Utah Sports Commission

OVERVIEW

The Utah Sports Commission helps to enhance Utah’s economy, image and quality of life through the attraction, promotion and development of national and international sports, and is a catalyst for Utah in its Olympic legacy efforts

Summary

Thirteen years after the creation of the Utah Sports Commission (USC), Utah continues to distinguish itself as a leader in the world of sports marketing, event attraction, Olympic legacy and sport development USC leverage Utah’s sports DNA to drive image-building and tourism

Central to the success of the Utah Sports Commission has been the development of TEAM UTAH: a partnership of venues, local sports chapters, communities, public entities, and private organizations crucial to achieving success in the sports marketplace These partnerships within the state have proven vital in attracting events and creating “Utah” branded events

The Utah Sports Commission’s efforts have not only branded Utah as an international winter sports hub, furthering the state’s strong Olympic legacy, but have positioned Utah globally as a year-round sports destination

The season-ending Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Zions Bank Utah National, held at Miller Motorsports Park, brings an estimated $9 million to Utah’s economy and brings more than $3 million in media value through its television broadcast.

Impact

Since the Utah Sports Commission’s creation in 2000, it has been a partner in 550 events that have generated an estimated $1.5 billion in economic impact to Utah Estimated tax revenue to the state from sport-related expenditures has been calculated at approximately $90 million over the last 11 years. Many of these sporting events are broadcast on national or international television and bring additional impact to the state through media exposure and ad assets Utah’s sporting events have generated an estimated $333 million in media value through more than 4,200 hours of television coverage

2013–2014 Highlights

• Partnered with 43 sporting events across the state, generating approximately $124 million in direct economic impact to Utah • Partnered with 23 nationally or internationally televised events that provided Utah with approximately $44 million in media value

Photo by Sarah Brunson

• Continued to generate a favorable return on investment from actual tax revenue collected compared to state dollars received for sporting events Overall ROI from events and event related media is approximately 6:1

Utah hosted the Olympic Trials in Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined this past winter, naming the first-ever women’s ski jumping team to participate in an Olympic Games. (Photo Credit: Sarah Brunson) Golf Legend Johnny Miller accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 3rd Annual Governor’s State of Sport Awards event.

• Negotiated the placement of 970 thirty-second television ad units aired during the broadcasts of Utah Sports Commission partnered events valued at $1.5 million if purchased • Expanded the Governor’s State of Sport Awards event to approximately 1,000 attendees Secured golf legends Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Billy Casper as the special guests • Through promotional efforts with our partners, generated 125,752 votes from fans from all 50 states and 74 countries on the State of

Sport Awards website created for the event

Speedskaters will take center stage at EnergySolutions Arena for the first-of-its-kind short track speedskating event, the Apolo Ohno Invitational, featuring the sport’s top athletes in the world competing for prize money across 14 nail-biting races.

Tour of Utah - The Tour of Utah has enjoyed tremendous growth since its inception in 2004 and the Utah Sports Commission is proud to have been involved each year from the start.

• Incorporated a Welcome Home Tribute for all returning Sochi Olympians/

Paralympians into the Governor’s State of Sport Awards • This winter, Utah was the center of activity for winter sports leading up to the

Sochi Games The Utah Sports Commission and its partners hosted 10 pre-

Sochi events, including two Olympic Trials, a VISA Grand Prix held at Park

City Mountain Resort, the VISA Freestyle International Moguls held at Deer

Valley Resort and the FIBT Bobsled and Skeleton World Cup These events had a large economic impact and ended with a historic Freeskiing Olympic Team

Announcement at Park City Mountain Resort • Partnered in hosting the

Team USA Media Summit, presented by the United

States Olympic Committee, where more than 100

Team USA hopefuls for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi,

Russia participated • Worked with USSA to bid on and win the 2019 World

Freeskiing Championships

• Host organization for the Utah

Championship bringing an estimated $4 million in economic impact and 16 hours of Golf

Channel coverage • Hosted the third annual “Pink on the Links” initiative which raised $45,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Foundation

• Secured Red Bull Rampage for 2014

• Hosted the sports industry’s leading conference, Sports

Travel Teams Conference, in

Salt Lake City • Became a Lucas Oil Pro Motocross National Sponsor – Utah

Sports Commission and the state of Utah will be branded at every venue stop and advertising will be seen across the country

Photo by Tom Kelly

This past winter, Utah was the center of activity for winter sports in its own “Road to Sochi” leading up to the 2014 Sochi Winter Games as the Utah Sports Commission and its partners hosted 13 pre-Sochi events, including two Olympic Trials.

Ironman 70.3 St. George U.S. Pro Championship - Olympians and world champions battle it out during a 1.2 mile-swim, 56-mile bike ride, and 13.1-mile run in the shadows of Zion National Park and through the heart of multi-colored Snow Canyon State Park.

For additional information about the Utah Sports Commission visit utahsportscommission.com or contact Jeff Robbins, President and CEO, at jrobbins@utah.gov or 801-328-2372