Sports Legacy Fund announces 2020 beneficiary: How you can help

 Posted on: December 3 2019
Sports ETA is feeling the holiday spirit and we hope our members are too as we start to raise money for our Sports Legacy Fund. What better way to celebrate #GivingTuesday, than by giving to kids in need? Each year, Sports ETA awards a grant to a non-profit organization that provides at-risk youth, veterans, or physically or intellectually disabled individuals opportunities to participate in sport. To date, Sports ETA and our members have donated more than $150,000 in grants to organizations that leave a legacy in the lives of the athletes who participate in their programs. For 2020, we are pleased to announce our beneficiary KC Blind All-Stars Foundation. This amazing group helps support the needs and dreams of blind and visually impaired youth at the Kansas State School for the Blind and the educators who believe in them. The KC Blind All-Stars Foundation will use the Sports Legacy Fund grant to build the school a new, handicapped-accessible playground on the school’s ...

Adults need a field day too. Why don’t you plan it?

 Posted on: August 28 2019
Remember the fun you had on Field Day during elementary school? The day you spent outside playing fun games against other classrooms? Don’t we all need an adult field day? Louisville Sports Commission agrees. That’s why they have brought back their Corporate Games. Lisa Mills, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations, is letting us in on the benefits of hosting your own corporate games. The Louisville Corporate Games has a variety of contests. There are bracketed events like dodgeball and volleyball, to competitive games including a water balloon toss and a parallel parking challenge, and good sports activities like a food drive and tailgate contest. “While our corporate games have competitive elements, there also is an emphasis on encouraging participation among companies and employees with different levels of athleticism,” says Mills. The 3rd annual event had 45 companies participate this year, which is more than double the number of companies t...

Ruston, Louisiana welcomes baseball tournament to new sports complex

 Posted on: August 5 2019
Ruston, Louisiana celebrated the opening of its new sports complex by hosting a baseball tournament. Dixie Youth World Series is wrapping up its two-week-long event which brought it nearly 80 teams. The Ruston Sports Complex sits on 185 acres in North Louisiana. When completed, the Convention and Visitors Bureau says it will have facilities for baseball, softball, tennis, soccer, and football on 36 fields and 16 turf fields. Additional plans include an indoor facility for basketball and volleyball tournaments, as well as dance and cheer competitions. This new complex is expected to bring a $1.2 billion economic impact to the Ruston and Lincoln parishes. It already started with the Dixie Youth World Series. The baseball tournament secured more than 5,000 overnight stays. “This is an economic boom for our city and for entire North Louisiana,” says City of Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker. “Entire North Louisiana is benefitting from this tournament and will benefit in ...

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...

Bicentennial Celebration increases tourism for Tuscaloosa

 Posted on: June 10 2019
Normally when you hear Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama comes to mind. It is true that Crimson Tide football remains one of the most popular events in the state, however, a new event is starting to attract tourist attention. Tuscaloosa is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year by having multiple celebrations to attract tourists from outside of the state of Alabama. We have more detailed information thanks to an article released by the Tuscaloosa News last week. According to the article, there was a free Bicentennial Bash in March that was held in the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, including bands like The 400 Unit, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Broken Bones, along with others. The biggest day of celebration will be on Dec. 13th, since that was the day the town was founded back in 1819. There will be a statue unveiling and more celebrations to be revealed later. Congratulations to Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports.

2019 NASC Sports Legacy Fund Silent Auction - Make a bid

 Posted on: March 13 2019
The 2019 NASC Symposium is right around the corner -- which means we are gearing up for the Sports Legacy Fund Silent Auction! While in Knoxville, make sure you stop by the one and only Women's Basketball Hall of Fame for our Halftime event on Tuesday, May 6. You won't want to miss this opportunity to sip on Ole Smokey Mountain Moonshine, play casino games, network with industry colleagues, and bid on silent auction items! So what can you bid on? How about a WiFi Smart Video Doorbell or a pair of Beat headphones? A throwback prize of a Nintendo NES Classic Mini Console and a $100 Visa gift card! We are constantly adding new items, so check back often to view newly added items. Don't wait, start bidding now. The 2019 Sports Legacy Fund Silent Auction is open for mobile bids until 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7. To view auction items and place a bid, click here. You will be asked to create a free account. Live action bidding will take place on Tue...

Goodness out of tragedy

 Posted on: January 18 2017
The recent release of the movie “Patriots Day” reminded us of how sports can converge in the real world with tragic results. As you might remember, it was 2013 when the Boston Marathon (run on Patriots Day) was forever scarred by two blasts that went off near the finish line. The tragedy killed three and injured 264.  Among those killed was 8-year-old Martin Richard, there among the spectators with his family. It’s a timely reminder, because Dave McGillivray, the race director for the Boston Marathon, sent out an email this week on his run to remember Martin. “Since April 15, 2015, almost every race I’ve run, I’ve dedicated to and run in memory of Martin Richard,” McGillivray writes. “This year will be my 45th Boston Marathon (he usually runs the course after the race has ended). My son, Max, is running his first Boston Marathon this year. “We both are running on behalf of MR8-the Martin Richard Foundation-which suppor...

A time for community

 Posted on: October 17 2016
We talk a lot about youth sports and amateur associations here—but let’s digress a bit this week and talk about how professional teams reach out to their communities. The trigger for the discussion is this week’s Hometown Huddle project by the NFL, United Way and others. The annual Hometown Huddle is an NFL/United Way initiative that happens in all NFL markets on the same day, geared toward promoting volunteerism and creating a lasting impression in the community. This year it’s on Tuesday, October 18, when coaches and players will go to a community building, a playground or similar facility and spend the day painting, landscaping and overall making the facility one that the entire community can use. That’s just one example of how professional teams look to give back: Besides the individual NBA teams planning events in their cities, the NBA itself has an “NBA Cares” all-star day of service; MLB teams often have community funds as a part ...

The Importance of being a Community Partner

 Posted on: October 11 2016
Community partners for you can come in many forms. They could be board members, advisory board members, universities, hoteliers, downtown alliance groups, professional teams, facility owners, volunteers, sponsors, etc. The one thing they need to have in common is the buy into your organization’s mission and vision. With this buy-in, you will be amazed at how much easier it is to understand and navigate political landscapes, fundraise, accomplish organizational goals and take your organization to new heights. Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Most of your community partners’ primary business is not tourism, but their willingness to help and understand tourism’s contribution to the community is what makes them unique.  Most sports commissions or sports tourism departments are very small staffs, which lead to lots of travel, long hours and many weekend events. All of this ...

Caring for the young athlete

 Posted on: October 10 2016
As a rights holder or event site manager, you are very familiar with the rules and regulations of holding an event, as well as the insurance and liability coverage that you need to follow to make sure the event goes off smoothly. As a matter of course, most events are required to have medical personnel on site, in case of injury. Often, the medical provider will also be listed as a sponsor of the event. But how do you know that the medical personnel on hand are the ones who can treat the young athlete? According to a 2014 ESPN sports poll, more than 87 percent of parents worry about their children getting hurt while playing sports. Injuries, from a knee scrape to more serious fractures and tears, are not uncommon in youth sports. Getting the proper treatment quickly is important, both for the athlete and for you as the event provider. In a recent ESPNW article, “Helping your athlete kids recover from injury the right way,” author (and mom) Sharon Van Epps shares a ...
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