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...
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...
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...
Really? Another article or blog about leadership from someone? Yep – I know. It seems as if we are constantly exposed to blogs, articles, stories, books, podcasts, etc. about leadership. Why is this?
My guess is because everyone has an opinion or idea about what leadership should look like. In my humble opinion, there is no textbook formula, or perfect blueprint that says if you do A, B, and C you will become a “leader.” A quick search on Google provided a multitude of options to review when it comes to leadership traits; Forbes listed 10, Inc.com 9, CNN 23, Leadership toolbox 7. Wow, so many choices – which one is right?
Please do not get me wrong – there are some very good resources that each of us can take bits and pieces of information from to add to our arsenal, and implement into what we do, or how we lead – if it “fits” the person, we are. I believe you can develop leadership tr...
Definition of aha moment
: a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension
I will be attending my seventh NASC Symposium this year, and with each one I have incredible “Aha Moments”. From the definition noted above, I have experienced the following:
A sudden realization that my destination can host events and play in this marketplace.
Inspired by incredible leaders within the sports tourism industry that have made me see things in a slightly different way, changing my whole perspective.
Incredible insight from my counterparts from all over the country on all the aspects of our work.
Recognition, with articles published, successful events achieved and the ability to show the impact of what we do for our communities.
Comprehending all the processes from RFP to Recap.
As we approach the next Symposium in Knoxville, I encourage you to take it all in and let yourself have those Aha Moments. I wa...
How CVBs and Event Partners Can Provide a World-Class Experience to Visitors
When you think of Disney World, what comes to mind? If you’ve ever had the chance to visit Mickey’s magical land, you know that every detail of every park and resort is tailored to create an immersive, unique experience to all who enter (and they do such a great job of this that they have a whopping 70% return rate for first time guests!).
So, what does Disney World have to do with us as event partners or host communities? Well, it’s safe to say that we’re all looking to provide the best possible experience to all of our guests so they continue to come back, year after year. It’s unlikely that most of us will be able to eliminate all litter at our events by ensuring that no trash can is ever more than 30 steps away, or create an elaborate system of underground tunnels for staff to travel between locations, but there are many other ways in which we can all work togethe...
NEW YEAR - NEW YOU
Happy New Year! The NASC Mentoring and Engagement Committee wishes each of you the best in 2019: in business, personal relationships, competitions, and personal growth! Goal #1 - I will read this entire blog post. Goal #2 - I will take the action at the end of the post. If you can reach these two goals you’ll begin the year with two ‘Wins!’
GOALS = SUCCESS
If you want to succeed you must set goals. Without goals we flounder, directionless. Goals provide a roadmap, waypoints, direction, and, ultimately, achievement. Your goals can be short-term or long-term; your goals can be personal and/or professional; your goals can be big dreamer and/or mundane. The point is that with our goals on paper they become real and attainable. Take a few moments to review how to create, measure, and realize your goals!
GET MOTIVATED
Get excited about what you want to achieve this year. It’s a new year and we are all recharging for the upc...
I was lucky enough to attend the Inaugural Women’s Summit last year in Columbus, OH. I wasn’t sure what to expect with it being the first year that NASC put something like this together – it was great, everyone was a first timer!
The first gathering of the Summit was the opening reception. It was relaxed and a great opportunity to meet other women in the industry. I met several colleagues I had not had the pleasure of meeting before, and are now friends. The thing I enjoy most about NASC events (Symposium, 4S, and now Women’s Summit) is the opportunity to meet others in the industry. I’m able to take the relationships I build and use it as a help line with any questions I may have regarding the sports world.
The second day we had inspiring speakers, opportunities to talk about issues we encounter in our jobs as a group and were able to experience Tourney Town for Women’s Final Four (probably my favorite part of the event.) Not only was I able t...
I must confess that I do not read as much as I should, something that I hope to change in the New Year.
My neighbor is retired and he spends a lot of time in and around his yard. His efforts there are productive as he has a great lawn and it looks amazing through the growing cycle.
Many years ago, on our Public Television Station there was a regular program that was hosted by Jerry Baker, America’s Master Gardener. My wife recently purchased a book from him, “Fast Fixes and Miracle Mixes for your Lawn and Garden.” Inside, is over 300 pages of lawn care cures and home remedies for your lawn and garden.
Our winter here in Dayton, OH seems to have started early as we had our first snow and ice in mid-November. I did not get around to it, but one of the recipes in the book for Fall Lawn Food application included:
1 bag of low-nitrogen dry lawn food (enough for 2,500 square feet)
3 lbs. of Epsom Salts
1 cup of gentle dry laundry soap (not detergent)...