Symposium

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)...

The Winter 2018-2019 edition of the NASC Playbook is available now.  Download your copy. Inside this issue Awards Commitee Accepting Entries Registration and Housing Open for 2019 Symposium Bylaws, Branding & Strategic Planning Tips from the Member Mentoring Committee 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. Happy Holidays! The NASC Staff

Online registration and housing for the 2019 NASC Sports Event Symposium is open! The 2019 Symposium, scheduled for May 6-9 in Knoxville, TN, marks the 27th anniversary of the only non-profit, 501(c)3 association for the sports events and tourism industry in the United States.  The Symposium features dozens of authentic education sessions, countless networking opportunities, and business development appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace.   DESTINATIONS: Register by 2/15/19 and be entered to win your TOP 3 mutually requested appointments. *10 organizations will be selected  VENDORS: Register by 2/15/19 and be entered to win a FREE pre-Symposium e-blast to all registered event owners. 3 organizations will be selected. The NASC staff, Board of Directors and Symposium Committee are looking forward to seeing you.  By attending, you will learn how to produce measurable ROI, elevate your sports events, and improve the quality of...

As you register for the 2019 NASC Symposium, May 6-9 in Knoxville, set aside time to take a look around our host city while you’re there. While Knoxville may be best known as the home of the University of Tennessee, it holds the distinction of being the smallest city to host of a World’s Fair when it held the event in 1982. The Sunsphere Tower left over from the fair remains a skyline fixture. Springtime in the South is always a great time to visit, and here are some activities you might want to check out while you’re at the Symposium: Knox Brew Tours: Tours are held weekly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and it’s a good way to experience Knoxville’s growing beer scene with someone else driving. Find out times and details at www.knoxbrewtours.com. Knoxville Walking Tours: Experience a closeup look at the pioneers, soldiers, outlaws and even fictional characters that have given Knoxville a colorful past. They include looks at the Civil War,...

Last Minute Must Do’s Before Leaving for NASC The National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) Sports Event Symposium is just around the corner! And if you’re attending for the first time, you’re in for a real treat. On April 23rd, people from all over the country will come to Minneapolis to learn from and network with hundreds of sports tourism professionals. The NASC Symposium “will feature dozens of authentic educational sessions, countless networking opportunities, and business development appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace.” As a newbie, attending your first NASC can be a little overwhelming. You might not be sure what to expect, what to bring, or how to prepare for the show. Whether you’re a vendor, an event owner, or a destination attending NASC for the first time, here are some tips to help you get ready for the show. Check Your Itinerary + Plan Your Arrival Traveling to a new city can be nerve-wracking, especiall...

Are you attending the NASC Sports Events Symposium for the first time? Get ready to make some new friends, have fun, and learn a new idea to take back to your community! Are you a first-time attendee or a new NASC member? We invite you to come to the First-Time Orientation and Networking Reception on Monday, April 23rd. The First-Time Orientation is at the Minneapolis Convention Center from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm. The Reception is at the Brit’s Pub from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm (a short walk from the convention center). Come attend the First- Time Orientation to learn tips and ask questions about the NASC Sports Events Symposium. Meet your mentor so you may put a face to the emails and phone calls. (I am looking forward to meeting my mentees.) The orientation will be a great opportunity to meet new colleagues who will become your friends. We in the sports tourism industry have a lot in common and have lots of fun! The First-Time Networking Reception will be an opportunity to conti...

A little over three years ago, I was hired as the National Sales Manager at the West Michigan Sports Commission. I was making the transition from college athletics into an unfamiliar territory of sports tourism and knew that I had to hit the ground running. Developing relationships in the community and eventually on a national level was very important in being successful, but where was I supposed to start? Fortunate enough, I had a great support system in my organization that guided me throughout the process. But still, the tradeshows were something I was not quite sure about because they were all so different. And what is this thing called ‘speed dating’? Do we really have six minutes to get as much information as possible from event planners? I had the opportunity to attend a few tradeshows prior to my first NASC Symposium in Milwaukee. As I continued to meet people in the industry, they would always talk about the NASC Symposium because it was much different than othe...

I often think about the phrase “learn something new every day”. I think about it because I realize I don’t commit enough time to learning or growing professionally. If you think about it, learning is really unavoidable. I mean, every encounter, interaction and experience has a takeaway, but how often do we take time to reflect and realize the lesson learned? I’d like to say I do so every time, but let’s be real! My life, like I imagine most, feels like one distraction after another. This is not a complaint. I love my life, personally and professionally. But I really wish I was better about taking the time to learn and advance my professional skill set. I imagine others feel this way as well. Every spring I attend the NASC Symposium and while I enjoy interacting with clients at appointments, that is actually near the bottom of my satisfaction list. I have just as meaningful interactions outside the appointments as I do during. I understand many people at...

With the 26th Symposium now officially three months away, I’m sure you’re beginning to ask yourself what to expect upon your arrival in Minneapolis.  Being a first-time attendee, I know you have lots of unanswered questions about how to best prepare for tackling the symposium. Luckily, you’ve found the right place, and your National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) Mentoring & Engagement Committee is here to help!  Over the next few months, our team will be publishing articles on how to properly plan for the Symposium, and what activities to experience during your time in the “Twin Cities.”  Each article will focus on an area of the conference, and detail how to approach that event or activity.  Our committees' years of experience can help guide the direction you set for yourself. “What are your goals, how to make the most from attending the Symposium, what to do during the appointments and what events shou...

I am excited to invite all members of the NASC to volunteer on committees. This is YOUR association, so I strongly encourage you to consider getting involved in one of these rewarding opportunities.  Join a committee. If you have never volunteered before, you will find that this is a great way to give back to your association and build close relationships with peers in the industry. Your talents, passion, leadership and input are crucial to the NASC and it helps us to build effective, vibrant, inclusive, and multicultural committees. The NASC is driven by more than 100 committed members who volunteer their time and resources for the good of the organization. Participating on a committee allows you to contribute to the decision-making that positions the NASC as the most valuable resource available to sport tourism professionals. Here is how you can get involved: • Refer industry colleagues to join the NASC and attend the Symposium • Recommend educational content and p...