Professional Development

CINCINNATI (October 11, 2019) - The Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA) wrapped up its annual 4S Summit, which focuses on sports events and tourism and the following areas: strategies, services, sales, and sponsorships.  More than 150 sports events and tourism leaders attended the three-day summit in Providence, Rhode Island. During the three-day summit, the program, which started Tuesday, gave attendees a chance to learn new ideas and resources along with best practices to take back to their organization. More than 20 speakers offered presentations and hosted round tables. “The 4S Summit allows industry professionals to come together to share ideas and best practices about the current trends in sports events and tourism,” said Al Kidd, President & CEO of Sports Events & Tourism Association. “Providence was a terrific host city to cultivate discussions between some of the great minds in our industry.” Highlights of ...

In case you missed it, we have partnered with Northstar Meetings Group. NMG is the leading multi-brand media platform for event planners of all types, and they have teamed up with us to feature their educational content. Not only will the educational content that we provide be featured at Northstar conferences, but this agreement also includes a joint “Annual State of the Industry” publication and research co-sharing with NMG. To launch the partnership, we are offering a course presented by Peter Ashwin titled “Protecting Your Events: How to Prepare for Uncertainty and Adverse Conditions”. This course is included in our Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) series and will take place in Anaheim, California, on November 12 at a cost of $250 for Sports ETA members and $400 for non-members. To register for this event, you can visit SportsETA.org.  “We have long admired the work that Northstar Meetings Group, through its SportsTravel brand...

Are you ready to advance the mission of your organization? Wanting to improve your leadership skills? Then the Chief Executive (CE) Summit is for you. All presidents, CEOs, and executive directors are encouraged to come learn from industry experts addressing high-level topics. This year's summit will take place in Louisville, Kentucky November 5-6. To register, visit SportsETA.org. This summit is geared to Chief Executives to improve their overall leadership skills. That’s why Ray Palmer, CEO of Pensacola Sports, has attended in the past. “The CE Summit gives me the chance to interact with other leaders in our industry who face similar challenges and learn how others address challenges and issues in a small group setting,” said Palmer. Ray highly encourages any person in a high-level position within their organization to attend and says that “The only people who should not attend, are those who already know it all and quite frankly, I haven't fo...

Are you looking to improve your career skills and confidence?  If so, Sports ETA is launching an exclusive online CSEE course in partnership with Game On Nation. Game On’s signature course, Level Up U, will provide you with professional development skills to help you speak up, stand out, and improve your confidence in work and life. This program counts as 4 credits towards your CSEE Certification. Game On Nation brings over 22 years' experience helping nationally-recognized sports industry organizations improve workplace culture. Clients include the SEC, ACC, NY Yankees, NASCAR, USA Baseball, and the NBA Rookie Symposium, to name a few. Here's how Level Up works: 10 PROVEN TECHNIQUES & A COOL PLACE TO PRACTICE. Level Up U is a game-based training experience. We know it takes more than encouraging statements and motivational posters on the wall to get results, and that's why we're sharing ten proven exercises to get you in ...

Putting Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) behind your name is a big deal in this industry. If you are working towards your CSEE certification, the 4S Summit can help. Tuesday, October 8, Jason Martinez from Game on Nation will be leading a class, Now Presenting. This curriculum and approach teaches participants how to identify their communication strengths and weaknesses. This way you can make the most positive impression on clients, colleagues and the media, while still being true to yourself. Jason will also touch on techniques to enhance presence, public speaking and presentation skills, and media and social media interactions. Click here to learn more about this CSEE course. The 4S Summit is headed to Providence, Rhode Island October 8-10. There is still time to register, but spots are filling up. Reserve yours today and earn 4 credit hours towards your CSEE certification or recertification for attending.

As sports commissions, event and facility owners, and industry partners, you have become leaders in your city and the sports tourism community. It’s an honor and a responsibility. How can you make the most of that role? Take a second to consider how to elevate your leadership to a new level. The Founder and Chief Human Officer of Leadership from the Core Marcel Schwantes shares with Inc. advice from seven to leaders about their leadership. Have a clear strategy. Ask more, tell less. Be curious about your people. Embrace the unknown. Set your people up for success. Keep your people focused on their ‘why.’ Model the right cultural behaviors. Schwantes leaves you with this: “The common thread running through these responses is the centrality of inspiring leadership. Leadership actions aren’t taken for action's sake, but to work towards a central purpose that makes it worthwhile. Whatever actions these leaders perform, they reflec...

Don't miss out on these exciting opportunities to earn CSEE credits before the end of the year! First up, CSEE at the 2019 4S Summit.  October 8 | 2:00pm - 5:00pm | Providence, RI Now Presenting: Presence, Presentation Skills, & Media Training Now Presenting activates the idea that every interaction and every conversation is an opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression on others, whether it’s connecting with a new vendor, providing a critical service or reaching out for community support. Through the Now Presenting curriculum and approach, participants will learn tools to identify communication strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that they make the most positive impression on clients, colleagues, and the media while still being true to themselves. In this program, participants learn-by-doing through exercises that help them stay confident and consistent in the media spotlight, as well as in traditional presentations and daily interactio...

The deadline to register for the 2019 4S Summit is quickly approaching (September 20). We have a jam-packed schedule this year, with an amazing line-up of education, and we don't want you to miss out!  Take a look at the education topics we have in store for you: Strategies Government Relations Navigating Local Politics International Sport Leveraging Your Internal Marketing Resources Sales Seeing is Believing What Rights Holders Want Stay to Play, Stay to Save, and other Fancy Ways to Track Room Nights Local Community Programming vs. Sports Tourism Events Services Safe Sport Event Security FAM Tours, Site Visits, and Client Gifts, Oh My! Sponsorship Corporate Partners How to Get the Most Return on Your Investment When Supporting Sports Events in Your Community Insurance View the schedule and full education session listing. 4S SUMMIT REGISTRATION Member Rate: $499...

Fall 2019 Sports Facilities Summit Mark your calendars for October 24 - 26 as we're hosting the 2nd Sports Facilities Summit!  Developed by industry leaders in sports facilities, events, and tourism, the Sports Facilities Summit provides education and facilities tours to industry leaders who want to learn about trends, and experience live operations of a sports facility. Created to facilitate discussions and networking, the Sports Facilities Summit hosts a series of events to explore all aspects of this industry. The fall Summit will be held at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, IN. Who Should Attend?    Convention Centers Developers & Architects Indoor/Outdoor Facilities Non-Traditional Sports Venues Parks and Recreation Stadiums & Arenas Sports Complexes Sports Destinations Sports Facility Vendors Sports Parks Topics Facility Development Facility Funding Facility Management Admin Issues F...

Providence, Rhode Island is a place where history and culture go hand in hand. It’s a town that has something for everyone, which is one of the many reasons Sports ETA 4S Summit is headed there October 8-10. Whether you are registered yet or not, we want to help you get the most out of your trip. You may be coming in early, or staying an extra day, or just want to plan something for your evening off. With help from our friends at Rhode Island Sports Commission, here are 10 things to do around Providence. WaterFire – A multi-sensory experience created by local artist Barnaby Evans, WaterFire has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city.  The event features nearly 100 bonfires that seem to float gently through Providence’s three rivers.  The smell of aromatic wood smoke, flickering firelight, and enchanting music add to the mystique. Waterfire.org   Walking Tours – Providence’s architectural treasures and rich histo...