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When an acquaintance finds out that you work in the sports industry, there’s a very good chance that his or her first reaction is, “Wow, that’s so cool.” Those of us in sports know that yes, it’s cool, but it’s also a lot of hard work. And it’s not all that easy to break into the business and find the job that you want. You probably talk with school groups or hear from aspiring sports professionals who might drop you an email to ask, “I’d like to do what you’re doing. How do I get in the sports business?” Well, we know that there are probably as many ways to get into the business as there are jobs. But recently Kathryn Smith, the first full-time female coach on an NFL team (Buffalo Bills), talked with writer Lyndsey D’Arcangelo about how she got into the NFL, and her advice for others who want to get into the sports business. Among other things, Smith said, “Get in where you can, and do what you can to ...

Member Mentoring is one of the best services the NASC has to offer for new members/partners to the NASC.   Having been involved with the NASC since 1996, I have seen the NASC transform into one of the strongest association in the tourism industry.  One of the special aspects of the NASC is the Member Mentoring committee.  This committee assists new members to the NASC and helps answer questions, work through issues with event owners or rights holders and helps in creating that fraternity of “been there and done that” so the new member does not feel like they are on an island. One of my best Member Mentoring stories I like to share from time to time happened several years ago.  I was assigned Daniel Rush, Vice President of Global Sports & Event Sales for MGM Resorts in Las Vegas, NV.  Now as first, I am thinking, what do I have to share with the Vice President of Global Sports and Event Sales for MGM Resorts that he has not seen or been thro...

One referendum decided last Election Day will go a long way in deciding the future of the San Diego Chargers. San Diego voters were asked to approve public funding for a new stadium for the Chargers. Measure C would have raised $1.15 billion from increased hotel occupancy taxes to help pay for a $1.8 billion stadium and convention center annex downtown. Chargers owner Dean Spanos spent more than $10 million on the campaign to approve the measure, but only about 40% of the voters were in favor of the funding. The Chargers needed 66.7% of the vote to pass. The vote means that there’s a good chance that the Chargers will return to their ancestral home in Los Angeles (they started life as the Los Angeles Chargers in their baby blue uniforms) and share a new stadium with the Rams—the facility is being built by Rams owner Stan Kroenke. The Rams are playing at the L.A. Coliseum until the new stadium in Inglewood is ready after 2018. The Chargers could come up with a similar ...

The National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC), the non-profit 501(c)3 trade association serving the sport tourism industry, is pleased to recognize the most recent graduates of the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) program.   Fall 2016 graduates include: Terra Alphonso, CSEE, Director of Sports Marketing & Development, Branson Chamber and CVB Rio Andrasko, CSEE, Sales Manager, Sports & Special Events, Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau Derek Bombeck, CSEE, Sales Development Manager, Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau Jennifer   Breedlove, CSEE, Convention Services Manager, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau Tim Ellis Director, CSEE,  Global Sales – Sports, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group John Friebele, CSEE, Director of Sports + Events, Bryan College Station Sports + Events Matt Reed, CSEE, National Sales Manager, Team San Jose Janis Ross, CSEE, Executive Director, Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Jennifer S...

My life has centered around connecting with people. Perhaps it was growing up in the small town of Fairport Harbor, Ohio (where everyone really does know each other) that gave me the love of meeting new people, getting to know them, and staying connected to them.  That fortunate trait has been my greatest personal joy, and has become my greatest professional strength. The business of sport that we are all engaged in as members of the National Association of Sports Commissions is conducted through our personal relationships with people from every facet of our professional world, and when we share our experiences with each other we all benefit. I can still remember the hundreds of hours of benchmarking that it took to launch the Greater Columbus Sports Commission in 2002.  Colleagues (many of whom have now become my friends) from dozens of cities such as Richmond, Orlando, St. Louis and Portland shared their budgets and best practices to help get us off the ground.  I coul...

Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton has made headlines lately, not just for his play on the field, but for his complaints to the NFL Commissioner off the field. Newton, a strong and mobile quarterback, has been hit hard this season, with few if any penalties called for the hits. He’s said he “doesn’t feel safe” on the field anymore, an issue he and his team have brought up to Commissioner Roger Goodell. The continuing discussion on when, or if, football is ever played safety was brought up again in a recent article in The Atlantic. The article quotes Christopher Whitlow, chief of neuroradiology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, who wanted to see how head impact affects developing brains. His team studied male football players between ages 8 and 13 over the course of a season, recording “head impact data” using a Head Impact Telemetry System to measure force, which was correlated with video of games and practices. The findings, publ...

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." This is a famous Thomas Edison quote from his quest to invent the light bulb. In a way, this quote can be turned around when talking about the Sport Tourism industry to read like this: "This is what we do, but there are 10,000 other ways that will work as well." This was quickly learned on a recent trip to Indianapolis, Indiana for the NASC Market Segment Meetings. Brady Turk and I represented the Rochester Amateur Sports Commission (RASC) and the two of us came away with a substantial amount of information and ideas that we can implement in our organization. The Market Segment Meetings are held annually in different cities across the United States and give Sports Commissions the opportunity to meet with other members in their market to discuss relevant issues and share unique approaches in the industry today. The meetings lasted just a day and a half, but provided non-stop education. Much of the time was spent ...

Upcoming Event Webinar - Register Now November 2, 2016 Check out our upcoming event webinar, below and reserve your spot today! USA Curling Wednesday, November 2 2016 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST Presented by Mike Dellemann Register Now! Join Michael Dellemann from USA Curling as he discusses the 2018 Olympic Trials for Mixed Doubles Curling and the 2018 Curling Night in America RFP’s.  Both of these events will be featured on NBC Sports, and Curling Night in America, in its third year, has already gained a strong following, reaching nearly 2 million views last year.  There will be time at the end of the presentation for questions. If you are unable to join us on November 2nd, remember you can download the webinar recording from our Webinar Archives (login required). https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6552437669261092609   REGISTRATION LINK

At the October NASC Market Segment Meetings, a lot of the talk among attendees was focused on keeping kids involved in sports. As we’ve noted, by the time young athletes hit early high school, participation drops dramatically and with an organization like NASC, kids playing sports is vital to keeping the organization, and the industry, growing.  A recent article on ESPNW takes the youth sports discussion one step further—why you want your young athlete to be involved in multiple sports in this day and age of sport specialization. The author, sports reporter (and sports mom) Michelle Smith, gives five reasons why it’s good for kids to play several sports, including fewer overuse injuries, less chance for emotional burnout, exposure to different kids and different roles and not putting all your sports eggs into one basket.   The final point is perhaps important in the discussion of keeping kids playing sports. “Playing only one sport limits y...

Seven years ago I was hired as the Sports Market Sales Account Executive. I was straight out of college and had a lot to learn! NASC was the first trade show I attended and I was a little nervous about attending my first sports trade show for many reasons: I wouldn’t know anyone, I didn’t know what kinds of questions to ask during appointments, how would I choose which educational sessions to attend from all of the options, etc.  I was relieved to find that the NASC membership as a whole are a very friendly and helpful group. I would eat lunch with people I didn’t know and they would be more than willing to offer advice and suggestions. I quickly felt comfortable and now, seven years later, can refer to those helpful individuals as friends. A few years ago I was looking into joining a NASC committee. I saw the Mentoring Committee as an option and knew that was the committee for me! I can appreciate how new members have a lot of questions and can relate to their e...