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Contact: Jackie Reau, Game Day (513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com   KANSAS CITY, MO (May 10, 2023) -- More than 20 sports events and tourism professionals were honored today at the Sports ETA Symposium for the completion of their Sports Tourism Strategist (STS) certification program, which is the leading-edge education institute for the sports events and tourism industry offering topical content, in-depth, and industry-leading certification programs. “Sports ETA congratulates these individuals who are actively advancing their knowledge and skills about the sports events and tourism industry with the Sports Tourism Strategist designation,” said Al Kidd, President & CEO of Sports ETA. The 2023 Sports Tourism Strategist Graduates are: Dana Baldwin, STS, Louisville Tourism Evan Bauerle, STS, Sports Salt Lake Brandon Black, STS, Go Gaston Patrick Coit, STS, Meet Boston Lynnette Davis, STS, Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors...

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...

The spring 2023 edition of the Sports ETA Playbook is out now. Take a break and check it out! Download your copy here, and don't forget to share it with a colleague. Inside This Edition - Thank you, Al Kidd, for helping us THINK BIG! - Northstar and Playeasy Announce Partnership -NEW Salary, Compensation & Benefits Report -Learn the Art of Negotiating -Kansas City, Here We Come...   We encourage members to share information with their peers. Contact Meagan Grau to learn more about how you can contribute to a future edition of The Playbook.

Contacts: Jackie Reau, Game Day (513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com CINCINNATI (May 2, 2023, 9 a.m. ET) – John David, the Chief Strategy Officer of USA BMX, the World’s Largest Sanctioning Body for the Olympic sport of bicycle motocross racing (BMX), has been named the new President and CEO of Sports ETA, the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, replacing Al Kidd, who will retire on June 30. Over the past 20 years with USA BMX, John has produced two Olympic Trials, co-coordinated the unification of the sport in the USA, and spearheaded the campaign for the creation of the new USA BMX headquarters, arena, museum, and Hall of Fame in Tulsa, OK. He also serves on the City of Chandler Parks and Recreation Board and is a UCI International Commissaire. In 2021, the Sports Events and Tourism Association named David as the Rights Holder of the Year. “I am deeply honored to accept the position of President and CEO and join the exce...

Women’s Summit held in Dallas on Eve of NCAA Women’s Final Four By Jennifer Stoll, PhD, Stoll Strategies There is simply something special about the Sports Events & Tourism Association's annual Women's Summit held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four! I can't explain it, but learning from exceptional peers and industry dynamos is invigorating. This year was no exception as we saw a tremendous number of first-time attendees connect with seasoned ladies in real, open, and honest conversations. New industry relationships were formed that undoubtedly will last a lifetime. Congratulations to Monica Paul and her team for hosting this year’s NCAA Women’s Final Four, one of the best tournaments I can remember. TV viewership of the final games was at an all-time high and the games featured some of the best players and coaches in today’s game.  “What a way to close out Women’s History Month. I can’t b...

Sports ETA Members: As a reminder, the Annual General Membership Meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, April 25, at 2:00 PM ET. Per association bylaws, the 2023 Annual General Membership Meeting agenda is available for your review below. VIEW AGMM PACKET Please read this section in its entirety, as it contains important information about the Annual General Membership Meeting: Per the Sports ETA Bylaws, Article XIII – Meeting of Members, Section F “Each Member in good standing in the Destination, Industry Partner and Rights Holder Membership category shall have one vote, which may be cast only by the Member, without the right of proxy”.   At the meeting onset, a designated Board member will confirm to the Board Chair and membership the total number of accredited voters in participation. This number will be the total number of primary contacts who checked in to the Annual General Membership Meeting between 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM ET&n...

2023 Beneficiary: WIN for KC (Camp WIN Program) WIN for KC envisions a community where sport ignites the life of every woman and girl. The Women's Intersport Network for Kansas City (WIN for KC) was established in 1994 to empower the lives of girls and women through advocating and promoting the lifetime value of sports, while providing opportunities for participation, leadership development and recognition.   ABOUT CAMP WIN Camp WIN is a week long sports day camp for girls ages 6-12. Throughout the week campers are introduced to 12-15 different sports and fitness activities along with life skills training with WIN for KC’s custom curriculum, Live Active. Campers learn about effort, resilience, belief and teamwork as they work through their lessons and push themselves to learn new sports. Camp WIN believes involvement in various types of sports and fitness activities improves girls’ physical and emotional well-being. They learn how to take feedback, ho...

Volunteer Opportunity Interested in volunteering at the Women's Final Four? Check out these opportunities: Tourney Town shifts at the convention center: Thursday, March 30 until 8:30pm (the Women's Summit ends at 5pm and it's an open evening) Friday, March 31 until 5:30pm Final Four shifts at American Airlines Center: Friday, March 31 from 4:00pm to 11:30pm Details: Volunteers will proudly represent Dallas with every interaction with each other and the fans. Volunteers will create excitement for NCAA Women's Final Four as fans engage during their time at Tourney Town. Volunteers will greet fans, assist with waiver stations, and staff the different activations and basketball activities.  This is a great way to make an impact for NCAA Women's Final Four. Be ready to be on your feet for your shift.  You will need to create an account and register HERE. You will create a profile and submit a background check

Contact: Jackie Reau, Game Day (513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com Sports ETA, SearchWide Global, and Northstar Meetings Group Present New Executive Compensation Report for the Sports Events and Tourism Industry CINCINNATI (March 15, 2023) – Sports ETA and SearchWide Global released the “2023 Sports Destination Leaders Salary, Compensation and Benefits Report” led by researchers from Stoll Strategies, sponsored by the Northstar Meetings Group. The benchmark study provides an overall look at the employment landscape for the $39.7 billion sports events and tourism industry among sports destinations while offering a resource to organizations with actionable information. The last industry Salary, Compensation and Benefits Report was conducted in 2013 by Enigma Research Corporation. The research for the 2023 report was led by Dr. Jennifer Stoll, and Dr. Blake Price, from Stoll Strategies. Data from more than 200 sports destination leaders, with a majority ...

Each year, Sports ETA honors organizations and individuals in the sports events and tourism industry to celebrate their accomplishments and achievements. After a deep dive into the past awards program, a small committee of Sports ETA members has revamped our program to not only streamline the submission process but include award categories that are relevant to all association members and the programs members want and should be recognized for. Now, easier and more streamlined than ever, we invite you to submit a nomination for Member Awards. The portal will remain open until March 31, 2023. Award winners will be announced at the 2023 Sports ETA Symposium in Kansas City, MO.  Submit A Nomination For A Member Award AWARD CATEGORIES Member award activities and events must have occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2022.  Sports Commission of the Year Population: Under 500,000 Population: 500,000 and above Who Can Submit: Destinations This w...