BLOCK PARTY Harley-Davidson® Museum Center Tuesday, April 28th 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. (CT) Get your motor running and head on over to the the iconic Harley-Davidson® Museum Center for the opening block party, sponsored by our host city VISIT Milwaukee.

Kickstart your evening with bikes, burgers, and beers in The Garage at the Museum. Fill your tank with fare that will consist of all-American classics inspired by the open road with a nod to our hosts, including tastings from Milwaukee’s own Lakefront Brewery.

Live music from local artist Bella Cain, Museum tours, monster trike races, and other exciting indoor and outdoor activities will keep you revved up well after the sun goes down.

Tuesday, April 28 8-9:30 a.m.

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Wednesday, April 29

7 a.m. Registration 8 a.m. Continental Breakfast 8:30 a.m. Game Changers sessions 10:15 a.m. Sports Marketplace individual appointments 12:15 p.m. Keynote Luncheon 2:15 p.m. Breakout sessions

• Leadership Track

• Event Management Track

• Sales & Marketing Track

• Financial Track

• Destination & Event Services 4 p.m. Sports Marketplace group appointments 5:30 p.m. Happy Hour

Key Highlights KEYNOTE LUNCHEON Featuring John Furlong, Ceo, Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Wednesday, April 29 12:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m.

John Furlong is the leader behind the team that organized and staged the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. From the very beginning of the project, Furlong envisioned that the Games could be a true nation builder, helping to improve the fabric of Canadian society by connecting all Canadians through sport and culture.

What is so remarkable about his many accomplishments was the vision that all Canadians, not just the athletes and their families and friends, would be touched by the 2010 Games.

The entire country rallied behind John and his team, and the result was a spectacular Games, one that was faced and dealt with tragedy and unexpected weather conditions, among other challenges, to present Canada to the world as a true “can do” nation.

Yes, the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games touched the very sole of every Canadian, but it also touched the rest of us with its outpouring of the very spirit of what it means to be Canadian.

John has often spoken of the need to reach higher, to challenge traditional thinking, and to dig deeper to achieve goals.

His message is one of inspiration, but also of overcoming everyday setbacks and creating an event of inclusion for all.

By sharing parts of his journey and anecdotes from behind the scenes, John Furlong inspires us all to achieve the best we can.

Proud to be your host for the 2018 NASC Symposium!

You’re passionate about your sport. We’re passionate about making your sporting event a sensation! Team up with Minnesota Sports.

Learn more at MinnesotaSports.org

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#SportsTourism 14 8

Thursday, April 30

7:30 a.m. NASC Board of Directors Orientation 8:30 a.m. Registration 9 a.m. Sports Marketplace individual appointments 10:30 a.m. Sports Marketplace booth teardown 10:45 a.m. Closing Brunch

Key Highlights CLOSING BRUNCH: A TOAST TO GRAND RAPIDS & CRAFT BEER TOURISM with Mike Stevens, Co-Founder and CEO, Founders Brewing Company Thursday, April 30 10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

As the 2015 NASC Symposium comes to a close, attendees will see what’s in store for the 24th annual NASC Sports Event Symposium, set for April 3-7, 2016 in Grand Rapids, MI. Complete with craft beer samples and West Michigan cuisine, the closing brunch will be the perfect toast to Grand Rapids.

During the brunch, Mike Stevens, co-founder and CEO of Founders Brewing Company, will tell the story of Grand Rapids’ most famous brewery. From the verge of bankruptcy in the early days to being recognized as a leader in the craft beer industry, the success of Founders Brewing Company is a perfect case study about the importance of finding your niche. Learn about the importance of collaboration and how to gain support from your local breweries to spur craft beer tourism in your community.

With over 2,000,000 square feet of function space, 3 arenas and 50,000 guest rooms, MGM Resorts is the ideal host for your next sporting event.

“We don’t brew beer for the masses. Instead, our beers are crafted for a chosen few, a small cadre of renegades and rebels who enjoy a beer that pushes the limits of what is commonly accepted as taste. In short, we make beer for people like us,” The Founders Family philosophy.

This is a philosophy that destinations, event owners, and vendors alike can emulate to identify your value proposition. You’ll leave the closing brunch ready to experience Grand Rapids in 2016.

For more information, contact Daniel Rush, drush@mgmresorts.com.

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www.SportsCommissions.org www.SportsCommissions.org 15 9

NASC Launches New Career Center in the Sports and Athletics Career Network The new and improved NASC Career Center launched earlier this month. The NASC joins the Sports and Athletics Career Network (SACN), which integrates Career Centers of leading industry associations, including the NCAA, NFHS, NJCAA, and NRPA. Previously, the NASC hosted a static job board on its website with limited functionality. The new Career Center includes helpful features that allow job seekers to share resumes, receive notifications about new jobs, and apply for positions directly through the job board.

Employers will now pay a nominal fee for important additional features to find the best candidates, including the ability to manage job postings online, monitor activity reports, access a searchable resume database, and receive an automatic email notification when new resumes match job criteria. Employers who post jobs will also have their jobs featured in the NASC Get in the Game eNews once during the 30-day post.

The NASC Career Center is powered by Boxwood Technology.

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Running Rebels Community Organization is 2015 Sports Legacy Fund Recipient With your help, we raised $14,000 for Oklahoma Cleats for Kids in 2014.

Help us make another significant contribution this year by making a donation to the 2015 Sports Legacy Fund.

This year’s proceeds benefit the Running Rebels Community Organization.

Since 1980, the Running Rebels Community Organization has been dedicated to developing Milwaukee’s youth mentally, physically, and spiritually. By offering youth programs that focus on education and recreational activities, Running Rebels provides Milwaukee’s youth with positive alternatives to gangs and substance abuse.

“We are proud to be working with the Running Rebels on this important community project,” said Don Schumacher, executive director of the NASC. “They play an important role in the development of youth in the Milwaukee area and we are excited to be a small part of their community outreach.”

The NASC Sports Legacy Committee organizes a silent auction and raffle to raise money for the Sports Legacy Fund at the NASC Symposium each year. Proceeds from the auction and raffle support that year’s beneficiary as well as the NASC Sports Legacy Fund Endowment.

The proceeds raised for the 2015 NASC Sports Legacy Fund will go toward the Running Rebels basketball fundamental program which will expand the number of youth served and aide in the development of year-round programming. Funding will offset operating expenses for the program including gym rental and referee fees, equipment, transportation, training for older youth to become certified referees, and healthy snacks.

How you can help 1. Donate a silent auction or raffle item* 2. Sponsor a silent auction/raffle table ($100 per table) 3. Donate basketball equipment, gym shoes, or old event t-shirts 4. Purchase an “old-fashioned” throughout the week at the Hilton and Hyatt lobby bars, Happy Hour in the Sports Marketplace, or Extra Innings 5. Bid on a silent auction item 6. Purchase raffle tickets 7. Volunteer for NASC Sports Legacy Fund Community Service Project *In addition to your donation being tax-deductible, the organization whose auction or raffle item raises the most money will receive a complimentary registration to 2016 NASC Sports Event Symposium!

www.SportsCommissions.org 11

NASC leadership attends ACES Conference and National Sports Forum This winter, NASC staff met with colleagues from ACES and the National Sports Forum. Here is a recap of the meetings.

The Association of Chief Executives in Sport (ACES) represents the CEOs and Executive Directors of all of the National Governing Bodies in Olympic and Pan American sports plus a number of other major sports organizations.

Due to the fact that virtually every domestic event held by ACES members takes place in an NASC member city, the NASC is a sponsor and partner of ACES. At its recent winter meetings in Reno ACES members heard from a number of presenters on services of importance and critical issues facing sports organizations. Presentations on insurance, risk management, issues concerning athletes and other items were subject to discussion.

A delegation from Japan visited with the staff of the National Association of Sports Commissions on March 2 in Cincinnati to discuss industry trends and best practices. Munehiko Harada, Professor, Waseda University and President, Japan Sport Tourism Alliance along with Shintaro Sato, Vice President, Saitama Sports Commission, visited Cincinnati and Indianapolis on their U.S. visit from Tokyo.

Each ACES meeting provides the NASC with the opportunity to brief members on our activities. This year we focused on the 2015 NASC Sports Event Symposium in Milwaukee. Specifically we talked about our Sports Legacy Fund, its ongoing success supporting youth sports organizations in our Symposium host cities, and also our first ever work project where we will help in the clean-up of a park in Milwaukee. Youth sports is a major interest of every ACES member, and our support may even help produce an elite athlete or two over the coming years.

The NASC staff also attended and exhibited at the National Sports Forum in Cincinnati from February 8-10 where more than 900 industry leaders attended including representatives from Major League Baseball, NBA, NFL and the National Hockey League as well as dozens of colleges, brands working in sports sponsorship and media rights.

Staff from NASC exhibited in the Trade Show of the National Sports Forum to promote membership.

R-L: Shintaro Sato and Hiko Harada from the Japan Sport Alliance with Don Schumacher of National Association of Sports Commissions and Brian Carley of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

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NASC Announces Dates for 2015 Fall Meetings in Colorado Springs September 28 - 30, 2015 Antlers Hilton | Colorado Springs, CO GENERAL INFO

2015 Schedule

The NASC Market Segment Meetings create a platform for destinations with similar market size and organizational structure to share ideas. These are advance level discussions among peers in the sports tourism industry.

The 2015 NASC Market Segment Meetings Preliminary Schedule is as follows:

New in 2015! Local NGBs and rights holders who participate in Rapid RFP Review will receive a complimentary registration to attend Market Segment Meetings on Tuesday. This includes lunch, keynote, NGB roundtables, and cocktail reception. NGBs will also automatically qualify for a travel stipend (limit one per organization) to attend the 24th annual NASC Sports Event Symposium, April 3-7, 2016 in Grand Rapids, MI.

(subject to change)

Monday, Sept. 28 3:30 p.m. NASC Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, Sept. 29 7:00 a.m. Registration 7:15 a.m. CSEE Fall 2015 Module* 11:45 a.m. Buffet Lunch 12:45 p.m. Keynote Speaker 1:30 p.m. Small Group Discussions By Segment - Small & Mid-Market CVBs - Large Market CVBs - Small & Mid-Market Sports Commissions - NGBs/Rights Holders 3:30 p.m. Refreshment Break 4:00 p.m. Rapid RFP Review 5:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception Wednesday, Sept. 30 7:30 a.m. Buffet Breakfast 8:30 a.m. Small Group Discussions By Segment - Small & Mid-Market CVBs - Large Market CVBs - Small & Mid-Market Sports Commissions * Additional Fees Apply

Stay tuned for an amazing announcement about this year’s keynote speaker!

Registration

Market Segment Meetings Active Members: $395 per person Rights Holder Members: FREE when you participate in Rapid RFP Review CSEE Fall 2015 Module $350 per person For more information, contact Lori Gamble, Associate Executive Director, at Lori@SportsCommissions.org.

www.SportsCommissions.org 13

To Ticket or not to Ticket Your Sporting Events We’re all used to buying a ticket to a sports event, whether it’s basketball, football or even our kids’ high school games. But what about the every-day events with which you are involved? How many of them require tickets to enter? And why or why not?

The genesis of this issue came from a discussion with colleagues who are involved in college sports. They are in the middle of deciding whether to stop requiring tickets for the women’s basketball games, as well as some of the “Olympic” sports like soccer, lacrosse, etc.

You’ve heard the arguments before: By making it a ticketed event, you are putting a “value” on the game.

This event is worth something and if you have to pay to attend, then you have invested in actually attending the event. Once you show up, you’re likely to buy concessions, pay for parking and spend money that wouldn’t be spent if you stayed home.

Conversely, while it’s tempting to hand out free tickets to try to get bodies in the seats, the prospective attendees don’t have an investment in the event. If someone gives me a free ticket and I decide not to go, I don’t have a financial loss because I haven’t plunked down my $5. No concessions, no parking, no souvenir shopping.

Does your gymnastics event require a ticket? How about your weekend high school basketball shootout or your cheer competition? Of course, you’re always going to get family and close friends to attend, but does having a ticket (or not having a ticket) affect your walk-in attendance numbers?

Let us know about your ticketing policies and why or why not you require admission. Best practices help all of us put on better events. Post your comments on our Facebook page.

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#SportsTourism

Timeless Ticket or Unique Crowdfunding?

The Milwaukee Brewers are making available to fans a deal they call the “Timeless Ticket.” In engraved brass, the oversized one-pound ticket will allow the ticket holder to attend any single game, anytime in the future.

So, you may ask, what’s the savings in that? A thousand dollars for one ticket?

Well, let’s say the Brewers make it to the World Series (remember, it’s a “Timeless Ticket” good for anytime in the future). Face value tickets are expensive enough to the postseason, and secondary market tickets can be outrageous. So, if you happen to have one of these Timeless Tickets, you can give the team a bit of notice and tell the front office you want to redeem your Timeless Ticket for a World Series game. Now, the cost doesn’t seem so out of line.

But wait! There’s more!

In January of 2015, the team had sold 240 Timeless Tickets. Multiply that by a thousand, and yes, you get $240,000 in the bank.

The tickets may become treasured heirlooms to be passed down among Brewer fans, or indeed they may be cashed in for a postseason game. Either way, the Brewers have cash up front for a game that may not be played for decades, and fans get a personalized memento from their favorite team.

And oh yes, they get lots of publicity for the team.

In a time where every sports entity is looking for creative ways to sell tickets to their events, the Brewers have come up with one that can pay off now for them, and later for their fans.

What do you think? Would something like this work in your organization? Give your opinion on the NASC Facebook page and let us know how you feel.

The team also says the package now includes ticket vouchers to attend nine additional Brewers regular season home games of the owner’s choice, excluding Opening Day and Postseason.

www.SportsCommissions.org 15

West Michigan: the right venues, the right entertainment, the right details, exactly

THE RIGHT FIT

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