July 2013
Inside this issue: Beth’s Top Ten Tips for Responding to the NASC Symposium RFP National Association of Sports Commissions annual symposium celebrates record growth in 2013 Sports Tourism: A State of the Industry Report NASC helps members prepare for the NCAA Championship Bid Process
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
www.SportsCommissions.org www.NASCsymposium.com
Industry Trends...................................................4
Staff
Beth’s Top Ten Tips for Responding to the NASC Symposium RFP..................................................5
Don Schumacher, CSEE, Executive Director Lori Gamble, Associate Executive Director Beth Hecquet, CMP, CMM, Director of Meetings & Events Elizabeth Chaney, Director of Membership & Marketing Meagan McCalla, Member Services Coordinator
Board of Directors Officers
Terry Hasseltine, CSEE, Executive Director, Maryland Office of Sports, Chair Kevin Smith, CSEE, Director, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports, Vice Chair/Chair Elect Greg Ayers, CSEE, President & CEO, Discover Kalamazoo, Treasurer Ralph Morton, CSEE, Executive Director, Seattle Sports Commission, Secretary Gary Alexander, SR Vice President and COO, Nashville Sports Council, Immediate Past Chair
Directors
Mike Anderson, CSEE, Director of Sports, Visit Charlotte John David, Chief Operating Officers, USA BMX Jim Dietz, CSEE, Director of Sports, Columbus Indiana Visitors Center Tammy Dunn, CSEE, Sports Marketing Manager, Snohomish County Sports Commission Greg Fante, CSEE, Director of Sports Development, Louisville Sports Commission Kindra Fry, CSEE, SMP, Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bryan-College Station CVB John Gibbons, CSEE, Executive Director, Rhode Island Sports Commission Mike Guswiler, President, West Michigan Sports Commission Rick Hatcher, CSEE, Director of Business Development, PSA Ed Hruska, CSEE, Executive Director, Rochester Amateur Sports Commission Jeff Jarnecke, Associate Director of Championships and Alliances, NCAA Lou Mengsol, President, Innovations Consulting Michael Price, CSEE, Executive Director, Greater Lansing Sports Authority Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE, Executive Director, Harris County - Houston Sports Authority Holly Shelton, CSEE, Manager of Sports Business Development, Oklahoma City CVB Nancy Yawn, CSEE, CDME, Director, Round Rock CVB
Media & Public Relations Advisers Jackie Reau, Game Day Communications
Betsy Ross, Game Day Communications
www.SportsCommissions.org
NASC annual Symposium celebrates record growth in 2013.............................................. 6-8 Sports Tourism: A State of the Industry Report................................................................9 How the Flying Pig Marathon Kept Participants Safe without Instilling Fear ...... 10-12 NASC helps members prepare for the NCAA Championship Bid Process..................................13 NASC unveils new capabilities for Economic Impact Calculator.........................................................14
INDUSTRY TRENDS I was fortunate to have the opportunity to address the members of ACES (Association of Chief Executives in Sport) at their recent meeting in Minneapolis. It was requested that I comment on Requests for Proposal (or Requests for Qualifications) as they apply to the bidding process. The first portion of my remarks covered a few basics on the NASC: • We are focused on what happens on both sides of the table, and emphasize best practices at our meetings, webinars, etc. • It is getting more difficult to convince some cities to place some emphasis on the athletes and competition and not just room nights • It could be useful to host a webinar for ACES event managers to share these issues The question was then asked: Why focus on RFPs? • All the usual reasons (accurate description of exactly what is required of the host) • More “newbies” on the city side of the table • A growing amount of resistance to training or a lack of direction (sales persons told “go sell something” without training in the industry and area facilities and capabilities) • Some newbies assume meeting someone somehow counts as a “win” • These factors can lead to time wasted by ACES members at event marketplaces What does the NASC do about this? • Member mentoring, webinars, market segment meetings and educational sessions…some members are told they cannot attend educational conferences, making the situation worse • Maximization of the marketplace experience through training before the Symposium (our new member surveys indicate some do not accept any assistance before the marketplace) • Recommended to ACES that RFPs be used as a way to eliminate cities, much like a resume for employment is used; there is a need to eliminate those who do not “get it” and focus on potential partners; with the growing number of marketplaces much time is being lost…in comparison
to others, the NASC continues to educate rather than allowing the situation to become more acute Crucial issues to address in the RFP • Venue needs • Guarantees/bid fees • Incentives • Housing – all requirements plus, do you have a supplier handling reservations and who are they? • Rebates/stay to play • Staffing the event…which party does what? • Is there a need for a standardized RFP among ACES members? • Try to eliminate candidates on page one or in the first two minutes of the meeting The goal? Great events! These comments were followed by an open discussion. It is understood most of these issues are handled by the event manager, and this audience was made up of CEOs. My suggestion was to hold a dialogue with the event manager and get a feeling for the need for change. I was asked at one point if it was wise to allow people new to the industry to have appointment time before they understand the industry. I did indicate we are surprised by the number of new members who do not accept mentoring, do not attend webinars, miss the orientation meeting, and skip the new member reception. I also indicated that the other conferences in the industry are for-profit, and this is not a matter for concern at those gatherings. These are issues that, for some, are defying resolution. I blame too much emphasis on room nights, not enough homework, and a general lack of appreciation for training on the part of some in leadership roles in destination management. Stay tuned for more. This may be an on-going dialogue. Have a wonderful summer event season, Don
Annual Membership Benefits
The 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 • Job and Internship Board • Event Marketplace Webinars • Online Event Database • Models and Samples • Market Segment Meetings • NASC Economic Impact Template • CSEE Program • Sports Event Symposium • Industry Research and Reports • Best Practices Webinars • Consulting Services Visit www.SportsCommissions.org for a complete list of benefits and services. 4
Beth’s Top Ten Tips for Responding to the NASC Symposium RFP With the recent release of the 2016 & 2017 NASC Sports Event Symposium Request for Proposal (RFP), I thought it would be timely to share a few tips for responding to an RFP. The insight and advice given here can apply to almost any RFP. Although some may seem like common sense, I am often surprised how easily some of this can be overlooked. • Read the RFP In Its Entirety, First – More often than not, we only read the first part of the instructions of a task before we begin (I am guilty of this more often than I’d like to admit). Take the time to fully read the RFP and any attachments, forms or worksheets included before you begin to tackle putting the bid together. And make sure any one that is assisting you in the submission of the bid does the same thing. • Decide if Responding is Best for Your Organization – Our RFP may not be a good fit for your city, and that is okay. The best conferences, meetings, sporting events, special events, etc. are those that aren’t forced; they are a natural fit. Don’t try to fit the round peg into the square hole. • Follow the Directions – Please, please, please follow the directions. They are there for a reason. If it says to prepare the bid in the exact order that it is laid out in the RFP, do it. If it says, to complete the form in its entirety, do it. Just do it! • Have at Least Two People Review the Bid – After a while, your brain will see what you want it to see, and not what is actually on the page. Make sure you have two people review the bid – and I recommend one of them be outside your organization. • Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute – Trust me, we can tell. Plus, you never know what could delay the successful gathering of information required for the bid. The Symposium RFP requires information from multiple individuals. You don’t want to hear “I just can’t get you that information in the time you requested” and have that put the end to your bid. • Ask Questions – If you are not sure about something in the RFP, just ask. Most planners are more than happy to answer your questions (as least they should be). This
not only makes your bid better, but it will hopefully keep us from coming back to you with questions or clarifications – which neither of us wants. • Be Relevant – Don’t add filler to your bid just to make it thicker, look fancier, impress your boss, etc. It only frustrates us as we try to weed through the pages to find what we actually asked to be included in the bid. • If Possible, Submit Early – It always impresses me when I receive a bid a week, or more, in advance of the due date. It immediately gives me the impression that you want my business, you planned ahead and you will most likely give the same care and attention to my needs when assisting me in coordinating the Symposium. • Make it Personal – Go the extra mile to personalize the bid. I am not talking about gifts, incentives, or just putting the recipient’s name on the cover page. Add a personalized letter(s) of support from a notable personality(ies) from your city, record a video on a flash drive with a custom message, have digital signage throughout your city displaying messages of support/ invitation, then take pictures of this and place them throughout your bid, etc. • Follow the Directions – This one is worth stating twice. Beth Hecquet, CMP, CMM is the Director of Meetings and Events for the National Association of Sports Commissions. Beth has been with the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) since January 2002. As the Director of Meetings and Events, Beth is responsible managing the NASC Sports Event Symposium, Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) program, Market Segment Meetings, Regional Workshops and any other face-to-face meetings and events hosted by the NASC. Prior to her time with the NASC, Beth was a Sport Manager with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) responsible for the management of seven sports as well as event management at the annual AAU Junior Olympic Games. Beth also spent some time with the Indiana Sports Corporation (ISC) in 2000 and was involved with planning and operations for the 2000 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Championship, 2000 NCAA Men’s Final Four and the 2000 US Olympic Trials – Swimming.
www.SportsCommissions.org 5
National Association of Sports Commissions annual symposium celebrates record growth in 2013 Terry Hasseltine elected new board chair of NASC The National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) saw a record turnout for its annual Symposium held here from April 22-25 2013, with 772 sports event industry professionals attending, a 20 percent increase over last year. Additionally, first-time attendees grew by 11 percent to 210 individuals. Highlights from the annual meeting included the election of a new board chair, Terry Hasseltine from the Maryland Office of Sports, industry awards that recognized 10 members for outstanding achievement and the graduation of 17 members from the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) program. The NASC membership also contributed $12,000 to Run Louisville Run as part of the NASC Sports Legacy Fund program.
Hasseltine has served the NASC in several capacities: first ever NGB/Rights Holder to serve on the NASC Board of Directors (2003-04); elected to the NASC Board of Directors in 2007 in the active member category and now serves as the Chair of the NASC Executive Committee. Joining Hasseltine on the executive committee is: Gary Alexander, Nashville Sports Council, Immediate Past Chair, Kevin Smith, CSEE, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Sports Commission, Vice Chair/Chair Elect, Greg Ayers, CSEE, Discover Kalamazoo, Treasurer, and Ralph Morton, CSEE Seattle Sports Commission, Secretary.
“The 2013 NASC Sports Event Symposium took place in Louisville where numerous records were set, including for highest attendance ever, the most event owners in the NASC Sports Marketplace, introduction of the Rapid RFP Review sessions, where event owners met with several cities at the same time, and most educational sessions offered,” said Don Schumacher, executive director of the NASC. “The NASC reported record membership and revenues, with estimated total direct visitor spending for 2012 of about $8.3 billion.” The 2014 NASC Symposium will be hosted in Oklahoma City from March 31-April 3, 2014.
Hasseltine named new board chair of NASC, six new board members elected Terry Hasseltine, CSEE, of the Maryland Office of Sports, was elected board chair of the organization. Hasseltine is currently the Executive Director of the Maryland Office of Sports and was appointed to this role in 2008 by Governor Martin O’Malley. Since his appointment, Hasseltine has been instrumental in spearheading various bid-development and event-support opportunities for the state related to these events: 2014 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships – Deep Creek 2014; 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup ™ Bid; 2010, 2011 and 2014 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse National Championships; World Football Challenge and other International Soccer Friendlies; Dew Tour; 2014-16 CAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2011, Grand Prix of Baltimore; Neutral Site Collegiate Football Games; 2014 and 2016 Army-Navy Games. 6
New board members were also elected and they include: John Gibbons, CSEE, Rhode Island Sports Commission, Michael Price, CSEE, Greater Lansing Sports Authority, Janis Schmees Burke, CSEE, Harris County-Houston Sports Authority and Holly Shelton, CSEE, Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau. Also, Rick Hatcher, CSEE joins the board representing Allied Representatives and Jeff Jarnecke, NCAA, representing Rights Holder Representatives.
NASC recognizes Annual Award Winners for Outstanding Achievement
NASC recognized 10 members for their outstanding initiatives in the sports events industry over the last 12 months. “Each year, the National Association of Sports Commissions recognizes its members for their outstanding service to the sports event industry and creativity in doing so,” said Mike Anderson, Director of Sports, Visit Charlotte, and NASC Awards Committee Chair. “On behalf of the NASC, I want to congratulate all of the 10 honored organizations for their industry leading efforts.”
Award winners include: • Outstanding Marketing Campaign Under $200,000: Lorain County Visitors Bureau $200,000 and Above: Detroit Sports • Outstanding Locally Created Event Under $200,000: Bloomington-Normal Area Sports Commission $200,000 and Above: Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission • Outstanding Online Presence Under $200,000: Butler County Visitors Bureau $200,000 and Above: Greater Columbus Sports Commission • Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Member of the Year Under $200,000: Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitors Bureau $200,000 and Above: Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau • Sports Commission Member of the Year Under $200,000: Ames Area Sports Commission $200,000 and Above: St. Louis Sports Commission
Seventeen graduate from the NASC’s Certified Sports Event Executive program During the NASC Symposium, the latest class from the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) program graduated.
The Certified Sports Event Executive Program is a certification program open only to NASC members. Since its inception, the NASC has been dedicated to raising the standards of professionalism in the industry. The NASC Staff and Professional Development Committee assist presenters in preparing sessions and case studies to ensure that the needs and concerns of the sports event industry are addressed. The most recent graduating class of 17 includes: • Karin Aaron, Visit Loudoun • Ariana Andis Klein, US Lacrosse • Lindsay Arellano, Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau • Anna Barlow Cumming, Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce • Jim Dietz, Columbus Indiana Visitors Center • Josh Dill, Visit Lubbock Inc. • Roy Edmondson, Team San Jose • Karen Hubbs, Johnson City Convention & Visitors Bureau • Carolyn Lee, GWN Dragon Boat • Mona Murphy, Flint-Genesee Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau • Dave Patrone, Kentucky Exposition Center/ International Convention Center • Dave Plevich, Greater Morgantown Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.SportsCommissions.org
SPOTLIGHT ON NASC AWARD WINNERS At this year’s NASC Symposium, 10 members were recognized for their outstanding initiatives in the sports events industry over the last 12 months. From large markets to small markets, we asked a few award-winning members to share advice on why they submitted entries for their various categories. Detroit Sports Commission won the Outstanding Marketing Campaign ($200,000 and Above) “Our primary reason for submitting an entry was to raise awareness (by publicizing the award) in the local community of the work of the Detroit Sports Commission, as well as sharing our unique marketing campaign with NASC members. We also earned a significant number of media impressions generated by our newly created mascot.” -Dave Beachnau, CSEE, Executive Director, Detroit Sports Commission
St. Louis Sports Commission honored as the Sports Commission Member of the Year ($200,000 and Above) “Our biggest accomplishment for this award category is the breadth and depth of our work, and our organizational versatility. Events are critical to us – and we were able to host some great ones in the last year. But we also pride ourselves on being innovators, nurturers and most importantly, leaders. We take on those roles through our local sportsmanship initiative, Musial Awards program, efforts to further St. Louis’ Olympic legacy, and our successful drive to pass state legislation creating a public support component for work done by sports commissions in Missouri.” “Of course, it is gratifying to be recognized by your peers and there is tremendous value to be able to go back to your community, board and members, media, and many others with the validation that your efforts are held in high regard by your industry.” -Marc Schreiber, St. Louis Sports Commission
Greater Columbus Sports Commission nets Outstanding Online Presence ($200,000 and Above) “Participating in NASC awards is a great way to be recognized from industry peers, to raise your organization’s standards and share best practices with others within the NASC family. We have submitted entries for NASC awards every year since 2006, with some years having multiple entries. I would definitely encourage all NASC members to apply for awards next year.” -Ashlee Hayes, Greater Columbus Sports Commission
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• Erik Sabato, Wyndham Hotel Group • Darien Schaefer, Wausau/Central Wisconsin Sports Authority • Justin Stine, Overland Park Sports Alliance • Kim Strable, Greensboro Sports Commission • Jason Williams, Butler County Visitors Bureau
NASC raises $12,000 for Run Louisville Run through its Sports Legacy Fund
The membership of the NASC raised $12,000 for Run. Louisville, Run! a program of the YMCA at Norton Commons, through a grant from the NASC Sports Legacy Fund, raised from the proceeds of the annual auction and raffle. More than 750 leaders in the sports events industry attended the annual Symposium and many provided sports-related raffle items and/or purchased raffle tickets.
Ames Area Sports Commission named Member of the Year (Under $200,000) “Our organization represents Ames and Iowa State University and by applying for this award the community receives recognition on the accomplishments of the groups that hosted events in 2012 such as the 2012 Beep Baseball World Series and showcases our community as a sports destination.” -Seann DeMaris, CSEE, Ames Sports Commission
Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission rolls with Outstanding Locally Created Event ($200,000 and Above) “The Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission (TTSC) looked forward to submitting the 2012 Tuscaloosa Regional Air Show for “Outstanding Locally Created Event” for many reasons. Primarily, because of the successful execution of the event, the exceptional support given by the community of Tuscaloosa and surrounding areas as well as the collaborative effort and partnership between the TTSC, City of Tuscaloosa and County. If it wasn’t for the community support and the positive working relationships between the organizing departments, the air show wouldn’t have had the success of bringing approximately 125,000 people to Tuscaloosa for a family-friendly, history-filled, memorable weekend.” -Kelsey Colglazier, Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission
Run. Louisville, Run! provides an eight-week running program for deserving kids in the community and focuses on increasing self-esteem, promoting healthy living and offering a positive after-school experience. “This grant is one of our largest to date,” said Mike Bramer, District Executive Director, YMCA at Norton Commons. “We serve about 120 youth with each program and now we will be able to quadruple the number of our participants in our Run Louisville Run program, where we teach young men and women the power of progressively realizing worthy goals while running.” “On behalf of the entire membership of the National Association of Sports Commissions, we are thrilled to recognize and award our annual grant to Run Louisville Run,” said Jennifer Hawkins, CSEE, Sports Marketing Director of VisitPittsburgh & Co-chair of the NASC Sports Legacy Fund. “Run. Louisville, Run! is an inspirational program for other cities in our country to model.”
Bloomington-Normal Area Sports Commission honored with Outstanding Locally Created Event (Under $200,000) “Our reason for submitting an entry for this category for our 12th annual COUNTRY Youth Classic was to measure ourselves against other communities and their events. It was the first time we submitted an award in this category and I would encourage other members to submit entries. It will give your organization recognition and you can use it as a marketing tool.” -Matt Hawkins, CSEE, Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bloomington-Normal Area Sports Commission and Sport Illinois
Butler County Visitors Bureau tapped for Outstanding Online Presence (Under $200,000) “The Butler County Visitors Bureau (BCVB) submitted for the Outstanding Online Presence award to help bring awareness to Butler County as a premier sports destination. When we redesigned the website, we wanted to make sure it was user friendly and provided the information people were looking for. We used our submission in this category to help as a way to help show off the new website and expose the industry to all we have to offer.” “We were very pleased with the amount of exposure these online opportunities have provided us. The ability to be recognized on a national level and within the industry in this way is a great accomplishment.” -Stephanie Gigliotti, CSEE, Butler County Visitors Bureau
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Sports Tourism: A State of the Industry Report Analysis by Don Schumacher, Executive Director, NASC
Sports tourism continues to be a growth industry for markets across the country, and a new report by Dr. Lisa Delpy Neirotti from George Washington University gives a detailed breakdown on how the industry is growing and what markets are taking advantage of this growth.
Dr. Lisa Delpy Neirotti George Washington University
The report finds that nearly 31 percent of the markets surveyed for their sports tourism industry are medium sized, from a 100,000 to 250,000 population. Only about 15 percent of the markets are more than 1,000,000, and a hefty percentage, nearly 21 percent, have a population of 100,000 or less, showing that the area does not have to be a major metropolitan center to dip into the sports tourism arena.
The report also finds that the largest metropolitan areas will bring in more visitors to an event, making it more of a “destination.� Events being held in areas with a population of more than 1,000,000 will have 58 percent of the attendees come from out of town, while populations of 100,000 or fewer will have about 48 percent of attendees be non-locals. Still, that’s a good percentage of visitors who will spend money in those markets and affect the economic impact of the region.
As for community priorities, the top priority as surveyed for the report is visitor spending, while marketing the region to visitors came in second. Third in priority was representing the sports industry in the community, and fourth was supporting local sports franchises and venues. At the bottom of the list is sports philanthropy.
On the topic of sponsorship, the Sports Tourism report shows that more than 71 percent of those responding say they secure their sponsors through personal relationships. After that, sponsors come through board members, (47.5 percent), internal, dedicated sales staffs (33.7 percent) and outside sales consultants (14 percent). Out of that revenue, nearly 27 percent of those responding reported an increase in sponsorship, while 14 percent reported a decrease. The wide majority, nearly 59 percent, said revenue stayed about the same. And while visitor spending in the sports tourism industry in 2012 is estimated to be $8.3 billion, direct visitor spending increased more than $600 million in 2012, over 2011 numbers. At the same time, the number of organizations that reported that they pay bid fees for events increased from 66 percent in 2011 up to 83 percent in 2012, adding to the up-front costs of being an event host. Even with the added costs, the Sports Tourism report shows that no matter what the market size, sporting events continue to be a major driver of visitor spending in these cities, with direct visitor spending taking a significant jump over the past year. With sponsorship dollars holding steady or increasing in the majority of markets, the sports tourism industry shows no signs of weakening for these organizations and communities.
www.SportsCommissions.org 9
SAFETY AND SECURITY CONCERNS ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF SPORTING EVENTS How the Flying Pig Marathon Kept Participants Safe without Instilling Fear
By Jackie Reau, Game Day Communications
We’ve all gone through it: Everything is in place for your event when, at the last minute, some issue causes major changes. It could be a shortage of t-shirts, not enough medals, even the threat of bad weather. But when it’s an international bombing incident, it forces changes not just to your event, but every event that comes after. That’s what happened to dozens of road races in the aftermath of the April 15 bombing at the Boston Marathon finish line, including the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, which was all set to celebrate its 15th anniversary weekend May 3-5. Instead of a celebration, though, the weekend would become one of remembrance for the Boston victims and one of concern for the Pig’s own security plan.
Fire and First Responders in the city of Cincinnati, along with other municipalities in Northern Kentucky and along the route to discuss how to best react to this need for heightened security. “We have been fortunate to have good working relationships with all the communities along the Flying Pig routes,” Simpson-Bush said. “We regularly meet with fire, police and first responders in the weeks leading up to the Marathon. This year, though, the meetings took on special urgency.” In fact, just two days after the Boston bombings, on Wednesday, April 17, Flying Pig Marathon staffers met with more than two dozen emergency officials, including representatives from the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, the cities of Newport and Covington, Kentucky, county officials from Northern Kentucky, along with representatives from the FBI and Homeland Security. All met with one objective in mind: To make the Flying Pig Marathon safe, while not overly alarming participants, volunteers and spectators.
But when it’s an international bombing incident, it forces changes not just to your event, but every event that comes after.
The Flying Pig staff reacted quickly, huddling with its public relations team in minutes after the Boston incident to craft a general statement to the media regarding the bombing. After that, came the duty of developing a comprehensive communications plan and checklist to respond to the incident before Marathon weekend including: Preparation, Partnerships, Planning, and a Proactive Communication plan. The Preparation part was already in place: For more than a decade the Flying Pig Marathon has had a general crisis plan on the books, one that had been put to the test five years before, when a fire on the course Marathon morning forced a detour around the fire and a 10-minute delay in the 6:30 a.m. start. That incident proved that constant communication and transparency, which kept the media and participants informed, kept complaints to a minimum with little or no backlash over the last-minute change. So with the general crisis plan already in place, the Flying Pig used its existing Partnerships to explore how to deal with the added security that would now be expected at any large event, but especially a road race event. To that end, Flying Pig Marathon Executive Director Iris Simpson-Bush used her 10 years of working with Police,
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“When it comes to security, we work for the events—we work for the organizations planning them, and their participants,” said Sgt. Greg Lewton from the special events section of the Cincinnati Police Department. “It is our mission to make sure we make them as safe as possible, without disrupting the enthusiasm and the joy that come from events like the Flying Pig Marathon. In working with Iris and the marathon staff, we were able to find the fine line of increased security, without putting a damper on the event.” From those meetings, came the Planning element of the increased security. While safety measures already were in place for the Marathon, the Flying Pig staff, as well as the first responders, had to look at ways to beef up security. First, each department along the route pledged increased staffing, including more uniformed as well as undercover personnel. Second, the Flying Pig worked with its gear bag provider to, at the last minute, switch from a white plastic gear bag to a clear one. The clear bag would be the only bag allowed at gear check on Marathon morning.
Third, police agencies throughout the region, including the security staff at the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky Airport, pooled their resources to bring in as many as two dozen explosive-sniffing police dogs to constantly check gear bags, vehicles and trash cans along the route. And fourth, the Cincinnati Police increased the number of surveillance cameras to cover the start, finish and heavy spectator-populated areas along the route to keep an eye on anything suspicious.
Also that next morning, at the regular Marathon staff meeting, it was Iris’ first opportunity to address the group on the incident and the Pig’s plans for security. With more than 20 contracted employees and interns preparing for the event attending the meeting, Iris updated the staff on preparations as they stood at the moment, and offered that if any of the staffers and, especially interns, did not feel safe in continuing to work on the event, they could walk away. No one did.
With the planning in place to increase security, it was now up to the Marathon to be Proactive in its communications with the media, participants, volunteers and staffers. The first opportunity for external communications was the 5 p.m. news on the night of the Boston incident, when the NBC affiliate in Cincinnati, which broadcasts five hours of the Flying Pig Marathon live, requested an interview with Iris Simpson-Bush to get her reaction and how the Flying Pig would adjust security after the incident. She did that interview, along with an evening press conference and two more live interviews the next morning with other media outlets.
Throughout the week, Iris was made available on a regular basis to the media to give updates on security (as much as could be made public) and what changes the Pig was making in response to the concerns. In addition, regular posts were made on the Flying Pig website, as well as the Flying Pig Facebook page to keep participants, spectators and volunteers informed of the changes, including the elimination of gear check for Saturday events (5K, 10K, etc.), the use of only the clear bags for gear check Sunday and the banning of back packs in the start and finish line areas.
www.SportsCommissions.org 11
In fact, the Flying Pig Facebook page became a major responders and police; the Planning that was kicked in imconduit of information, comments and suggestions from mediately to increase security and the Proactive participants in those first few days after Boston, and it Communication strategy used to get the message to the was because of runners’ public, the Flying Pig requests for some kind of Marathon had its most Boston successful weekend ever, tribute that the Flying Pig with more than 33,000 printed special techniparticipants over the twocal shirts and wristbands day event. In fact, there remembering the Boston were so many who victims. Because of the registered in the two participants’ desire to honweeks after the Boston or the victims, the sale of bombing, that all the the shirts and wristbands events (except for kids’ – Sgt. Greg Lewton, Cincinnati Police Department raised more than $53,000 fun runs) reached through the Flying Pig for capacity by Friday of the One Fund Boston. Marathon weekend.
It is our mission to make sure we make them as safe as possible, without disrupting the enthusiasm and the joy that come from events like the Flying Pig Marathon.
As the Flying Pig remained as transparent as possible on the safety issue, the Marathon reverted back to its original crisis plan in that Iris was the only staffer authorized to speak on behalf of the Marathon as to its security process. As in any crisis, the organizing body should designate one person to carry the message to the media; more than one person can muddle the communication and can make the organization look disorganized and unprepared. Because of the Preparation already in place with the crisis plan; the Partnerships forged over the years with first
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There were several reasons for the overwhelming success of the Flying Pig Marathon, not the least of which were the last-minute signups by people who were determined not to let the Boston bombers ruin a great event. However, the transparency in the communication regarding the Flying Pig security, along with the quick responses to participants’ safety questions, helped build a sense of community among the Pig runners, volunteers and spectators that everyone, together, would make this a safe, secure and fun event.
NASC helps members prepare for the NCAA Championship Bid Process This summer, the NCAA will distribute the bids collectively for the 89 annual championships facilitated by the NCAA over the next four years. The NCAA is working closely to share information with the NASC membership on crafting a bid for various sports. In June, the NCAA offered eight webinars, which are archived on the NASC website, on topics including: NCAA Bidding Process and Overview, Men’s Lacrosse, DII Festival, DI Wrestling, DI Women’s Volleyball, DI Men’s Ice Hockey, DI Women’s Basketball and DI Men’s Basketball. To further the partnership with the NASC, Mark Lewis, who has been in the role of Executive Vice President of Championships and Alliances for the NCAA, for just more than one year, spoke at the 2013 NASC Symposium Q: You have been in your role for one year now. What are some of the accomplishments in which you are most proud? A. Each year, we host 89 championships for our student athletes to compete at the highest level and to create lasting memories for them. Our men’s tournament this year celebrated its 75th anniversary with a terrific tournament that included some of the best match ups in the history of the tournament, record TV ratings and terrific attendance. We also launched our Division II Championship Festivals for the first time. We received great feedback from our member organizations as well as our student athletes for the overall experience.
Q: What are three tips you can share with potential host cities? A. First and foremost, all potential host cities need to develop close working relationships with our members, the colleges and universities in their market, to submit the bid. Secondly, it’s important to complete the bid per the specifications but also be creative. We want to see some community spirit and passion in the bid. Lastly but probably most important, we want to see how the host community and member organization are going to create a positive experience for our student athletes. Q: What are you most excited about at the NCAA? A. I get excited going to work every day. Interest in college athletics is at an all-time high as evidenced by the TV ratings of the men’s basketball tournament, the highest since the 90s. But every time we award a championship trophy, it’s a magical moment and we get to do it 89 times a year. Q: How are you looking to grow strategic alliances for the NCAA? A. With 94 percent of the annual revenue for the NCAA coming from men’s basketball, I think about growing revenue opportunities with the other championships every day. Only five of our 89 championships are self-funding (men’s basketball, men’s hockey, baseball, men’s lacrosse and wrestling. We are constantly looking for ways to grow revenue while providing additional exposure to our student athletes. For example, we will broadcast the men’s and women’s golf championships on the Golf Channel.
Upcoming Best Practices Webinars Date
Event/Program
July 24, 2013 Aug. 20, 2013 Sept. 16, 2013 Oct. 7, 2013 Oct. 7-8, 2013 Mar. 31-Apr. 3, 2014
NASC Member Orientation Webinar NASC Best Practices Webinar: Creating a Fair and Effective Stay-to-Play Policy NASC Best Practices Webinar: Safety & Security Planning for Sporting Events CSEE Fall 2013 Module 2013 NASC Market Segment Meetings 22nd annual NASC Sports Event Symposium
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National Association of Sports Commissions unveils new capabilities for Economic Impact Calculator to measure $8.3 billion industry By Jackie Reau, Game Day Communications
The NASC recently announced that it is launching an improved Economic Impact Calculator to guide its membership in measuring the $8.3 billion U.S. sports events industry. The Economic Impact Calculator model and Event Spending data are based upon studies completed by Sportsimpacts at over 50 events within the last decade spanning various market sizes and event types, and a 2011-2012 Consumer Spending study conducted by the University of Arizona Sports Management program that analyzed daily visitor spending trends at 30 events spanning various market sizes and event types.
estimates based on research gathered through the Spectator Survey. The aggregate approach provides a more general overview of the flow of visitor spending. In addition, three sets of calculations are put forward permitting members to choose any or all of them depending on the data desired: Spending by Event Spectators, Spending by Event Participants, and Spending Stemming from Other Non-Local Sources. Access to the calculator is offered to all NASC members as a benefit of membership and is available on Sportscommissions.org. Contact Don Schumacher, CSEE, Executive Director, with questions about the Economic Impact Calculator at (513) 281-3888 or Don@SportsCommissions.org.
Our goal with the Economic Impact Calculator is to simplify the process of estimating the economic value of an event and its return on investment. It is a valuable tool that is available for free to all NASC members.
Dr. Pat Rishe, Executive Director of Sportsimpacts, a national sports consulting firm, originally developed the calculator in 2007, which offers a consistent approach to calculate and report economic impact – Don Schumacher, NASC Executive Director results. When used properly, the calculator allows NASC members to approximate the total direct spending stemming from all non-local sources, and report upon such findings in an accurate manner. “Our goal with the Economic Impact Calculator is to simplify the process of estimating the economic value of an event and its return on investment,” said Don Schumacher, Executive Director of NASC. “The improvements made to the calculator are based on extensive research to offer accurate results and ease of use. It is a valuable tool that is available for free to all NASC members.” One new feature of the calculator is a Spectator Survey that allows members to gather data required for inputs. This survey will give insight to visitor spending behavior, which will enable members to itemize and localize spending estimates for greater authenticity. The updated calculator also offers two options for approaches to determine a final impact number. The itemized approach ensures greater accuracy for spending
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Thank you for a record turnout in Louisville! See you in OKC!