Welcome to the July 2025 edition of the Sports ETA Facility Showcase! This month, the spotlight is on the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota.  Keep reading to the end for the “Key Difference Maker” as this insight can add perspective to your own facility. The National Sports Center - A Generational Project Not far from the mighty Mississippi river north of Minneapolis, the world’s largest amateur sports facility resides in Blaine, MN.  With over 4 million annual visitors, the 700-acre National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, stands as the world's largest amateur sports facility. Its extensive amenities include more than 50 soccer fields (17 of which are turf -- the most in the US!), eight ice rinks, an 18-hole golf course, and a training facility for Minnesota United. The center is also home to the annual USA Cup Soccer Tournament, which draws over 16,000 players from around the globe. The facility's origins trace back to a 1980s s...

with David Broughton, the Research Director from Sports Business Journal 

with Scott Hofmann, Director of Sports Tourism at Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau

We’re thrilled to share that Sports ETA is growing! We’ve just opened two new full-time positions on our Membership & Engagement team: 1. Associate Director, Membership & Engagement – Destinations & Industry Partners 2. Associate Director, Membership & Engagement – Rights Holders These new roles will help us strengthen member connections, drive engagement, and advance our mission to support the sports events & tourism industry. We’re looking for relationship builders who love collaboration, have a passion for this industry, and are excited to grow their careers with us. View the full job descriptions & apply here: Associate Director, Membership & Engagement – Destinations & Industry Partners Associate Director, Membership & Engagement – Rights Holders Please share this announcement with your network, or reach out if you know someone who’d be an amazing fit &...

with Kyle Jordan, Director of Meetings at INFORMS

with Drew Hays, Executive Director at Austin Sports Commission

Sports ETA New Board Leadership Maryland SoccerPlex’s Matt Libber appointed Board Chair CINCINNATI (July 01, 2025) – Sports ETA, the only trade association in the sports events and tourism industry created by members, for members, today announced the official start of terms for its newly elected Board of Directors leadership and the appointment of four additional board members. This member-led structure is at the heart of what makes Sports ETA unique—an organization built to serve, support, and advance the very community that powers it. The board members were elected by the association’s membership during the 2025 Sports ETA Symposium held in April. Their terms begin today, July 1, 2025. Matt Libber, STS, Executive Director of the Maryland SoccerPlex, has been elected as the new Board Chair. Clay Partain, STS, Chief Sports Officer of Visit Salt Lake, has been named Vice Chair. Melissa Thompson, Vice President of Bids and Exter...

with Connor Fields, motivational speaker, Olympic gold medalist, and resilience expert.

Welcome to the June 2025 edition of the Sports ETA Facility Showcase! This month, the spotlight is on the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama. The Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitor Bureau is at the center of this destination’s sport tourism and event magic.   Keep reading to the end for the “Key Difference Maker” as this insight can add perspective to your own facility. At the core of Birmingham, Alabama’s Uptown Entertainment District lies the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) campus. It's home to two incredible sport venues, Protective Stadium and Legacy Arena. The BJCC complex welcomes over 1 million fans to events annually. It is for good reason they call themselves “Alabama’s Premier Entertainment Destination.”  Protective Stadium: A Hub of Sporting Spectacles  Since its inauguration in 2021, Protective Stadium has rapidly established itself as a dynamic and prom...

with Caryn Bradshaw, Managing Director of Operations at Sports Salt Lake