We can all agree that visiting potential sites is an integral part of the site selection process for events. However, not all site visits are created equal. Rights Holders are looking for a quick trip to look at the venue to make sure it will work for their needs. Looking at facility specs on paper, or online, is helpful; but, we really need to see the space in person to identify any potential issues, planning the layout, and identifying branding opportunities. While not all Rights Holders are looking for the same experience, there are some common themes we look for to make the most of the visit.
Do Your Homework
Just as we ask for destinations to do their homework before our appointments at Symposium, we want you to do your homework before our site visits as well. Byron Hicks, the Manager of Events for USA Ultimate says, “Know my needs before I come and show me what I need. Don’t show me ball fields when I need linear field space.”...
There are plenty of cities in the United States that are embracing American soccer, but few cities have cultivated an identity with their team quite as strong as Portland, OR. The Portland Timbers sell out nearly every MLS home game, while the Portland Thorns lead the NWSL in fan attendance. So where are these sales numbers coming from?
AN UNPARALLELED SPORTS EXPERIENCE
Keeping audiences engaged is harder today than it ever has been. In a world built off of instant-gratification, it can be difficult to keep fans engaged in 90 minutes of gameplay that may only result in one or two goals. The Timbers and Thorns keep fans engaged through their supporter organizations: The Rose City Riveters and Timbers Army. These organizations add a new layer to the fan experience, and are a tangible marketing element for ticket sales. The Timbers and Thorns also source their concessions from local businesses, further aligning their brand with the city.
TEAM ACCESS
The Thorns attendance indic...
We are just over a month away from the 2019 NASC Symposium. No, you don’t need to start packing your bags just yet, but you do need to start planning out what you want your week to look like. We just released the education sessions for the 2019 Symposium in Knoxville, Tennessee from May 6-9.
If you are part of a destination looking to attract more events to your city, you may consider sitting in on sessions like “Developing your Destination’s Sports Tourism Program” on Tuesday or “Bidding on NAIA Events” on Thursday.
For the sales and development managers, there are also sessions for building brand awareness, partnership strategies, and valuing sponsorships.
There are more than 25 education sessions planned for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so there is something for each member of your team coming to the Symposium. Check them all out here.
Also, if you registered for the CSEE course at the NASC Symposium, put on your crisis mode c...
Hosting games for the men’s NCAA Tournament is a big job for any city. Des Moines, Iowa took on that job for a second time. The city hosted several games during the first round the men’s NCAA Tournament. It’s a job Des Moines did three years before, and were ready to do it again in 2019, learning from their 2016 experience. The Des Moines Register laid out a few things the city did to make this year’s experience a bit more polished.
Don’t count on the weather
There are no guarantees on the weather in the midwest especially in March, which is why the Wells Fargo Arena has connectivity to skywalks.
The more concessions, the better
After receiving negative comments in 2016 about long lines for food and drink, the arena increased staff along with adding portable grab-and-go stands and six vending machines.
Improving the ‘fan experience’
Between improving WiFi service in the arena, to adding charging stations, and sh...
As I’ve gained more “experience” (another way of stating that I’m getting older) in this industry, I tend to be more straight forward about the positives and negatives of the sports events industry. No need to sugar coat anything. And that’s what I’d like to comment on here, to hopefully save those of you just getting started, a lot of potential headaches.
So, here’s the scenario - you’ve just started your career at your local sports commission or CVB as the new sports events’ sales manager. As the new person, you’re fired up because you get to work in sports, and you think you have the sports facilities in your area to do big things. And you want to get out there and get that first big event for your area, a real home run, as soon as possible. You attend your first NASC Symposium and meet with numerous event-owners and they all sound great. You think to yourself, wow we could do ALL these events in our destination &n...
Knowledge is power and in the fast pace work environment that is sport tourism, the more you know, the better. As the current Director of Sports Development for Visit Greenville, North Carolina, Gray Workman knew this and wanted to elevate her knowledge to grow Greenville from a smaller destination to a high-level competitive sports destination. She enrolled in the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) program and gained invaluable information.
From being in the CSEE program, Workman saw this program as a way to further her education after college, with more focus on event planning. The classes focus on all aspects of the event, and why every single detail is important, and show how each aspect is a vital piece of sales and marketing materials. “As a destination, sometimes we forget all the minute details tournament directors have to focus on. Now I am able to be a resource to them.” Workman said.
The classes offered also gives students the chance to grow ...
The Spring 2019 edition of the NASC Playbook is available now. Download your copy.
Inside this issue:
What kind of leader do you want to be
Sports Facilities Summit
On motivating your employees
Why rebrand the NASC
That aha moment
12 questions for CVBs and Sports Commissions
Symposium education track line-up
Staying competitive on and off the sports field
We encourage members to share information with your peers. Contact Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement, at meagan@sportscommissions.org to learn more about how you can contribute to a future edition of The NASC Playbook.
The NASC Staff
A mentor is someone that will guide you along the path you have chosen, someone that will help you overcome challenges and build your character, while being motivated to support you and being a positive influence on your journey.
Have you identified important individuals that have had a positive impact on your life? These individuals could be friends or advisers that you haven’t talked to in years, but they are still mentors to you. Reach out to them, thank them and start up that new dialogue. For me, it was a college professor at Ohio State in 2003, and I never realized how important he was to helping create who I am today and why I ended up in the sports tourism industry in 2012.
After nine years of working in a variety of roles in professional sports – from interning and working full-time for a Minor League Baseball team, to spending time selling sponsorships for a PGA golf tournament and then moving into event operations for a golf contractor, then finally landing...
Our members, pse Event Housing, take care of all the housing details for their clients. From contract & staff room negotiation, real-time room tracking & reporting, to commission & rebate processing, they do it all! Whether you’re looking to start your very first tournament or event, or you’ve been in the game for years, check out these 4 essential questions you should be asking your event housing provider:
1. Is your booking system optimized for mobile users?
In 2018, 57% of all Internet traffic came from mobile users, and that number is only expected to keep growing. With this number on the rise and customers increasingly using their mobile devices to get things done online, offering a mobile-friendly experience is no longer just a nice-to-have feature – it’s a necessity.
What to look for:
Responsive Design:
Most sites are now viewable on mobile devices, but there’s a big difference between just being viewable on mobile an...
When you begin to plan for your event, something that is a driving force of how you plan is the event’s branding strategy. Everything is centered around what colors you associate with your brand, the logo, the tagline, and the name of your event. Beyond that, how your event goes will affect the future of your brand and can change it forever. Keeping this in mind, here are some tips from ‘Wild Apricot’ for keeping your branding strong throughout the event planning process.
Name your event.
The name of your event is the first thing your future consumers will see. It can easily be a make or break if someone decides to participate in it so you need to make sure your tagline is eye catching and easily explains the event. With naming your event, think about how your event is different from others in your area and what are you wanting the message that your consumers read is.
Create a tagline.
Once you have the name, think of a short and m...