Symposium Member Awards - NOW OPEN!

 Posted on: February 7 2024
2023 WHAT. A. YEAR! One thing we’ll never quit doing is bragging about our members. The Sports Events & Tourism community is full of rock stars, and that has never been more evident than it was in 2023. You all absolutely crushed it! The influx of #MemberWin submissions, the surge in press releases highlighting record-breaking events, and the exciting announcements of new industry partnerships reached unprecedented levels! This overwhelming response is a testament to the unparalleled excellence of Sports ETA members, reaffirming our belief that they (you!) are undeniably the best in the industry. Here's to celebrating the remarkable success of 2023 and looking forward to even greater accomplishments in the future! So, who wants to earn the title of being THE best? How about another badge to add to your profile and boost your rank on the leaderboard? How does an interview on the Sports Events Entertainment Network’s (SEEN) podcast sound? The Sports ETA Mem...

Shine the Spotlight in YOUR Direction!

 Posted on: August 2 2023
We are thrilled to launch the prestigious Sports ETA Member Awards program for the second time this year, where we'll recognize our member's outstanding achievements in marketing and branding. This past spring, the Sports ETA Member Awards Committee received nearly 80 submissions for our member awards program. Wow! The judges were overwhelmed by not just the quantity of the submissions but the quality as well. The review process was detailed and often involved rigorous debate, as the difference between first place and the rest was razor-thin. What a testament to you, our membership, and the work you do to continue making a difference in our industry! In case you missed it, take a look back at the winners. As we gear up for the 4S & Rights Holder Summit this fall, we're focused on the 4 S's of sports events and tourism: strategy, service, sales, and sponsorship. For all our marketing gurus out there, you know these 4 categories are the perfect re...

Tulsa Sports Commission honored as Sports Commission of the Year by Sports ETA

 Posted on: May 15 2023
Contacts: Jackie Reau, Game Day (513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com Tulsa Sports Commission honored as Sports Commission of the Year by Sports ETA KANSAS CITY, MO (May 10, 2023) – Tulsa Sports Commission was honored by Sports ETA as the Sports Commission of the Year, population over 500,000 category. Tulsa Sports Commission was one of 10 awardees honored today among the 600 Sports ETA member organizations. The award was accepted by Joel Koester from the Tulsa Sports Commission, at the annual Sports ETA Symposium held this week in Kansas City, Missouri. The selection committee commented on the nomination: “In its last fiscal year, the Tulsa Sports Commission secured more than 180,000 room nights, for an overall economic impact of $218 million, hosted the 2022 PGA Championship, Ironman Tulsa, events for USA Volleyball and Wrestling, and celebrated the opening of the new USA BMX headquarters and racing venue.” “Our team at the Tulsa Sports Commis...

Four new members inducted into the Sports ETA Hall of Fame

 Posted on: May 9 2023
Contacts: Jackie Reau, Game Day (513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com KANSAS CITY, MO (March 9, 2023) – Four leaders in the sports and events tourism industry were enshrined into the Sports ETA Hall of Fame today at the organization’s annual Symposium. The new Hall of Fame members are: Susan Blackwood, former Executive Director of the San Antonio Sports Foundation, Rick Hatcher, President & CEO of Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism, Suzann Stewart, founder of the Tulsa Sports Commission, and Steve Ducoff, former President of Association of Chief Executives of Sport (ACES). The Sports ETA Hall of Fame is a lifetime achievement award recognizing long-standing and significant accomplishments in, and major contributions to, the industry trade association, Sports ETA, and the overall sports tourism industry. The Sports ETA Hall of Fame was launched in 2017, and there have been four induction classes with 14 honorees. “Sports ETA is honored to welcome four ne...

Sports ETA Honors Industry Leaders with Member Awards

 Posted on: October 26 2021
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA (October 26, 2021) – Sports ETA, the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, presented its member awards today to honor industry leaders at its Annual Symposium held here. The eight award honorees included: Ariana Tyler, STS, Senior Business Development Manager, Greater Columbus Sports Commission, was honored as Young Professional of the Year. Luchie Javelosa, STS, Director of Tucson Sports, Visit Tucson, was honored as Young Professional of the Year. Frank Lett, STS, Senior Associate Executive Director, Director of Sports Marketing, Visit Kingsport, was honored as the Trailblazer of the Year. Bonny Bernat, STS, Senior Sports and Events Sales Manager, Visit Winston-Salem, was honored as Woman of the Year. Adam Andrasko, CEO of USA Artistic Swimming, was honored as Rights Holder of the Year. John David, STS, CEO of USA BMX, was honored as Rights Holder of the Year. Additionally, Denny Gann, the longtime executi...

Congratulations 2019 - 2020 Award Winners!

 Posted on: October 28 2020
Each year, Sports ETA honors organizations and individuals in the sports events and tourism industry to celebrate their accomplishments and achievements. Award activities, events, marketing campaigns, web strategies, etc. must have occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2019.  An independent judging panel made up of leaders in the sports events and tourism industry reviews each award submission based on a point system determined by the Sports ETA awards committee. Each of our 2019-2020 winners rose to the top of the list, and we couldn’t be more proud of the work that was done in the continuing effort to advance the sports events and tourism industry!  Premiering now, on our new Sports Events Entertainment Network (SEEN), your 2019 - 2020 Award Winners! Meet the winners and learn more about the work they completed to advance the sports events and tourism industry!  Tune into sports Events entertainment Network (SEEn) Congratulations: ...

Get your final submissions in for the 2020 Member Awards

 Posted on: March 10 2020
With the 2020 Symposium right around the corner, this is your last chance to submit yourself or your organization for the Sports ETA Member Awards. Organizations are encouraged to participate, regardless of size of budgets or your staff size. Here’s your chance to highlight all the amazing work that you or your team accomplished in 2019. These annual Member Awards celebrate the excellence and accomplishments of its members. Honoring the organizations and individuals that made such a big impact every year.  Sports ETA wants to recognize the outstanding leaders in the industry. The leaders that inspire others, set the pace for performance, and nurture success. The deadline for submitting Member Awards Applications is Friday, March 13. You can find details on submitting an application here. Click here for more information on the award categories or how to submit your project.

2018 Award Winner Spotlight: Event Marketing Campaign

 Posted on: September 3 2019
Ready, set, run what some call “The South’s Toughest Bridge Run”. Savannah Sports Council is the 2018 award winner for Event Marketing Campaign for the Enmarket Bridge Run. The 5k or 10k race takes runners across Savannah’s Talmadge Bridge. “This event means the world to me,” says Rob Wells, Director of the Savannah Sports Council. “I keep telling people that this award means so much more than most because it is selected by our peers and presented among them.” While the Savannah Sports Council won this campaign award for the Enmarket Bridge Run, which saw a 17% increase, they saw tremendous success at other events last year. The Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon celebrated its fifth year with a 13% participant increase and the Enmarket Savannah Hockey Classic celebrated its 20th anniversary. “With all of that, the thing I am most proud of is the creation of our Scholar-Athlete award which we gave out at the 2018 G...

2019 Award Winner Spotlight: Sports Tourism Organization of the Year, Under 500K

 Posted on: July 22 2019
From Triathlons to Powerlifting competitions, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports has hosted nearly every type of sporting event imaginable. Their success was recognized at this year’s Symposium naming them the Sports Tourism Organization of the Year. “As a sports commission, we don’t approach building relationships and businesses with awards in mind; we work hard to invite and welcome athletes, families, and fans to Alabama’s beaches,” said Beth Gendler, Vice President of Sales for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission. “We were against some huge competition for sports tourism organization of the year, which just adds fuel to our fire.” Many wonder how they can follow the lead of this incredible sports commission, so we asked their Communications and Marketing Specialist, Ally Mills Dorrough if she had any wisdom to share or things that set the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach area apart from others. Here are a few pointe...

Award Winner Spotlight: Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign of the Year

 Posted on: June 21 2019
At this year’s Symposium in Knoxville, TN, we honored organizations for being the best in 11 different categories in 2018. We want to take this time to spotlight each of them. This month, it’s Rockford Area CVB, winner of the Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign of the Year. “This accolade is certainly indicative of a lot of hard work, strong storytelling and diverse programming that collectively keeps elevating Rockford as a sports destination. But again, we have so much more to accomplish and are really excited about what the future holds for us and the greater sports tourism industry.”  Nick Povalitis, Director of Sports Development, Rockford Area CVB. Rockford Area CVB has seen many successes in the past few years including retaining legacy events such as the USA BMX Midwest Nationals, winning six bids with NJCAA National Championship, and creating a viral hit with a community watch party dubbed Jurassic Park RKFD. Povalitis counts Roc...