January 2013

Your Resource for the Sports Event Industry

When fans get to meet Joey Votto, shake Jay Bruce’s hand or get a photo taken with Brandon Phillips, the fans get a personal experience that we can’t provide at the ball park. – Michael Anderson, Public Relations Manager, Reds

NASC Resources You Can Use to Develop Off-Season Events Round Rock, Texas’ Strategy: If You Build It, They Will ComePartnerships Pay Off for Louisville, NCAA

Cultivating Fans All Year Long: The Strategy Behind Off-the-Field Engagement

Inside this issue:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Industry Trends ..................................................4

Member Services Update ....................................4

Board Nominations .............................................5

Member Awards ................................................5

Spotlight on the ...6

NASC Resources You Can Use to Develop Off-Season Events .............................................7

Upcoming Webinars ............................................7

Round Rock, Texas’ Strategy: If You Build It, They Will Come .............................................. 8-9

Partnerships Pay Off for Louisville, NCAA ... 10-11

Cultivating Fans All Year Long: The Strategy Behind Off-the-Field Engagement ................ 12-13

Sports Legacy Fund ..........................................14

Consulting Services Update ...............................15

National Headquarters9916 Carver Road, Suite 100Cincinnati, OH 45242

Telephone/Fax(513) 281-3888/(513) 281-1765

Websiteswww.SportsCommissions.orgwww.NASCsymposium.com

StaffDon Schumacher, CSEE, Executive DirectorLori Gamble, Associate Executive DirectorBeth Hecquet, CMP, Director of Meetings & EventsElizabeth Chaney, Director of Member Services

Board of DirectorsOfficersGary Alexander, Nashville Sports Council, Chair Terry Hasseltine, CSEE, Maryland Office of Sports Marketing, Vice Chair/Chair ElectKevin Smith, CSEE, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, TreasurerGreg Ayers, CSEE, Discover Kalamazoo, SecretaryTara Green, CSEE, American Airlines Center, Immediate Past Chair

DirectorsMike Anderson, CSEE, Visit CharlotteGary Beck, Killer ‘B’ PromotionsJohn David, USA BMX Jim Dietz, Columbus Indiana Visitors CenterTammy Dunn, CSEE, Snohomish County Sports CommissionGreg Fante, CSEE, Louisville Sports CommissionKindra Fry, CSEE, Bryan-College Station CVBMike Guswiler, West Michigan Sports CommissionJennifer Hawkins, CSEE, VisitPittsburghJim Hilb, CSEE, Associated Premium CorporationEd Hruska, CSEE, Rochester Amateur Sports CommissionMary Lee Malmberg, CSEE, Cedar Rapids Area CVBLou Mengsol, Innovations ConsultingRalph Morton, CSEE, Seattle Sports CommissionNancy Yawn, CSEE, Round Rock CVBMarc Zimmerman, CSEE, Central Florida’s Polk County Sports Marketing

Media & Public Relations AdvisersJackie Reau, Game Day Communications Betsy Ross, Game Day Communications

Thank You to Our Partners

www.SportsCommissions.org

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Nominating Committee Now Accepting Nominations The NASC Nominating Committee is in the process of nominating six (6) new board members for 2013-2014 term: (four (4) Active member representatives, one (1) Rights Holder member representative, and one (1) Allied member representative). The nominating committee is also in the process of nominating one (1) person who has served on the Board of Directors to serve as Secretary. Please review the materials on the website to learn about the positions that are available, the process for you to get involved, and the desired qualifications for candidates.All nominations must be received by Friday, February 1, 2013 at 5 p.m. ET.

If you have any questions, please contact Nominating Committee Chair, Tara Green, CSEE. You may also contact the NASC Office at (513) 281-3888 or NASC@SportsCommissions.org.

Awards Committee Accepting Submissions for 2013 Member Awards The annual NASC Member Awards recognize the achievements of Active category members in the previous calendar year. For the 2013 Member Awards, activities, events, marketing campaigns, web strategies, etc. must have occurred in 2012. “We first established the awards program in 2002 to recognize the good work that our members conduct in their communities. They are all making large contributions to their communities through the economic impact of their events and the leadership and expertise they provide,” said Don Schumacher, CSEE, Executive Director.

Award Categories • CVB Member of the Year • Sports Commission Member of the Year• Outstanding Marketing Campaign • Outstanding Online Presence • Outstanding Locally Created Event/Program

Budget Categories • Under $200,000• $200,000 and above

About budget categories: Each award category is divided into budget categories based on your organization’s total annual budget. Total annual budget for sports commissions is your operating budget. Total annual budget for CVBs is your total sports budget.

Entries must be submitted by March 1, 2013.

Annual Membership BenefitsThe NASC continues to develop benefits and services to make your organization more efficient and effective in the sports event industry each year including:

• Online Directories • Online Event Database • NASC Economic Impact Template• Industry Research and Reports

• Job and Internship Board• Models and Samples• CSEE Program • Best Practices Webinars

• Event Marketplace Webinars• Market Segment Meetings • Sports Event Symposium• Consulting Services

Visit www.SportsCommissions.org for a complete list of benefits and services.

Member Services Update – 2013 membership renewals

Thank you for your involvement in the NASC in 2012; we hope you value your membership as much as we value your continued support! We encourage you to continue to take full advantage of all the benefits and resources that are available to your organization as a NASC member by continuing your membership in 2013.

In 2012, the NASC accomplished many important initiatives.

Updates to Online Profiles – The NASC has developed enhanced member profiles so that destinations can share specific details about venues and facilities with event owners.

Event Marketplace Webinars – We understand how valuable time can be; this is why we have developed a time-saving webinar series for event owners to share general information about the requirements of hosting their events without even leaving their office. Destinations participate on the webinars to quickly gather information and research events to possibly host.

PartnerShip ® – PartnerShip® works with nationally known carriers to provide unparalleled customer service and significant savings on every shipment you send and receive. This program is available to all NASC members with no obligations and no minimum shipping requirements.

Membership in the NASC aligns you with the nation’s only professional association dedicated to connecting people and ideas in the sports event travel industry and provides you with networking, educational, and business development opportunities.

For more information about your membership benefits, contact the member services department. We look forward to being the answer to all your sports event travel needs for years to come!

Elizabeth ChaneyDirector of Member ServicesNational Association of Sports Commissions

www.SportsCommissions.org

INDUSTRY TRENDSWe are pleased to share with you this first copy of the newNASC Playbook, a quarterly publication designed to increase your knowledge on the latest trends and happenings in the business of sport travel. This new on-line publication is a culmination of what we have learned is important to you, our valued member. As the industry’s own association and the only not-for-profit corporation offering a full range of member services, including the only professional certification program, we trust you will find value within and look forward to the next edition.

One of the features is our Spotlight on Members. We are askingall members to submit stories on interesting events, solutions to issues faced, things to remember, etc. Submissions are to be sent to GameDay Communications, the NASC’s media and public relations counsel. Send your stories to jreau@gamedaypr.com.

As your executive director I would like to remind you of some trends that can impact the way you do business. First among them is the creation of your own events. I was recently asked by a writer if I was concerned that creation of local events might upset our valued event owners. My response was that this trend is part of the natural evolution of the sports travel industry. It is quite natural to want to own your own events, just as it is to seek out events through competitive bidding. One does not replace the other.

If, on the other hand, this trend encourages some event owners to re-think their strategies this, too, is part of the same evolutionary process.

An area of growing concern is the increase in cost to the occupants of a hotel room. Cities work very hard to get teams to come to their destination only to find visitors are paying a commission and additional fees on every night of the stay. If the increase is $5 or so a night that is one thing. Demanding and getting a 10% commission and $17 additional a night in rebates is quite another.

Ask yourself how you would feel if your $100 room costs $127 plus tax? If this causes people to rethink strategies, great!

By the way, the booker and event owner don’t get the blame. That goes to the destination.

Think about it.

Don Schumacher, CSEEExecutive DirectorNational Association of Sports Commissions

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Upcoming Best Practices WebinarsFostering a Sports-Friendly CommunityJanuary 23rd at 2pm ETPresented by Janis Ross (Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports)

As a sports event insider, we know the intrinsic value of sports events: revenue-generating, community bonding, healthy benefits for the participants, wholesome entertainment for the fans...but assuming a host neighborhood shares our perception is a dead-end approach. To dissipate a NIMB (Not in My Backyard) reaction, a pro-active and collaborative approach with the community is essential.

Bid Prep & Presentation – Responding to the RFPFebruary 14, 2013 at 2pm ETPresented by Greg Moore (US Bowling Congress)

Have you ever wondered why you weren’t awarded a specific event you targeted? You thought your proposal was great, but someone else booked the business. Learn some of the secrets to creating a winning proposal in this webinar called “Bid Prep & Presentation – Responding to the RFP”.

NASC Resources You Can Use to Develop Off-Season Events

Event Database: NASC rights holder members post their events available for bid in the NASC Event Database. NASC active members may search the database by event name, bid deadline, organization name or sport to find events to bid on. The event database is FREE for NASC members. View database. (login required)

Event Owner Directory: Are you looking for new events to bring to your community? Save time researching and gathering contact information for event owners by using the event owner directory, a valuable member resource and time-saving tool. An instant lead sheet with more than 900 unique event owner organization contacts listed, members can search and sort the directory. Find an event owner. (login required)

Member Directory: Promote your unique venues and facilities to event owners through your online member profile. Be sure to add information about your destination’s venues through the new online venue manager. You will also be able to add information about your area hotels in the coming months. Find a member. (login required)

Virtual Event Marketplace Webinars: The NASC is pleased to announce the creation of a new webinar series, NASC Virtual Event Marketplace. This new member service will allow event owners to share information with destinations about their events. If you are an event owner that is interested in presenting information about your events to 50 to 100 cities from the convenience of your office, contact Elizabeth Chaney, Director of Member Services. Webinars are free, but you must register to ensure your space. View recordings of the most recent webinars. (login required)

www.SportsCommissions.org

2013 Schedule(subject to change)

Monday, April 226:30am - 10:30am Sneak Peek of the Kentucky Derby (Conference Add-On Activity; Additional Fees Apply)

2:00pm - 6:00pm CSEE Spring 2013 Module (Conference Add-On Activity; Additional Fees Apply) 7:00pm - 8:30pm First Time Attendee Cocktail Reception Tuesday, April 238:00am - 8:30am First Time Attendee Orientation8:45am - 10:00am Opening Ceremonies and NASC Annual General Membership Meeting10:30am - 11:30am Rapid RFP Review Session 1 & Game Changers 1-411:45am - 12:45pm Networking Lunch in NASC Sports Marketplace1:00pm - 2:00pm Engaging Education Sessions2:30pm - 5:00pm One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace6:30pm - 8:30pm Welcome Reception at Churchill Downs9:00pm - Midnight Extra Innings Wednesday, April 248:30am - 9:00am NASC Sports Marketplace Open for Sponsors & Exhibitors Only9:00am - 10:30am One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace10:45am - 11:45am Engaging Education Sessions12:00pm - 1:30pm Keynote Luncheon 2:00pm - 3:00pm Engaging Education Sessions3:15pm - 4:45pm One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace5:00pm - 6:00pm Rapid RFP Review Session 2 & Game Changers 5-86:00pm - 7:00pm Networking Reception9:00pm - Midnight Extra Innings Thursday, April 258:30am - 9:45am Breakfast General Session10:00am - 12:00pm One-on-One Appointments in the NASC Sports Marketplace12:00pm - 1:30pm Closing Ceremonies and NASC Awards Luncheon 2:00pm - 4:30pm Brown-Forman Cooperage Tour (Conference Add-On Activity; Additional Fees Apply)

See What’s New in 2013:

Game ChangersThese 15 minute fast-paced presentations, facilitated by emcee extraordinaire Jon Petz, will touch on eight of the industry’s hottest topics.

Rapid RFP Review Offers a structured opportunity to learn which future events are a potential for your city.

Engaging EducationAllows you to drive your own learning experience by extracting the collective knowledge from industry experts and the audience.

Bring a Colleague We’ve further discounted pricing for additional attendees from the same organization to encourage you to bring a colleague, or two. Bring a board member, facility representative, park and rec partner, etc. so they too can fill their toolbox, and you can share the same vision for your sporting community.

For more information and to register visit www.NASCsymposium.com,

call 513-281-3888 or email info@NASCsymposium.com

Produced by Hosted by

NASCNASCSpor ts Event Symposium

Louisville, KY

April 22-25, 2013

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“Round Rock is the Sports Capital of Texas and a big part of that is being able to host any youth or amateur athlete that wants to compete in our city,” said Nancy. “We’re already known for our outstanding playing fields and outdoor facilities, so adding an indoor sports center is a

natural for us.”

Of course, wanting to build an indoor sports facility is one thing: Finding the money to pay for it is quite another. Round Rock did it with a two percent increase in the hotel occupancy tax, but it had to be approved by voters.

Nancy said a targeted public relations campaign helped get the initiative approved.

“When we did our initial poll, there was 45 percent support for the initiative,” Nancy said. “After the campaign, the actual votes broke down to 62 percent in favor and about 38 percent opposed.”

Round Rock, Texas’ Strategy: If You Build It, They Will Comeby Betsy Ross, Game Day Communications

When your slogan is “Sports Capital of Texas,” you’d better have some big plans to be just that—a year-round host for a variety of sports. That’s the strategy that Round Rock, Texas, just north of Austin, is implementing as part of its sports tourism vision.

In 2011, Round Rock brought in nearly $10 million from its outdoor sports complex and sports tourism program. A year from now, Round Rock is expected to open a new indoor sports facility that will make its sports industry a year-round venture and, most importantly, bring in an estimated $10 million more in economic impact.

The $14.5 million, 50,000 square foot complex will be able to host events not just in the winter months, but year-round, like cheerleading, basketball, martial arts and the like. The 81,500 square foot facility features six basketball/12 volleyball courts and nine multi-purpose rooms with seating for up to 1,700 fans. Nancy Yawn, director of the Round Rock CVB, says it’s a natural extension of the area’s sports strategy.

How did they turn public opinion? With the existing outdoor sports facilities bringing in $8.9 million last year for the local economy, Nancy said it was easy for voters to see that an indoor complex could bring in more athletes and their families, and in turn, bring in more dollars.

“We built on the success of the Sports Capital of Texas brand and used the following messages to promote the sportsplex,” she said. “The proposed sportsplex will be built on city-owned land; facilities also will be used by local sports teams; the sportsplex is supported by community and business leaders and hotel and motel operators; and the hotel/motel visitor occupancy tax would be levied on tourists—local homeowners will not experience a tax increase.”

And the CVB continues to engage the community in the construction of the sportsplex. Local television stations, newspapers and the business weekly all covered the facility’s groundbreaking. And a webcam on the landing page of www.sportscapitaloftexas.com gives visitors a live look at the construction going on at the site. Round Rock has decided to grow its sports business, not just by preparing bids and contacting various sports organizations, but by being pro-active and giving these organizations year-round opportunities to hold events and tournaments. According to Nancy, it’s not just the CVB

that makes this happen—for any organization to do this in any city, the region has to have a shared vision.

“If there’s one thing we’ve learned in Round Rock, it’s that the entire community needs to be on board when it comes to growing a sports business,” she said. “It’s not just about the CVB or sports commission. It takes leadership from the City Council and Manager, support from the Parks Department, buy-in from local hotels and restaurants, and especially a willingness by people in the community to be hosts and ambassadors.

“We’ve been able to pull all that together in Round Rock and we’ve all been on the same page with a clear mission, a vision for our community and a desire to be the best we can be.”

www.SportsCommissions.org98

Round Rock is the Sports Capital of Texas and a big part of that is being able to host any youth or amateur athlete that wants to compete in our city.– Nancy Yawn, Director, Round Rock CVB

Local television and newspaper outlets, along with government and community leaders, were on hand December 3, 2012 for the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new indoor sports facility in Round Rock, Texas. The $14.5 million facility is expected to be open by the end of 2013. Photo courtesy Sports Capital of Texas.

Groundbreaking for Round Rock’s new indoor sports facility was held on December 3, 2012. The facility is expected to be open in December 2013. Photo courtesy Sports Capital of Texas.

proximity, no more than 20 minutes away from each other.

“The quality of the venues is important because they have to be championship facilities,” Reis continued. “Louisville has such a terrific resource in Bellarmine University, which partnered with the Louisville Sports Commission to make this happen.”

The variety of first-class facilities that can hold a number of sporting events certainly played in Louisville’s favor. For example, the men’s golf event was at Cardinal Club Golf Course, while the women’s golf was at another course, Persimmon Ridge. Women’s lacrosse was on Bellarmine’s campus, as was women’s softball and men’s and women’s tennis had two sites, including E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park.

“This community has a long history of wrapping its arms around big athletic events when they come to town and we know how to treat the Division II Championships just like it’s a Breeder’s Cup or Kentucky Derby or Ryder Cup,” said Karl Schmitt, executive director, Louisville Sports commission. “And that’s how (the NCAA) felt when they came here the last time.”

Partnerships Pay Off for Louisville, NCAABy Betsy Ross, Game Day Communications

When Bellarmine University and the Louisville Sports Commission were selected to be the hosts for the 2012 NCAA Division II Spring National Championships Festival, it signaled a growing partnership between the city and the NCAA. And, you could say they had a trial run on that partnership with the 2010 Fall National Championships festival.

After Bellarmine, the Sports Commission and the city of Louisville successfully hosted the Division II Festival in2010 for fall sports, the NCAA encouraged the Louisville Sports Commission to once again place a bid on the spring event.

“The Division II Festival is a unique event in that we have many student-athletes in one city participating in that level of NCAA Championships,” said Amy Reis, assistant director of championships for the NCAA. “When we go into a city we first start with infrastructure-because it’s a festival, we want to find facilities that are within close

Why go out of the way to bid on a Division II champion-ship series? For the city, it fills 4,000 hotel room nights, bringing nearly 1,000 student-athletes and their families to town with an economic impact north of $1.5 million. But Schmitt also sees it as a recruiting tool for Louisville and its business community.

“These are young women and men who will tell their friends and classmates about our community and who might be interested in locating here someday as part of our workforce,” said Schmitt.

The impression Louisville leaves on these student-athletes is not to be overlooked. “One big thing we work on is the student-athlete experience, not just on the court or playing field, but off it as well,” said Reis. “We have to keep in mind that this may be a city that this student-athlete will not have the chance to visit again. So when you have opening ceremonies at the Muhammad Ali Center and closing ceremonies at Churchill Downs, to have the student-ath-letes have those kind of facilities to themselves, it’s a memorable moment.”

And, Louisville is not overlooking the big picture between the city and the NCAA. Schmitt calls it a “branding opportunity for Louisville,” with the city using the opportunity to send the NCAA “a message that Louisville is a friendly place for them to bring their events.”

While Louisville may go out of its way to make the student-athletes feel at home, the student-athletes also reach out to the host area through community engagement activities, including an Adopt-A-Team program. “For example, student/athletes will offer clinics at elementary schools, and schools can attend the competition,” said Roberta Page, director of championships at the NCAA. “The kids at the schools get to meet the student-athletes, watch the competition, attend clinics, get autographs. We really try to take advantage of engaging our student-athletes to give back to the community and they in turn take pride in giving back.”

This partnership already is paying off, as the KFC Yum Center in downtown Louisville was the site for the NCAA 2012 Volleyball Championship and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament second and third rounds in March. And it’s become a comfortable fit for both groups.

“We have a personal relationship (with the Louisville Sports Commission,)” said Reis. “We see them a number of times during the year, and sometimes we just stop by Louisville to say hello. And I know if I called them up and said, ‘I can’t find a place to host this event and I need a new venue right away,’ I know they’d step right up. They see the benefit of bringing folks into their commu-

nity. And even if they couldn’t find a venue within Louisville, they would help us out, even if it wouldn’t be in their city.”

In a community used to holding large events, such as the Kentucky Derby Festival, the Louisville Sports Commission is using its ‘big event’ experience to show the NCAA that the Commission and its available facilities can

work together to give student-athletes a first-class compe-tition experience. And the NCAA and student-athletes are taking notice.

“The surveys we get back from coaches and student-athletes are complimentary to both the city and community,” said Reis. “The community engagement part, those aren’t just words. We want to offer the student-athletes an experience unlike any other. If you have a city like Louisville that delivers on that, it’s an invaluable partnership.”

C.W. Post teammates celebrate after winning the Division II Women’s Lacrosse Championship held at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium on the Bellarmine University campus in Louisville, KY.as part of the 2012 NCAA Division II Spring National Championships Festival. C.W. Post defeated West Chester 17-16 for the national title. Credit: Bill Luster/NCAA Photos.

This community has a long history of wrapping its arms around big athletic events when they come to town and we know how to treat the Division II Championships just like it’s a Breeder’s Cup or Kentucky Derby or Ryder Cup. – Karl Schmitt, Executive Director, Louisville Sports Commission

www.SportsCommissions.org1110

fantasy camps. The Cincinnati Reds are an example of doing all three, first by dusting off their old winter fan fest to become a two-day promotion that brings in more than 20,000 fans in December, then by re-energizing the traditional January promotional caravan to include not just radio stations and newspaper interviews, but public stops at malls and with Reds Radio advertisers so players can meet and greet fans throughout “Reds Country” that includes stops in Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia as well as Ohio.

Finally, the February Reds Fantasy Camp held just before spring training which starts in Arizona allows fans to go through drills and play baseball with some of their childhood Reds heroes, again ensuring fans for life.

But more importantly, during the “off season” of December, January and February, the Reds are offering personal interaction with members of their team.

“Both Redsfest and the Reds Caravan are about creating personal connections with fans,” says Michael Anderson, public relations manager for the Reds. “When fans get to meet Joey Votto, shake Jay Bruce’s hand or get a photo taken with Brandon Phillips,

Cultivating Fans All Year Long: The Strategy Behind Off-the-Field Engagementby Betsy Ross, Game Day Communications

The concept of an ‘off season’ in sports is becoming as archaic as your first cell phone. The more ‘insider’ access fans have to their favorite teams or sporting events, the more likely they are to stay loyal and, consequently, the more likely they are to buy tickets, merchandise, memorabilia, etc.

Different teams have different ways of continuing the 12-month fan engagement, but Major League Baseball seems to have a successful model with its winter fan fests, promotional caravans and

Cincinnati Reds share some suggestions for organizations who want to plot their year-round fan strategy:

www.SportsCommissions.org

the fans get a personal experience that we can’t provide at the ball park.”

The cornerstone for this is the growth of Redsfest, which in 2012 took nearly two full floors of the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati for two full days.

“Reds COO Phil Castellini and the Reds front office staff have built Redsfest into the finest fan festival in all of Major League Baseball,” said Anderson. “For 2012 it’s over 250,000 square of autograph and photo booths, memorabilia and game-used merchandise and interactive games for fans of all ages.

“Overall Redsfest attendance has grown incrementally and each year we try to make it a little bigger and better so fans continue to come back. This year we focused on creating additional kids games for our young fans. Engag-ing fans of all ages is what Redsfest is all about.”

But the bottom line for any organization is, of course, the bottom line, and the Reds are no exception. “A simple formula for Redsfest ROI (return on investment) would be to look at attendance numbers and net proceeds,” Anderson explained. (All the proceeds go to the Reds Community Fund.) “Each year we take a critical look at

the number of paid and complimentary Redsfest tickets to make sure we’re in a position to maximize how much is raised.

“ROI on Reds Caravan is not as easy to determine. The goal of the Reds Caravan is to visit our local Reds on Radio affiliates while meeting and greeting fans along the way. There is very little commerce on the caravan, so it’s all about connecting with fans throughout Reds Country,” said Anderson. The reason we drive 1,000 miles through four states over four days in the cold January weather is so our fans will be more likely visit us at Great American Ball Park when it’s warm in the summer during baseball season.”

Gone are the days when a baseball team, or any sporting event for that matter, could just open the doors and expect fans to show up. Fan engagement and cultivation doesn’t end when the season or event does, and baseball does a good job of showing just how important it is to keep that 12-month contact.

Benchmark what other teams are doing: Reds executives bench-marked other fan fests including the MLB Fan Fest during the All-Star Game. It was immediately clear that what MLB does for fans of all ages during the All-Star Game is what the Reds wanted to do in Cincinnati at Redsfest. We contacted the same vendors, partners and exhibitors to see if they could help us provide the same experience in Cincinnati in December that they provide in July at the All-Star city.That experience helps the Reds draw more than two million fans to Great American Ball Park and, just as importantly, grow the next generation of baseball fans.

Review your fan base and where they live: This analysis will help you better target where your avid fan base lives in the event

you want to launch an outer market tour. You may also be able to partner with local media in that market to help you promote your outer market tour.

Engage your popular players, administrators, broadcasters and/or mascots: The Reds are successful in the off-season because they engage all of the above mentioned faces of the team and offer access to them with an autograph, photo or hand shake.

Make it social: In the age of social media, it’s important to give fans the chance to take a photo or video to share to Facebook or Twitter. Create branded areas where fans can interact to share your brand with their friends and family.

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About the Sports Legacy Fund

The NASC Sports Legacy Fund will raise and distribute cash and/or sports equipment to organizations or individuals in need. An emphasis will be placed on donations to not-for-profit organizations serving the needs of disadvantaged young people, with a focus on organizations in host cities of the NASC Sports Event Symposium. These donations will be part of the

legacy the NASC provides to each city.

“Because we offer our event to a wide range of young-sters, many of them are from Connecticut’s inner cities and are unable to pay the full entry fee. As a result, we “scholarship” a good portion of those youngsters. Your generous contribution will help us provide even more un-derprivileged athletes with the opportunity to compete in Connecticut’s largest multi-sport Olympic-style competi-tion, the Nutmeg State Games. In today’s world that posi-tive, memorable experience is more important than ever!”

- Patrick Fisher, Executive Director, Nutmeg State Games (2012 Sports Legacy Fund beneficiary)

About the 2013 Beneficiary

Run. Louisville, Run! (RLR) is a program that challenges youth to train for and complete The Triple Crown of Running. Designed for kids ages 12 to 18, RLR will provide youth the chance to complete increasingly challenging races building up to a 10 mile race in the spring. The program is made possible through a partnership with the YMCA and Jefferson County Public Schools. Two volunteer mentors are paired with each school. Last year, over 180 kids completed this amazing challenge. The program emphasizes self-esteem building, academic performance and improved physical fitness. The schools selected have the highest rates of students on free and reduced lunch and almost all of them have never completed more than a mile run/walk. Recruitment also focuses on students that are not the typical team sports participants.

The RLR program provides 25 hours of interaction with mentors and other peers that are working together to accomplish the same goal. Running and walking is a lifelong activity and the excitement of participating in their first race is a great way to inspire youth to be more active. Ultimately, the goal is maintain a healthy body weight while giving the youth confidence that comes with accomplishing goals.

Speaking EngagementsDon Schumacher, CSEE is scheduled for a number of national and international speaking engagements in 2013. Here is a sneak peak of where you can see Don speak about the sports event industry in the next few months.• 2013 Alabama Recreation & Parks Association Conference• 2013 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference• Japan Sport Tourism Alliance Sport Event Convention• SportAccord Convention

Suggested Equipment Donations • Baseballs (High School and LittleLeague)• Basketballs (Men’s and Women’s)• Cones•CornerFlags(Soccer)•FastPitchSoftballs• Field Hockey Balls•Footballs(HighSchool)• Golf Balls•IceHockeyPucks• Lacrosse Balls•Racquetballs•RollerHockeyPucks•SoccerBalls(Size4&5)• Tennis Balls

Table Sponsorship ($100 per table) Sponsoranauctionorraffletable.Includes8.5”x11”signageat table with company logo.

Suggested Auction Item Categories:•IndustryProduct(convention registrations,advertisingspace,etc.)• Airline Tickets•AutographedItems•Collectibles• Electronics•Experiences•GiftBasketsUniquetoYourCity orEvent•GiftCards• Getaway Packages• Hotel Stays• Sports-themed Items/ Memorabilia•StateSpecialties

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Consulting Services UpdateBuffalo Niagara Sports Commission – NASC conducted a facilities analysis and created a market development plan for Buffalo Niagara.Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau – NASC is conducting a thorough inventory of the sports facilities in the market and a SWOT analysis, making recommendations on how to best package capabilities and market them to the sports event travel industry, and providing guidance on what most productive strategies can be.City of Myrtle Beach – NASC conducted a market analy-sis and financial analysis. The Market Analysis indicates the possibility of attracting 55,000 or more new visitors a year through sports events, tournaments, camps and clinics. The Financial Analysis determines the feasibility of a multi-purpose sports complex in Myrtle Beach.Cobb County CVB – NASC is conducting a thorough inventory of the sports facilities in the market and a SWOT analysis, making recommendations on how to best package capabilities and market them to the sports event travel industry, and providing guidance on what most productive strategies can be.Johnstown/Cambria County CVB – The purposes of this study were to determine the number and quality of the sports facilities in the county and recommend on which sports and age groups to focus.Kingsport City Schools – Kingsport City Schools retained the services of the NASC to conduct a study of outdoor sports facilities at Dobyns-Bennett High School.Lake Erie Shores and Islands Welcome Center (LESIWC) – The LESIWC contracted with the NASC for a sports facilities analysis. The primary purposes of this analysis are to determine the seasonal impact on room nights in Erie County of a sports facility and to determine if sufficient annual usage could be developed in support of its operating costs.

Peachtree City, GA CVB – The NASC conducted its training seminar which provides a complete overview of the sports event travel industry and the many different choices a destination needs to address when deciding on the strongest, most appropriate approach to this very special market segment. Rapid City CVB – The NASC conducted thorough inventory of sports facilities in Rapid City, recommended how to best package capabilities and market to the sports travel industry, and to discuss the roles the Sports Council could/should play in the process. Santa Rosa CVB – The NASC conducted its training seminar which provides a complete overview of the sports event travel industry and the many different choices a destination needs to address when deciding on the strongest, most appropriate approach to this very special market segment.Springfield, MO Sports Commission – The NASC assisted with strategic planning and goal setting at the Springfield, MO Sports Commissions’ board of directors retreat.Virginia Tourism Conference – NASC conducted a training seminar that focused on what you need to know to win with sports.

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www.SportsCommissions.org1514

Convention & Visitors Bureau

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