Dallas Sports Commission Five Year Anniversary by VisitDallas

Established October 2014

OUR MISSION The Dallas Sports Commission is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to attract, retain, and support sports and entertainment events that will position Dallas as the premier sports destination and have a positive impact on the economy and quality of life of Dallas residents.

DREAM BIG

5 YEARS OF BIG ACCOMPLISHMENTS Foreword By Monica Paul Written & Compiled By Stephen Evans Design & Layout by Nathan Murrell

BIG WINS HAPPEN HERE

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

5 BIG YEARS

DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

PREMIER DESTINATION FOR AMATEUR SPORTS

THE WORLD'S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS

FOREWORD

160

176

188

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

5 FOR 5

106

STORIES OF US

BIGGER IS BETTER

CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

CENTER OF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL UNIVERSE

MAKING OUR MARK

DALLAS: AN INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION

208

228

134

242

148

252

DALLAS: FOR ALL

260

YOU CAN FIND IT IN DALLAS

270

ADVISORY BOARD

322

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

323

CREDITS

324 ELEVATING OUR GAME

284

BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

292

FOREWORD By Monica Paul

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

WOWWWWW!!! What a journey! I am inspired and have a renewed sense of excitement based on reading the breadth and scope of this book highlighting the first five years of the Dallas Sports Commission. When we launched this project, the purpose was to share with all of our stakeholders and constituents the accomplishments and BIG WINS we've shared over our first five years. As you can see, it quickly became a huge project. It seems so long ago, yet at times it seems like only yesterday when we launched our new brand and officially stepped forward into the market. We met so many challenges along the way. There have been times when I wanted to give up. Times I wanted to quit. Times I wanted to go find something else to do, whether those frustrations were born from not getting the support needed, the overbearing workload, the need for new challenges, or even, at times, my lack of confidence that we could achieve what we had set out in our strategic plan. But I’ve never been a quitter and I find it really hard to lose. I’m somewhat shocked at how much we have accomplished over the past five years with one of the smallest staffs in the country. Just stack our success against other cities and sports commissions that have been established for a much longer time frame and it puts our accomplishments into perspective. To say I’m proud of what we have done in five years would be an understatement. Throughout this journey at the Dallas Sports Commission, I have had to take a step back numerous times to evaluate and try to understand the bigger picture. We have celebrated many BIG WINS, no doubt. But it was

FOREWORD

the losses that really stuck with me. After many tears and a lot of reflection, however, those losses spurred me and my outstanding team to grow and strive to be better. And you know what? That is exactly what happened. We have continued to grow and push our limits to make the Dallas region the premier sports destination in the nation. I am humbled by all the kind words and generous commentary offered by so many throughout this book. Many of the quotes mention me specifically, but I can tell you, it isn’t me – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE TEAM. It's our team that made all of this possible and, while we may be small in numbers, we make up for it in so many other ways. My team members who join me each and every day within the Sports Commission offices are truly fantastic at what they do. They are dedicated, they have passion, they are driven, and they pick me up and support me when I feel like I have nothing left in the tank. While I may not always acknowledge their efforts, I can assure you those efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. My team inspires me, makes me laugh, and makes these bids and events you’ll read about happen. I’m fortunate that they keep coming back to work each day, only to go way above and beyond on behalf of the Dallas Sports Commission. It has been a true honor to watch each team member grow, to share in their individual and collective successes, and to enjoy their friendship. I have personally seen their passion for not only sports, but specifically for the Sports Commission, for the Dallas region, and for one another as well. As you will come to understand, this fiveyear mission has certainly not been a lone one. Ginger Lively-Cade and Joe Albsmeyer have been with me since before 10

the formation of the Sports Commission. I hope both are as proud of what we started together as I am. I thank you both for your devotion and perseverance. Our teammates Larry Kelly, Stephanie Evans, Andrew Dockrill, and Adrain Armstrong are also critical to our success. Thank you for your hard work, commitment, and dedication in growing the Sports Commission to what it has become today. When we’re all in the office together, our team makes work not seem like work, but instead like a fun new adventure day after day, with each bringing something special to the team. The Dallas Sports Commission has had many individuals come and go over the past five years, and even prior to becoming the Sports Commission. Whether it be a staff member or intern, we owe each a large debt of gratitude for your contributions and the stamp you have put on the DSC. There have been so many moments, laughs, bonds, and memories that we weren’t able

to include in this book (it's long enough as it is) that are probably equally as important as to why we come back day after day to grow the DSC brand on behalf of the people of the Dallas region. While those inside our office have made their mark, what we do cannot be bound by four walls. There are so many other people who work so hard and give so much to ensure the continued growth and advancement of the Dallas Sports Commission. Without these individuals and friends, none of the successes, events within this book, and big ideas for the future would exist or even be possible. It starts with VisitDallas and the Dallas Sports Commission Advisory Board for creating the Dallas Sports Commission back in 2014. Dave Brown, Chair of the Dallas Sports Commission Advisory Board, has been a friend and a believer in the Sports Commission from the beginning. His vision and support over the past 11 years in building the Sports Marketing Department of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau and seeing something bigger in creating a stable Sports Commission model have been essential to our success. In addition to Dave, this success story would not be complete without Tara Green. I cannot thank you enough for your longtime leadership within the Dallas sports industry, for pushing forth initiatives as the former Chair of the Dallas Sports Commission Advisory Board, and for your guidance along the way when I felt I was banging my head against the wall. Likewise, we must recognize those dedicated Advisory Board members who have voluntarily served over the past five years. I thank each of you for your unique contributions to our sports landscape here in Dallas and for always picking up the phone when we sought your expertise and advice to enable us to fulfill our mission and accomplish our goals. It is mentioned numerous times throughout this book that the Dallas region has world-class venues. That is an understatement, and for what we do, our venues are one of the key ingredients in our ability to be successful. We have great alignment with our venue partners, and we all share the same philosophy at the end of the day – we want the Dallas region to host

the biggest and the best events. We believe in hospitality and finding a way to exceed our clients’ expectations while creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the fans and participants who come to enjoy all that our city has to offer. Thank you to all the venue staff members for being our partners and for allowing us to keep our promises to our clients while ensuring we all win at the end of the day. Like our famous venues, the Dallas area has some of the most recognizable professional teams in all of sports, and the Dallas Sports Commission enjoys a great relationship with each team and organization. I feel that I am fortunate here, as I have had conversations with counterparts in other cities and hear about the struggles they have with engaging and partnering with their local professional teams. To the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks, FC Dallas, Texas Rangers, and Dallas Wings – it is an absolute honor to partner with you and work alongside you on various projects. Thank you for your leadership and your resolve to better our cities and our region. We have been able to witness first-hand the professionalism, business mindset, and drive for excellence that each of your organizations embody, and that truly motivates and inspires us as a Sports Commission on a daily basis. There are many reasons why we have been able to attract so many worldclass events to Dallas over the past five years. Sports seem to be engrained in the DNA of every one of us in our region, so it should come as no surprise that those who live, work, and play here are eager to support our efforts. I truly feel that is why we have the best and most invested group of volunteers, hotel partners, airports, restaurants, shopping centers, school districts, community leaders, corporate partners, and chambers of commerce of any major market in the country. Thank you for helping us to ensure sports within Dallas is always a part of the equation. Similarly, I want to personally thank our regional partners in Arlington, Farmers Branch, Fort Worth, Frisco, Irving, Lewisville, Plano, and everywhere in between, including the mayors, city council members, parks and recreation leaders, police departments, and offices of special events. FOREWORD

Your relationships and the belief that we can all win through regionalism have been essential to the success of our entire region. The most difficult task during the transition to the Dallas Sports Commission was getting messaging and expectations aligned internally versus what needed to happen externally for the betterment of the city and region. To some degree, we still have a way to go in telling our story and ensuring that people within our region, as well as nationally, know that we exist and know and understand our overall goals and missions. As we work through some of those issues, it is essential that we also thank and recognize our event partners and rights holders that we have been honored to work with over the past five years. I hope you know that we are sincere in our dedication to you and your events, and we look forward to working with you again in the near future. And to those events that we have not had the pleasure of hosting yet, we look forward to engaging with you, developing a plan to get you to Dallas, and strategically working with you to exceed your goals and objectives while providing your athletes, fans, coaches, officials, and partners a unique Dallas experience filled with our Texas hospitality. And so, we now turn our attention to the next five years â&#x20AC;Ś 2024 will be here before we know it and I hope we have an equally impressive list of BIG WINS to share with you. I hope the soon-to-be-announced Dallas Sports Hall of Fame is the premier awards platform from a city standpoint and the Dallas Sports Foundation develops into a lasting legacy of giving back to the youth within our community. I hope we are preparing to host the largest FIFA World Cup in history, and we have hosted or are preparing to host our next Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Game, MLB All-Star Game, and NHL All-Star Game. The list could really go on and on and on as we have a very long bucket list here at the DSC. I do hope that as an organization we can continue to bring the passion, the commitment, the integrity, and the benefits to the Dallas region in all that we do. Again, the first five years of the Dallas Sports Commission have been an honor. I thank everyone who has been a part of it and who had the faith in 12

me to let me lead such an incredible organization and group of people. The list of people who have had an impact on the Sports Commission is simply too extensive to recognize each individual, but please know that we are very appreciative and recognize all of our partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; contributions to the success of the Dallas Sports Commission and the Dallas region. Thank you all and we look forward to creating and celebrating many more BIG WINS with you in 2020 and beyond!

Monica P.S. A special thank you also goes to The Remedy and Stephen Evans and Nathan Murrell for creating this masterpiece and even exceeding our own expectations in being able to tell our story.

FOREWORD

BIG WINS HAPPEN HERE The Biggest, The Best, And The Brightest All Play Here! 14

BIG WINS HAPPEN HERE

THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION Dedication. Devotion. Undeniable Excellence.

2017 NCAA WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR

These are the hallmarks of the Dallas Sports Commission, an organization that launched in October 2014. Transitioning into its own brand after previously existing as the Sports Marketing Department of the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Dallas Sports Commission quickly made its presence felt by attracting major events to the area and serving as the local marketing and operational backbone for these events. We started strong in Year 1 and haven’t looked back since. In a region that has gone all-in on the Bigger Is Better mantra, there’s no denying the leadership role that the Dallas Sports Commission has played in generating an economic impact of over $2 billion for the greater Dallas area over the past five years, growing Dallas and the surrounding region’s big event legacy and defining the region as America’s Premier Sports Destination.

2016 WRESTLEMANIA 32

5 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

Since our inception in October 2014, the Dallas Sports Commission has been responsible for:

$2.2B 309 Economic Impact

Sporting Events Booked

$106M 4.5M In Local Taxes

Athletes, Fans & Visitors

1.8M

Hotel Rooms Booked

14,458 Jobs Supported

* All statistics through September 30, 2019

YEAR 1: 2014-15 BIG WINS Premier National and International Events: UFC 171, NCAA Men’s Final Four, Cruz Azul v. Monterrey Soccer Match, International Champions Cup, NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series

YEAR 2: 2015-16 BIG WINS

Premier National and International Events: College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Big 12 Women’s Basketball Conference Tournament, National Veterans Wheelchair Games, USA Weightlifting National Championships, SocioMX Cup Final Cruz Azul v. Monterrey, US Bowling Congress US Open

YEAR 3: 2016-17 BIG WINS

Premier National and International Events: NCAA Women’s Basketball Regional, WrestleMania 32, Dallas Sports Festival, FIVB World League, USA Boxing Prep National Championships, USA Fencing Summer National Championships, USA Volleyball Boy's Junior National Championships, ERA Rodeo World Championship

YEAR 4: 2017-18 BIG WINS

Premier National and International Events: NCAA Women’s Final Four, USA Volleyball Girl's 18s Junior National Championship, CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinal, Big 12 Conference Football Championship, Call of Duty World League Dallas Open, Gears of War Pro Circuit Dallas Open

YEAR 5: 2018-19 BIG WINS

Premier National and International Events: NCAA Men’s Basketball 1st/2nd Rounds, Mexico vs. Croatia International Soccer, NFL Draft, USA Volleyball Open National Championship, NHL Draft, College Football Playoff Semifinal Game, DreamHack, Mexico vs. Ecuador, CONCACAF Gold Cup, World Food Championships

BIG WINS HAPPEN HERE

THE PREMIER DESTINATION FOR PREMIER EVENTS “No. 1 City for Sports Fans” The Sporting News

2017 NCAA WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR

2018 NFL DRAFT

No region prides itself on hosting big-time sporting events like Dallas and North Texas – we do it often and we do it well. We are the only metropolitan area to have hosted, at least once, each of the signature events listed below:

• NFL Draft (2018) • NHL Draft (2018) • NCAA Women’s Final Four (2017) • WWE WrestleMania (2016) • CFP National Championship (2015) • NCAA Men’s Final Four (1986, 2014) • MLB World Series (2010, 2011) • NBA Finals (2006, 2011) • NFL Super Bowl (2011) • NBA All-Star Game (1986, 2010) • NHL All-Star Game (2007) • NHL Stanley Cup Final (1999, 2000) • MLB All-Star Game (1995) • FIFA World Cup (1994)

2015 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

BIG WINS HAPPEN HERE

“The Dallas Sports Commission, city of Arlington, and Dallas Cowboys did an incredible job hosting WWE and fans from around the world at AT&T Stadium and throughout North Texas for our annual pop-culture extravaganza, WrestleMania. The record-setting event was universally praised and your region’s leadership played a key role in our success.”

VINCE MCMAHON

WWE Chairman & CEO

HOSTED INAUGURAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP Fans clamored for it for years and finally received what they forever longed for – a true playoff system for major college football. With the birth of the College Football Playoff, Dallas became college football's ground zero. Not only was our region selected to house the CFP headquarters, but AT&T Stadium hosted the first-ever national championship game where No. 4 seed Ohio State upset No. 2 Oregon, 42-20.

SET NCAA WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR RECORDS Leave it to Dallas to take a great event and make it spectacular. That’s what happened with the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four, which many would argue outshined the men’s championship that season. From major upsets to last-second buzzer beaters to a record-number of fans in attendance and watching on television, the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four in Dallas remains the sport’s gold-standard.

EXPANDED INTO NON-SPORTS COMPETITIONS Competition doesn’t have to exclusively mean sports. When the Dallas Sports Commission takes on competitions, we still believe in doing it big and doing it well. Just look at the Dallas Regional Spelling Bee for example. In our first year hosting the Golden Chick Dallas Regional Spelling Bee, Dallas’ representative in the national competition advanced to the fifth round. Since then, Dallas representatives have claimed victory in the 2018 and 2019 national competitions.

YEARS OF MILESTONES & MEMORIES

October 2019 ushered in a celebration of five years of the Dallas Sports Commission serving the Dallas region. Our impact continues to be far-reaching, from the very elite level of professional sports to events that tug at the heartstrings like the National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Our diverse roster of events provides entertainment and athletics opportunities for all Dallas-area residents, whether you’re huge into football or eSports, rodeo or boxing, softball or spelling. But don’t just take our word for it. Check out some of our best milestones and memories from our first five years!

CONTINUE TO FILL DOWNTOWN HOTELS & RESTAURANTS While the convention business is booming, no events take over downtown Dallas like youth volleyball and cheerleading/dance events we host annually at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The National Cheerleaders Association’s two events in 2019 brought more than 77,000 people to downtown Dallas, for an economic impact of more than $50 million.

GROWING OUR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS The Dallas Sports Commission could not reach such astonishing levels of accomplishment on an annual basis without the extraordinary level of commitment to and cooperation with its regional partners, whose exquisite venues, sports complexes, facilities, and genuine hospitality help make the Dallas region America’s Premier Sports Destination.

GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY The Dallas Sports Commission is committed to supporting those who support us. The Dallas community continues to help make the Dallas Sports Commission and its events successful, and we are committed to continuing to provide events, activities, educational opportunities, and other community initiatives that help to improve quality of life for everyone who calls Dallas home.

BIG WINS HAPPEN HERE

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE Meet The Dallas You Never Knew Existed 22

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

EXPECT

Welcome to Dallas, where a world of possibilities awaits you. As you peel away the layers, you discover the heart of a vast, dynamic Metroplex of nearly 10,000 square miles. That’s bigger than the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined! While in Dallas, you’ll find that we’re just a little more than any other major American city, ranging from the chic to the classical, from the extravagant to the quaint, and from the opulent to the affordable. No matter your preference nor your palette and no matter your budget nor your background, you’ll find what you’re looking for in Dallas. So when you’re ready to make a decision on where to bring your next event, take a moment to dig a little deeper. In Dallas, we will welcome you and your guests with open arms and our trademarked Texas hospitality, and we’ll do everything with just a little more than you might have expected. More to do. More to see. More to play. More to stay. In Dallas, there’s just a little bit more than meets the eye.

“It’s so impressive to see the way our hospitality community comes together for a big event. The service and attention to detail they provide is what helps make Dallas the best sports destination in the country.”

GINGER LIVELY-CADE Director of Sales, Dallas Sports Commission

"Every time you receive a ‘thank you’ is extremely rewarding. We strive to make people feel at home when they're in Dallas. It’s a proud moment when you can have that effect on people and they are able to have such a great personal and family experience in our city."

LIKE HOME

ANDREW DOCKRILL Event Manager, Dallas Sports Commision

“The way that Dallas is able to engage the entire community around the events they bring is impressive. They do it right, and when you come to Dallas as an event, they make you feel like a big fish.”

LINDA LOGAN

Executive Director, Greater Columbus Sports Commission

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

FACILITIES When you arrive in Dallas you will be mesmerized by the facilities. Dallas is home to some of the world’s leading venues capable of hosting any event of any size. If our facilities seem sprawling and massive, it’s for great reason. Dallas supports its sporting events like no other city. Whether you’re talking about the largest cheerleading competition in the country or attendance and viewership records for the NCAA Men’s Final Four (semifinals attendance 79,444, championship game attendance 79,238, and total attendance 158,682), NCAA Women’s Final Four (most streamed women’s basketball championship game ever), NBA All-Star Game (all-time basketball record of 108,713), WWE WrestleMania (all-time attendance record of 101,763), DreamHack (Western Hemisphere record of over 30,000), an NFL regular-season record crowd (105,121 at AT&T Stadium), or a nearmiss with the Super Bowl (attended by 103,219 fans, just shy of the record of 103,985), just know Dallas has the facilities to support your event facility needs like no other city or region can.

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON CONVENTION CENTER

AT&T STADIUM

AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER

TOYOTA STADIUM

COTTON BOWL STADIUM

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON CONVENTION CENTER 1,000,000 square feet of adaptable space, one of the largest convention centers in the country

AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER 19,200+ seat arena in downtown Dallas, home to the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, along with many other major events and concerts

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

FAIR PARK & COTTON BOWL STADIUM Fair Park covers 277 acres that feature cultural, educational, and sports facilities, including Cotton Bowl Stadium, a historic outdoor natural grass stadium with seating capacity of more than 90,000 30

MONEYGRAM SOCCER PARK 120-acre, 19-field natural grass soccer complex deep in the heart of Dallas

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

KIEST PARK 263-acre complex featuring 8 softball fields plus soccer, tennis courts, and sand volleyball

TRINITY FOREST GOLF CLUB 18 hole golf course which opened in 2016 and became the new home of the PGA's AT&T Byron Nelson Golf Tournament MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

FORD CENTER AT THE STAR The Star is headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys and includes a 12,000 seat indoor multi-purpose facility for sporting events and a larger capacity for concerts and meetings

AT&T STADIUM State-of-the-art home of the Dallas Cowboys and other premier events such as major sports championships, international soccer, and other worldclass sports and entertainment events

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

TOYOTA STADIUM 20,500 seat natural grass stadium, home to FC Dallas, the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and 17-field Toyota Soccer Center

SMU Athletic facilities include multi-purpose arena that seats 7,000, turf football stadium with a capacity of 32,000, and other indoor and outdoor facilities for sports such as track and field, soccer, tennis, aquatics, and more

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

GLOBE LIFE FIELD, GLOBE LIFE PARK Globe Life Field will open in April 2020 as the new home of the Texas Rangers; Globe Life Park will continue to exist as home of the XFLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dallas Renegades; both stadiums will also host other major sporting events and concerts 38

ESPORTS STADIUM ARLINGTON The largest eSports stadium in the country with more than 90,000 square feet of event space and the most cutting-edge custom LED setups in the world

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Dallas has a variety of accommodations to make any event of any size a Big Win. Hospitality is one of our major industries, so no matter the event nor the occasion, Dallas is ready to serve you with accommodations featuring more than 87,000 total rooms within your pick of budget, boutique, and luxury hotels. And don’t forget about our transportation infrastructure. We make getting around our city extremely easy with many different transportation options — ranging from trains to buses to streetcars and even scooters — upon which you can explore the city.

2 14,500+ DOWNTOWN ROOMS Downtown Dallas has hotels that are famous, fabulous, and luxurious. And just as important, we have thousands of rooms available in walkable settings, meaning you can not only stay in historic downtown Dallas, but also quickly walk to dining options and entertainment venues.

87,000+ TOTAL ROOMS

25 RECENTLY OPENED HOTELS

Looking for budget or boutique? Downtown or the mid-cities? Room blocks for 100 or a block for 10,000? Whatever your need, Dallas’ constantly growing inventory of hotel rooms is large and dynamic enough to meet your demand. And with hotels of all kinds spread throughout the region, you will always have options near your event venues.

The Dallas region ranks among the nation’s leaders in building new hotels, and nothing seems to be stopping that trend anytime soon. In 2019, our region ranked third nationally in new hotel construction, trailing only New York and Orlando.

"Through additional support from the TPID, I've enjoyed seeing the Dallas Sports Commission impact our entire community by successfully hosting events such as soccer, bowling, and boxing that might otherwise have chosen a different destination without the support from the DSC. So whether you're downtown or farther out in the community, your experience in Dallas will be an outstanding one if you're working with the DSC."

GREG WHITE

General Manager, The Westin Galleria Dallas

A PLACE FOR EVERYONE

EXPLORE DALLAS

The Dallas Sports Commission's turnkey concierge services will help find the best place for your event. But we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop there. Once we help you determine where you will stay, we will assist you with identifying restaurant and entertainment options that fit your event budget. We can also provide additional deals and discounts throughout the city for your attendees.

Want to get out on your own? There are several ways you can explore the city. Dallas is home to about 13,000 electric scooters offered by various operators. These personal transportation vehicles can get you quickly around the downtown area and will let you explore the city at your own pace. You can also get around using any of the major rideshare companies, including Uber.

5 CONVENIENT TRAVEL WITH DART Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) provides access to every entertainment district in Dallas and the 13 cities in the DFW area, along with easy access to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

“People who come to Dallas for major events can really make a weekend or a week out of it. There's so much to do. We encourage visitors to explore what our great city has to offer.” LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission

PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE

Saying Dallas has something for everyone is no overstatement. Looking for family recreation? We have one-of-a-kind nature and science excursions. Enjoy the arts? The Dallas Arts District is world renowned, spanning 19 city blocks. Sports fan? It's likely that at least one of our professional or college sports teams is in season. Ready for an outdoor adventure? Dallas has more than 350 parks, 160 miles of hiking trails, and warm weather throughout the year. And we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even discussed Dallas' unique shopping experiences!

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

“One thing you have to consider when you have events with 30,000 people, 40,000 people, 50,000 people – where are people going to eat? Dallas has done a great job in expanding the number of restaurants in the downtown area and especially adjacent to the Omni and the convention center. There are now a significant number of restaurants and hotels in close proximity to the venue. And the West End is a bonus.”

GLEN LIETZKE

Executive Director, Mizuno Lone Star Classic

You’ll need to extend your trip a bit longer if you’re going to try to take in all of Dallas’ seemingly endless options for savory dining. You might think Dallas is all about TexMex and barbecue, and you would be right. But Dallas also dishes out its share of Southwestern cuisine from some of the more notable chefs in the country. You can also go in search of the best chicken fried steak and not come away disappointed. And speaking of steaks, Dallas has some of the country’s best steakhouses, whether or not you enjoy your steak with that famous Texas topping of garlic butter. But it’s not just about the cuisine. Our region is known for its craft beer community, and Dallas is home to the frozen margarita (the original machine can be found at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History). Don’t think Dallas takes that seriously? Check out the Margarita Mile for Dallas’ best and most brazen margaritas.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

The Dallas Arts District is a dynamic destination for visitors, powered by the imagination of local and international visual and performing arts. In fact, in Dallas you will find the largest contiguous urban arts district in the country. Start your visit in the center of the Dallas Arts District (thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s several museums with free admission) before venturing out into other neighborhoods. Dallas also boasts a number of cultural venues, including Moody Performance Hall, Majestic Theatre, Meyerson Symphony Center, Bath House Cultural Center, Latino Cultural Center, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, South Dallas Cultural Center, and Juanita Craft House. So from galleries in the Bishop Arts District to street art in Deep Ellum to public art artists scattered throughout, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something for everyone to enjoy in every corner of the city.

ANITA MARTINEZ BALLET FOLKLORICO

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dallas is such a vibrant community with so many diverse types of people with so many ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The Dallas Sports Commission proudly embraces our role in hosting a wide variety of diverse events that will appeal to all of our residents.â&#x20AC;? GINGER LIVELY-CADE

Director of Sales, Dallas Sports Commission

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

CROW COLLECTION OF ASIAN ART

“In Dallas, both the athletes and the fans are very diverse and reflect the composition of our community. Diversity is one of the great advantages of our city, and the events that the Dallas Sports Commission brings to our community support that diversity.”

RAFAEL ANCHIA

Texas State Representative, Dallas Sports Commission Board Member

DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATER

If diverse cities comprise a rich tapestry of many different cultures, religions, and lifestyles, count Dallas as one of most richly diverse cities in the country. Dallas, which in 2019 ranked as one of the country’s five most diverse cities, exemplifies a vast melting pot of socioeconomic diversity, cultural diversity, economic diversity, household diversity, and religious diversity. In Dallas, we come together to celebrate our differences. This important convergence of uniqueness and differences is reflected throughout the sights and sounds of the city. Dallas’ authentic arts, music, food, places of worship, historic landmarks, and urban lifestyle all contribute to the city’s makeup, and we wouldn't want it any other way. MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

“We have some of the best venues. We have a central location with two major airports. We have hotel accommodations and transportation options. And you can’t put a value on Texas hospitality and making sure that shines through when visitors are here.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS

Hearing the familiar "Howdy Folks" booming from the iconic 55-foot-tall Big Tex as he welcomes more than 2 million people annually to The State Fair of Texas, the country’s largest state fair, demonstrates our world-renowned Texas hospitality. Sure, we always try to do things bigger and better, and that also goes for our over-the-top hospitality. Whether that’s offering up a Texas-sized thank you to all of the athletes, families, and attendees visiting our city or unleashing our most-hospitable team of volunteers on your event just to make sure you have everything you need and your event is running at maximum efficiency, we strive to ensure that everyone who leaves our city does so with the intent of coming back soon. And when you do return to Dallas, we’ll be here to welcome you back with open arms and plenty of our trademarked Texas hospitality in tow.

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

5 BIG YEARS A Look Back At How It All Began And How We Got To Today 52

5 BIG YEARS

BIRTH OF THE DSC

The Dallas Sports Commission wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t suddenly created out of spontaneity. There had long been a need for a stand-alone sports tourism body representing the city and the region. But getting there was a long, arduous process that took on many forms over a period of nearly three decades. Various well-meaning groups attempted to meld together the numerous partners that it would take to pull off such a political feat. But after years of starts and stops, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until a determined group of like-minded individuals stepped up and, through sheer will and determination and the backing of some very important allies, brought the Dallas Sports Commission into fruition.

“She’s (Monica Paul) a force to be reckoned with when she sets her sights on something. She is resourceful and tenacious. And because of that we started landing the big fish as far as events go.”

DAVE BROWN

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, COO & GM, American Airlines Center

“We started off with a staff of five full-time people, much smaller than most major city sports commissions. But if there’s a will, there’s a way, and we were able to perform at a very high level despite being small.”

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission

“Monica was the brains behind the operation, and still is. She had a great reputation inside the sports tourism industry, and she produced events herself. She put order to the chaos and made it happen through sheer will.”

TARA GREEN

Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission, Principal of Program Development, OJB Landscape 5 BIG YEARS Architecture

THROUGH THE YEARS AN ORAL HISTORY OF HOW THE DSC WAS FORMED THE KEY PLAYERS

DAVE BROWN

CHAIRMAN OF CVB BOARD WHEN THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED, CURRENT DSC BOARD MEMBER, CURRENT COO & GM AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER

TARA GREEN

FORMER VP OF SPORTS MARKETING FOR THE DALLAS CVB, CURRENT DSC BOARD MEMBER

MONICA PAUL

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION

PHILLIP JONES

SERVED AS CEO OF DALLAS CVB/ VISITDALLAS WHEN THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED

GINGER LIVELY-CADE

LONGTIME DALLAS CVB EMPLOYEE, CURRENT DIRECTOR OF SALES FOR THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION

DFWRSC was funded by the seven regional CVBs, with the Dallas CVB providing a majority of the financial and staff support. Mike Baggett served as Chair of the Board with Troy Mathieu briefly serving as its Executive Director. Upon Mr. Mathieu's departure, all duties and event obligations incurred through the DFWRSC were performed by the DCVB Sports Marketing Department. The DFWRSC eventually recruited and supported the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling (Dallas) and Triathlon (Dallas and Irving), the USA Weightlifting World Team Trials (Irving), and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Cycling (Plano). The DFWRSC also marketed the region to various USOC National Governing Bodies as the preferred destination to host other national competition. The launch of the Dallas Sports Commission was no small feat. It took years of political maneuvering, successes and failures, and the involvement of a number of important players. The following is an oral history of how the Dallas Sports Commission came to be, in the words of those involved in the process. BACKGROUND: Dallas tried many times to establish a sports commission around many different initiatives and utilizing many different funding structures, finding some success but also some failures. Initially, the Dallas International Sports Commission (DISC) was an initiative of former Mayor Annette Strauss, who decided to create a new sports commission in 1989. She recruited Frito-Lay Chief Executive Officer Michael Jordan to organize the new agency. DISC’s main goal was to put Dallas on the map in the highly competitive and lucrative national amateur sports field. The organization disbanded in 1996 following a very successful 1994 World Cup. Next, the Mayor’s Council was formed as an initiative by former Mayor Ron Kirk to bring major sports events to Dallas. With the disbanding of DISC in 1996, a void was left in the recruitment of major events. From 1996-1999, the Mayor’s Council and the Dallas Convention & Visitor's Bureau (DCVB) recruited the Big 12 Basketball Championships and Football Championship Game for Dallas. Because the Mayor’s Council had no independent funding, the DCVB sports marketing staff supported the Mayor's Council. DCVB staff provided administrative leadership for the meetings under the guidance of Mayor Kirk. This group later evolved into the DFW Regional Sports Commission (DFWRSC), which was formed for the purpose of pursuing a bid for the 2012 Olympic Games and related Olympic competition.

In 2005, the DCVB Sports Marketing Ad Hoc Committee was formed as an Ad Hoc Committee of the DCVB Board. The Ad Hoc Committee gave the Sports Marketing Department a voice within the DCVB Board and provided support to the DCVB Sports Marketing staff in its event recruitment efforts.

ALAN WALNE, FORMER DALLAS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, CURRENT DSC BOARD MEMBER:

The many starts and stops were primarily a function of trying to figure out how a sports commission would fund itself. To totally come in as a new group you were going to need a lot of seed money. The starts and stops in the Dallas CVB were over the issues of how to measure room night accountability against the funding from the CVB while also realizing all of the additional value these events brought to the city – exposure at airports, radio, TV, and putting Dallas on the map as a true sports city.

TARA GREEN:

We were trying to look at the whole value of the sports business and how to measure it. There was a lot of media value and it raised Dallas' profile as a sports destination. AT&T Stadium was approved to be built. The Cowboys wanted a Super Bowl. The CVB had a role to play. I ultimately resigned

5 BIG YEARS

my position with the Dallas CVB to be the COO of the Super Bowl Host Committee. There was so much work to be done on a regional basis in bringing together all of the venues that were needed, the transportation, hospitality, volunteers, ops, and logistics. It was a difficult, yet thorough

MEANWHILE, AFTER TARA LEFT THE DCVB THERE WAS AN IMPORTANT OPENING THAT NEEDED TO BE FILLED… GINGER LIVELY-CADE:

When Tara left the Sports Marketing Department, we put together a national search. We attracted a great list of candidates, and it came down to two individuals who were very different. We talked to Monica at a trade show. She was working for USA Taekwondo at the time but had a ton of event experience through USA Volleyball and some of the other organizations she worked for previously. I can remember to this day sitting down with her in those bleachers and talking about the position with her. I remember thinking and telling her she would be good at it because of her connections and her knowledge of the event side. I told her she would never have to work that hard or travel that much again.

MONICA PAUL:

I knew there was a job opening in Dallas. I was at a Connect Sports Conference in Pittsburgh, and Ginger and I went and sat together in some old bleachers at the convention center to discuss the job and whether I might be interested. I should have known that she was a stellar salesperson back then ... she told me I would never have to work that hard again and that the months of June to August were a slow time. Ha! Where has this slow time been? I’m still waiting on it.

GINGER LIVELY-CADE: Phillip Jones recognized Monica's connections

within the sports community. She brought a new perspective to the department. Her connections, drive, strategic mind, and focus – she is very targeted with goals. I knew the CVB world and she knew events … and she’s never worked harder in her life!

MONICA PAUL: After

the convention I called some people that I considered friends within the sports industry, those who worked for other sports tourism destinations. I specifically remember Vince Trinidad, who has worked for both Tulsa and Tucson, telling me that I could handle the job and to “just be you” and “remain humble” in everything you do. So I applied. I’m not sure I’d ever been so excited yet so nervous all at the same time.

TARA GREEN:

Just knowing Monica as a client of ours at the CVB,

I believed she could bring a dynamic skill set that the Sports Marketing Department and the CVB didn’t have.

MONICA PAUL: I can remember this being the first job whose potential I

was really excited about. I was invigorated with a sense of excitement and a real desire to get it. It was going to be a challenge, but it also was a way for me to get back to my Texas roots and be a bit closer to family. I remember being confident, but there was always a doubt because I knew that there was a talented pool of others also wanting the job, some who had worked directly in the sports tourism space. My first interview was with Dave Brown and Tara Green and then a one-on-one with Phillip Jones.

basketball. We bid on the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championships and the NCAA Regionals for 2011.

DAVE BROWN: From the beginning, I thought she was an outstanding candidate for Dallas.

MONICA PAUL: Dave caught me off guard with one of his first interview

questions ... “What are the two Mexican food restaurants in Caldwell, Texas?” I guess that was one way of breaking the ice but it put me into a tizzy. Caldwell is my hometown, but I could only remember one of the Mexican food restaurants. I figured I was coming out of the gate batting 50% which wasn’t that good. His only other big question was whether I could sell. Not sure I would call my approach sales, but I’m pretty good at relationships and win-win partnerships. I found out many years down the road I wasn’t Dave’s top choice for the job, but that was probably because of our Longhorn - Aggie rivalry. Hopefully I have proven to him that he might have been wrong on that one.

DAVE BROWN: There was never a doubt in my mind. I was sold on Monica during the interview process, even if she is a Longhorn.

MONICA PAUL: I can remember sitting by the phone waiting on Sherry

(HR Director) hoping she would call with good news. Long story short, that call eventually came and I was offered the job and accepted. I moved to Dallas on December 29, 2008. The role was the Director of Sports Marketing inside the CVB. My very first day on the job I spent in an empty office due to the holidays, looking through old bid books, followed by my very first Cotton Bowl Classic event. Over the next year, we began preparing for the NBA All-Star Game, and the Super Bowl Host Committee was busy putting that puzzle together. Our main focus in 2009 was to keep getting events that would increase room nights. We began putting our own pieces together and exceeded goals year-over-year. When I first arrived in Dallas, I also heard some rumblings that the Men’s Final Four was awarded to Dallas, but the bid for the Women’s Final Four wasn't as fortunate. It was at that point in early 2009 that we committed to really working to establish Dallas as a host for women’s

Also in 2009, AT&T Stadium opened and the Cotton Bowl Classic moved to Arlington from Fair Park. The addition of AT&T Stadium was a central driver for our sports business and really helped establish Dallas as a premier sports destination for events. In 2010, the NBA All-Star Game came to Dallas and we functioned as part of the Local Organizing Committee with the Dallas Mavericks staff and really started to develop strong relationships on an operational basis, not only within Dallas but in Arlington as well.

GINGER LIVELY-CADE: During those big events, much of the operational

work was still done by our Dallas CVB staff. That just made us want a bigger piece of the pie. We slowly started increasing services and what we wanted to offer our clients. We didn’t have a lot of money or incentives to offer, so

MONICA PAUL: I quickly realized our budget was peanuts compared to

other sports commissions and there was only three of us on staff. We were all going to have to come together in an impressive fashion to pull off some of these events we bid for.

AS MONICA AND HER STAFF BEGAN TO HIT THEIR STRIDE, THE SUBJECT OF DEVELOPING A SPORTS COMMISSION FOR THE REGION CONTINUED TO COME UP … TARA GREEN: Over the years a lot of people stepped up and said they

wanted to create a sports commission, but there was no real champion who could make it happen. There was money left after the Super Bowl and we, as the Super Bowl Host Committee, tried to form a group to attract more big events like the Super Bowl. We really wanted to go forward as a standalone organization. 5 BIG YEARS

MONICA PAUL:

After the Super Bowl in 2011, we hosted some other smaller events on our own, but people continually came to us and asked for assistance with community assets and access to city departments. We knew the procedures, had the networks, and knew what needed to be done as it related to getting branding and awareness assets within the city and on light poles. We had the relationships with the ancillary event venues and the different vendors within the city to get things done. We continued to build a base and a platform and essentially operated as a Local Organizing Committee for many events. After the Super Bowl in 2011, there was money left from the organizing committee and a motivation to use it to form a sports commission. Those plans didn’t work out, which meant there was still a void for the city and region in having that continuity that other cities had already mastered. We saw that locally, cities were still focused individually while needing a regional focus in certain instances.

JOE ALBSMEYER, LONGTIME DALLAS CVB EMPLOYEE, DSC DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: As just a

department within VisitDallas, we filled a number of LOC roles leading up to the 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four with really no money or resources. We created a great partnership with the Cowboys and AT&T Stadium, and we proved we could tie together hospitality services and logistics services and do it within the various areas in the region. It just increased our desire to go forward as a stand-alone organization.

DAVE BROWN: I came on as Chair of the VisitDallas Board of Directors

in October 2013. As an incoming Chair, you typically make public your goals for the upcoming term. One of three goals I had for the organization, and my major agenda item as the Chair of VisitDallas, was to develop a sports commission for the region and make it happen during my term as Chair.

GINGER LIVELY-CADE:

No group was going to get anywhere until it could demonstrate a true region-wide effort with a staff in place that could also run the events. When Monica stepped in, she was culture-focused. She bridged the gaps. Gone were the threats seen by Arlington and Fort Worth. We had already been doing the heavy lifting and were able to work with

the Cowboys. We had also developed great relationships with Frisco and Arlington.

JOE ALBSMEYER:

After the work we did with the Men’s Final Four, groups started to come to us for future event bids.

GINGER LIVELY-CADE: We

had to have an entity that presented a united front with Arlington and Fort Worth. That was a huge issue for many of the early groups.

MONICA PAUL:

I still wasn’t sure that Phillip would want to create a sports commission, even after the successful experience of the Men’s Final Four. His idea of a sports commission and mine were very different. There was still the struggle of internal and external expectations. When you say you are a sports commission, that can mean a lot of different things, from operating events to bringing in revenue to having an expert staff that can work directly with events rights holders to simply being a voice for sports in the community. Internally, the mindset was still all about room nights. We had to figure out how to be able to put a value on everything we provided the city. It’s easy to count room nights. That is the fundamental difference in my belief versus a typical CVB mindset. Remember, I was a client first and came from the side of running sports events and dealing with CVBs and sports commissions in the past with the only questions coming from CVBs being about room nights — without a care in the world if the event was successful. Rarely did anyone from the city show up, and there definitely wasn’t someone that was actually going to help. There were numerous times while discussing

the formation of a sports commission, and even times once it was already formed, that I just wanted to walk away. But if we could not provide that extra service to our rights holders and help them make the events they brought to Dallas be the best they could be, we wouldn’t stand out among other sports commissions nationwide bidding for these same events.

JOE ALBSMEYER: There were three of us at the beginning – me, Ginger,

TARA GREEN: Monica had the gravitas to tell people "this is how it’s going

You look back now and it seems ridiculous why we had to fight so hard to be the ones to become the Dallas Sports Commission. We learned from the Men’s Final Four and the Super Bowl. I didn’t realize just how much we were experts within our own city and region. We truly did know our city and region better, from how to deal with the city departments to the hospitality to the transportation and everything else. We took the approach from then on to provide these services as a huge added value for events coming in. We learned to share experiences and develop best practices. We had high standards!

to be." Monica was so wise to demand that we were forming in Dallas as the Dallas Sports Commission — and it was going to be the body not only for Dallas but also representing the entire region. The CVB eventually stood behind it. And with all of the other regional partners, there was a realization that this was the best way for all of them to move forward.

GINGER LIVELY-CADE:

Monica ultimately made the decision with Phillip after many conversations. All previous attempts at developing a sports commission were regional efforts, but when the work came, it was all on us in Dallas to make it work. Once we decided it was going to be Dallas as the lead and not the region, we wanted to make sure we didn’t upset the regional partners like Frisco and Arlington and Plano. Monica and Philip were the driving forces in organizing the group.

DAVE BROWN:

I really didn’t expect it to take a year. We had an organizational structure and a great leader in Monica. It was about expanding what the existing group did and having the team taking on more responsibility on the biggest events. There was no pushback, but we had to get it right. This was going to be another announcement of a sports commission in Dallas. We couldn't have another failed attempt.

BUT JUST BECAUSE MONICA AND HER GROUP DECIDED TO FORM A SPORTS COMMISSION ON THEIR OWN DIDN’T MEAN THERE WERE NOT DIFFICULTIES ALONG THE WAY …

and Monica. When it was just three people, we all wore a lot of hats, and we still do today. I was doing marketing and PR as well as selling and servicing clients. We all had to take an all-hands-on-deck approach for every event. No matter what our title was, we all did a little bit of everything.

GINGER LIVELY-CADE: During the transition, just having a structure in

place allowed us to go after events. We were already becoming the quasi sports commission. With the framework we had, we were winning a lot of bids. But in turn, that was becoming taxing and strenuous on the small staff we had because we had to uphold the high standards we held ourselves to. Bids for some of the biggest national events were all coming due at the same time. Previously, we worked on the bids but didn’t operate the events. Now we were, for the first time, doing events from start to finish, including sales and operations. We got what we asked for in that we were able to win a lot of bids for events to come to Dallas, but we quickly saw that we didn’t have the staff to fulfill those events.

MONICA PAUL:

With limited resources, we were a lean operation. We had to figure out the most efficient way to get things done, and we accomplished it. It didn't matter what your title was. The Sales Team helped execute events, and everyone on staff was always selling, making sure event attendees were having a good time, ensuring that the events were going off without any issues, and encouraging people to enjoy everything Dallas had to offer. I believe that Sales needs to be involved in the execution of events and Marketing needs to be an integral part of the bid process. The relationships developed during the sales process are ones relied upon all the way through the event. This was a new way to look at our role as a sports commission. This was more than a “rebrand.” 5 BIG YEARS

By 2014 we were slowly changing. We were adding additional staff and support. We were focusing on increasing awareness of Dallas as a sports destination. We were bringing in the smaller events that really keep you going on a monthly and annual basis. We needed to continue to enhance our role as to what we could provide to events that came to Dallas.

LARRY KELLY, DSC DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS: I came in at the end of the lead-up to an announcement of the new Dallas Sports Commission, about one month before the announcement. A lot of the foundation was laid by then. But it was important to prepare to get the word out locally, regionally, and nationally about transitioning to a sports commission, as events rights holders were wanting more and more to work with a single organization, especially as they saw that our organization had more event execution expertise than any group in the city.

ALAN WALNE: If this was going to happen, one of the stipulations that

the CVB had was to show and track where money spent for the Dallas Sports Commission would come from. But in addition to that, Monica was able to demonstrate other ancillary values the Sports Commission could bring, such as putting Dallas on the map as a sports destination and all the exposure we would continue to get through media. These were additional benefits the Sports Commission offered Dallas, in addition to the number of big events Monica’s team brought to Dallas – that never happened before. Monica was the quarterback for that whole thing. That’s what she offers.

JOE ALBSMEYER: We kind of took charge ourselves. We were already

providing services without having the official name or title. We also knew that others would try to fill the space if we didn’t act. People began to expect things from us, and there was a definite need for the services we were providing with the College Football Playoff and WrestleMania bids coming up. If we didn’t fill the role, others would.

CHERYL RICHARDS, SVP, CHIEF DIVERSITY & INCLUSION OFFICER, VISITDALLAS:

To the outside visitor or those looking to bring events to our area, they don’t know where the Dallas lines begin and end, so to them it’s all Dallas. And that was Monica’s biggest point. If it’s good for the region, let’s work to make it happen and let’s all win from it. So in order to make it work for the region, we all have to work together, and Monica did a great job building and nurturing those relationships throughout the DFW region.

FINALLY, IT WAS TIME TO INTRODUCE THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION TO THE WORLD … DAVE BROWN: We actually launched as a brand in October 2014. It was

a year-long effort to bring everything together and properly launch. We had an organization in the VisitDallas Sports Marketing Department with a successful track record. All we had to do was rebrand it. It was there for the

LARRY KELLY: We hit the ground running on October 30, 2014, and we haven’t stopped since. One of the important parts of our early vision was to position the city of Dallas as the premier sports destination in the country.

DAVE BROWN: There was momentum already there. The announcement

of the Dallas Sports Commission was the confirmation that Dallas had arrived on the sports scene in full force. The hard work had paid off. And it was much to Monica’s doing. Then-Mayor Mike Rawlings was supportive and has always been there for us. He was very supportive when we announced. And these things can be very political, but we didn’t let that get in the way. And he remained supportive of us throughout his term as Mayor and still supports us to this day.

GINGER LIVELY-CADE: Our

logistical advantage allowed us to get some bids in with a unified voice. The Women’s Final Four bid was a perfect example. Right after our announcement we learned that we landed the bid for the NCAA Women’s Final Four in 2017, and it was because of the continuity we displayed throughout the process.

JOE ALBSMEYER:

validated everything.

During the early days, we knew a lot more eyes were on us with the College Football Playoff championship game, the Big 12 football championship game, the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, and bidding on future NCAA championship events. There was internal pressure to perform right away, knowing the history of Dallas and how many attempts at establishing a sports commission didn’t work. And we still had to sell hotel rooms just like a CVB did. We didn’t want to be another one that didn’t work out.

LARRY KELLY: Our first Big Win was the 2017 Women’s Final Four. We

GINGER LIVELY-CADE: After winning the Women's Final Four bid in late

DAVE BROWN: When we were awarded the Women’s Final Four, it just

found out in November 2014, right after we announced our formation. It felt great because previously Dallas had bid for the event and was not successful in the bid. To go back with a stronger desire and a will to win that turned out successful was very gratifying.

2014, the first major event we fully executed as the Dallas Sports Commission was WrestleMania in 2016. There were some sleepless nights, I can assure you. Some long hours, but in the end, all our hard work came together, and we executed a huge week-long event and did it very successfully. It was well worth it because we proved we could execute, and everything we always knew and believed about ourselves as a group was validated. There were no middlemen. We did it, and the WWE was ecstatic about the results.

JOE ALBSMEYER: Even though we were still doing all the same things

as before, I remember feeling a great deal of pride about accomplishing things under our own logo and establishing our own brand. After our official launch locally, we did a brand launch with Tony Dorsett at a national trade event in Pittsburgh. It was a huge party. Everyone in our industry knew us, but at that time being able to present the Dallas Sports Commission brand to our peers was really a proud moment, and we haven't let up since then.

MONICA PAUL: Getting the Women’s Final Four was so special to all of

us. It was the first major national event we won in the bid process as a sports commission. We handled all of the elements, including the site visit and the presentation. It was our first major win as the Dallas Sports Commission. Then in 2017 we executed. We had a sellout. It was a memorable event locally and nationally, and we put our stamp on it. Everyone took great pride in that event, and so many people played a role in its success. But once we were awarded the event, we couldn’t just sit back and celebrate. We had to keep churning to keep the events coming. We bid on many major events, and we also had to have an array of other events that were what really kept us going and created the consistent impact from a city standpoint. 5 BIG YEARS

AFTER THE LAUNCH “From the outside looking in, you saw a number of different organizations, whether it was part of the CVB or if there was a group trying to do it on their own, or maybe there was a collective effort by some of the cities to get something off the ground. I was very fond of a lot of those people trying to advance the efforts, but once Monica’s group took over, it was advanced to another level. I think that had to do with a lot more buy-in from the community, which also came with it more consistent funding and support.”

LINDA LOGAN

Executive Director, Greater Columbus Sports Commission

"The Dallas Sports Commission came at the right time and place because of the right leadership with Monica and her exceptionally talented team leading the charge. Also, Monica surrounded herself with great visionaries and leaders, including Dave Brown."

RICK BAKER

President/CEO, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic 64

“When people come to our region and have a great time and an outstanding experience, that is a value we have provided for Dallas because it’s extremely likely that they will be back.”

“It was just a matter of time before the talented team in Dallas launched their sports commission. I remember seeing how proud the team was and how great the logo looked when it first launched. Seeing the Dallas Sports Commission become as successful as it has become is no surprise to me. There is a dedicated team, a supportive hospitality community that gets it, and passionate leadership.”

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

PATRICK HIGGINS Vice President, Connect Meetings

“This is a marquee organization that brings major sporting events to Dallas and the region. They have a wealth of knowledge and have compiled some major accomplishments in just a few short years. They are a network for major events, but still are able to fill a bulk of the sports calendar with smaller events and annual events that Dallas calls home. These are really the consistent events that allow them to continue to be successful year after year, and Monica is smart enough to know that you have to have these in place while you are chasing the major events so that you can continue to operate on a day-to-day, month-to-month, and year-to-year basis.”

TARA GREEN

Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission, Principal of Program Development, OJB Landscape Architecture 5 BIG YEARS

5th Largest

media market in the u.s.

19,200+ CAPACITY DOWNTOWN SPORTS ARENA

WHY DALLAS?

Dallas is a convenient and affordable destination with a championship pedigree that elevates every experience. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve truly joined the Big Leagues when you team up with Dallas!

everything you need to make your event exceptional So you know about the venues, the market, and the hospitality Dallas has to offer, but what makes us really stand out is our ability to help turn your great events into WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCES for all involved while making you, the event operator, the superstar! NCAA MEN'S 1ST-2ND ROUNDS

“My experiences over the past 10 years have been extraordinary. The Dallas Sports Commission continually exceeds my expectations through its diligence and exceptional customer service.” MIKE DUHON, Executive Director Competition Operations, National Cheerleaders Association

PREMIER SUPERCOPA

Our Hospitality Services Are SecondTo-None

No Event Is Too Big Or Too Small

We Provide Extensive Event Marketing & Communications Services

We Provide Full-Service Event Management

5 BIG YEARS

THE FACES OF SPORTS

“Sports bring people together – people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and religious beliefs. If you’re an athlete, you’re an athlete. If you’re a sports fan, you’re a sports fan. And in that moment, that’s all that matters!” STEPHANIE EVANS, Event Manager, Dallas Sports Commission

5 BIG YEARS

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES It’s More Than Bringing Events, It’s About Providing Opportunities For Our Community 72

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

OUR PROMISE TO THE COMMUNITY Improving the quality of life of Dallas residents.

It’s not just a feel-good statement we make. It’s a commitment that we work hard to accomplish. The Dallas Sports Commission is committed to working directly with our major events like WWE WrestleMania, the NFL Super Bowl, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four, and the NFL Draft to execute their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives at local children’s hospitals, schools, and non-profits throughout our community. We also execute our own events that provide members of our community with experiences and opportunities they may otherwise not have access to, such as the Golden Chick Dallas Regional Spelling Bee, Cotton Bowl Stadium Prep Showcase, and MexTour Reading Program. As we continue to grow, we understand that we have a responsibility to not only position Dallas as the premier sports destination in the United States, but to also have a positive impact on the economy and quality of life of Dallas residents. "We are in the business of sports and entertainment; that is what we do," said Charlotte Jones Anderson, Chief Brand Officer of the Dallas Cowboys. "But when you think about why we do it, we take the visibility and interest in sports and entertainment and the magic it creates and transfer that energy into the more significant effort of making an impact on our community. It’s the memories we create through the experiences we provide that creates a legacy and makes a difference for years to come. The events will come and go, but their impact can create memories and a legacy that will last forever."

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The social impact that sporting events bring to our city is incredibly important, especially as it relates to quality of life. The fan festivals and the concerts and the clinics give people within the community opportunities to play sports and learn the game and meet and greet athletes, all of which are opportunities that some may have never received without sports.â&#x20AC;? TARA GREEN, Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission, Principal of Program Development, OJB Landscape Architecture

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

INSPIRING INSPIRATION It’s not very often when something so great, so meaningful, and so lifechanging occurs that it seems to suspend time and blur reality. But through sports, those opportunities occur more than any of us truly realize. It’s that amazing connection when time stands still and the draining pressures of life are lifted and replaced by an exuberant energy. It’s when the sadness of a diagnosis melts away in lieu of the warmth of a special relationship with a real-life hero. It’s when the one always picked last becomes the first priority. It’s when opportunity to make a difference drives true meaning in someone’s life. 76

We all love sports for our own unique reasons. But for some, they need sports. They need the inspiring inspirations that emanate from those who become sports heroes. Sometimes, it’s not only about what happens on the court or the field or the pitch or in the ring. Many times, usually shared in the background to ensure those cherished moments remain special, sports and their iconic figures flood the homes, the hospital rooms, and the hearts of those who could use a little inspiration. The following pages describe some of the ways the Dallas Sports Commission not only keeps its promises to the Dallas region — continually driving economic impact and delivering events that fill hotels, restaurants, and entertainment districts — but also demonstrates how some of those same events partner with the Dallas Sports Commission to inspire those in our community whose plight in life may be elevated, if only briefly, by just a little inspiration.

“Opportunities shouldn’t be determined by an ability to travel or an ability to buy season tickets. By doing the free concerts, fan fests, and the sports clinics alongside these major events that might not otherwise be affordable to everyone, we are able to bring everyone in to enjoy being a part of these major events. It’s something that we should do because it’s the right thing to do for the right reasons.” MARK CLAYTON

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, Former Dallas City Council Member

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

NCA SENIOR & JUNIOR HIGH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND ALL-STAR CHAMPIONSHIP One of the promises of the Dallas Sports Commission is to have a positive impact on our local economy, and the exciting events put on annually by the National Cheerleaders Association helps to accomplish just that. The NCA Senior and Junior High School National Championship, along with the AllStar National Championship, the largest cheerleading competition in the country, provided a combined economic impact of more than $50 million to the city of Dallas in 2019. 78

Hosted in Dallas since 1988, the NCA All-Star National Championship has grown to be the largest annual event that the Dallas Sports Commission hosts. Also the largest cheer competition in the world, All-Star Nationals has more than 1,300 teams that come from over 40 states and 10 countries. "Every year our events in Dallas get bigger and better. We always look forward to Dallas, as do the many visitors who come to this city annually to participate in our events," said Mike Duhon, Executive Director, Competition Operations for the National Cheerleaders Association.

“Every year is a win for NCA in Dallas. Each year the hotels, restaurants, and businesses of every kind welcome our group with open arms in an effort to make it the best possible experience for all attendees. The Dallas Sports Commission is such an integral part of our event, and it continues its support to make our event better, year in and year out.”

MIKE DUHON

Executive Director, Competition Operations, National Cheerleaders Association

77,000+

$50.2M

1400+

898,500*

ATHLETES & ATTENDEES

TEAMS PARTICIPATING

2019 IMPACT

ECONOMIC IMPACT

U.S. STATES REPRESENTED

SNAPCHAT FILTER VIEWS

COUNTRIES REPRESENTED * All-Star National Championship only

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

MIZUNO LONE STAR CLASSIC When downtown Dallas isn't teeming with spontaneous energy from tens of thousands of cheerleaders taking it over in the early spring, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re certain to find roaming groups of budding volleyball stars bouncing and spiking their way through our city. Much like the NCA event, the Mizuno Lone Star Classic provides a major impact on hotels, restaurants, food trucks, merchants, transportation companies, and entertainment facilities during its stay downtown. 80

The Mizuno Lone Star Classic is the second largest volleyball tournament in the world with more than 1,750 teams participating every April at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. As one of the largest of all USA Volleyball National Qualifiers, the Mizuno Lone Star Classic annually attracts tens of thousands of athletes, coaches, families, and fans, along with more than 80 college recruiters. With more than 58,000 in attendance utilizing more than 27,000 hotel rooms, the Mizuno Lone Star Classic provided an economic impact of more than $31.3 million in 2019.

2019 IMPACT

58,100+

1,750+

ATHLETES & ATTENDEES

TEAMS PARTICIPATING

$31.3M

121

ECONOMIC IMPACT

VOLLEYBALL COURTS IN THE KBHCC

80+

COLLEGES RECRUITING

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

U.S. STATES REPRESENTED

“We cannot be more grateful to the Dallas Sports Commission for its assistance and support of Dr Pepper Dallas Cup’s 40th Anniversary Tournament, particularly helping our Opening Day celebration be a huge success. Thanks to the Sports Commission, two of North America’s all-time greats in the sport, USA’s Landon Donovan and Mexico’s Luis Hernandez, were able to participate as Guests of Honor of the event. Landon and Luis delivered inspirational messages to the 5,000 athletes participating in Dr Pepper Dallas Cup’s 40th edition.”

ANDY SWIFT

Executive Director, Dr Pepper Dallas Cup

DR PEPPER DALLAS CUP Every Easter week, Dr Pepper Dallas Cup, the most prestigious youth soccer tournament in the U.S. and one of the top annual youth soccer tournaments across the globe, opens its arms to the soccer world. And each year it gets bigger, as youth teams and clubs from around the world descend on Dallas to participate in one of the most competitive tournaments in all of youth soccer. The tournament traditionally consists of approximately 40% international teams, 40% American teams outside of Dallas, and 20% Dallasarea teams. Each year more than 100,000 spectators watch teams from all over the world compete for the coveted Boot and Ball trophy.

As the elite youth soccer tournament in the country, Dr Pepper Dallas Cup makes a tremendous impact on the local region each year. In addition to the economic impact, Dallas-area residents are able to witness some of the top amateur soccer players in the world before they become stars. Based on the event's history, during any given year fans who attend Dr Pepper Dallas Cup matches figure to be watching future World Cup stars in action.

2019 IMPACT

$38.2M

900+

244

ECONOMIC IMPACT

INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS

TEAMS PARTICIPATED IN 10 AGE BRACKETS

1500+

200+

6,000+

VOLUNTEERS LOGGED MORE THAN 2,500 HOURS

ELITE REFEREES

PARTICIPANTS & SPECTATORS TRAVELED TO DALLAS BY AIR

Looking back at the worldwide soccer superstars who made their way through Dallas to take part in Dr Pepper Dallas Cup, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing to imagine just who graced the fields at Cotton Bowl Stadium, MoneyGram Soccer Park, Toyota Stadium, and other facilities hosting Dr Pepper Dallas Cup matches. Here are just a few:

Adam Lallana 2007

Adnan Januzaj 2013

Andrea Guardado 2000

Andrea Pirlo 1990

Chicharito 2004

Clint Dempsey 2001

David Beckham 1991

Edmilson 1995

Freddy Adu 2003

Guiseppe Rossi 2006

Jesse Lingard 2012

Jonathan Dos Santos 2001

Junihio 2015

Kieran Trippier 2009

Landon Donovan 1999

Mason Greenwood 2018

Michael Bradley 2003

Michael Owen 1992

Omar Gonzalez 2006

Paxton Pomykal 2018

Raul 1994

Ross Barkley 2012

Tahith Chong 2018

Wayne Rooney 1999

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

SLANT PROGRAM

NCAA BRACKET TOWN

REESE'S FINAL FOUR FRIDAY

NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR When big events come to Dallas, part of the lasting legacy they endeavor to leave behind involves the positive mark they made on the community during their stay in our region. The Dallas Sports Commission not only encourages these community initiatives, but it also helps to execute them by providing logistical support, volunteers, marketing, and other assets to make the events go as smoothly as possible. When the NCAA Men’s Final Four came to the Dallas region in 2014, the NCAA and Local Organizing Committee did a wonderful job of engaging the community and providing everyone that wanted a close-up experience with college basketball’s crown jewel an opportunity to have one. Not only did the Dallas region set an attendance record not likely to be broken (158,682 for the two-session attendance total), but it also demonstrated its love for the game through its participation in other ancillary events around the Final Four. As it relates to community initiatives, the NCAA Men’s Final Four in 2014 produced impressive numbers:

MARCH MADNESS MUSIC FESTIVAL

• 153,000 people attended Bracket Town presented by Capital One and the March Madness Music Festival • 2,900 youth participated in the Final Four Dribble • 21,500 fans attended the Reese’s Final Four Friday • 9,400 area children participated in the Service Learning Adventures in North Texas (SLANT) program, which promoted social responsibility through service learnings; the participants contributed more than 100,000 hours of community service • More than 2,500 volunteers were utilized during the 2014 Final Four, giving more than 34,000 hours of service FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

CHILDREN’S HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER VISIT

WWE WRESTLEMANIA 32 WEEK WrestleMania, the WWE’s annual pop-culture extravaganza, electrified AT&T Stadium on April 3, 2016, with an event-record crowd of 101,763 in 86

attendance. Fans from around the world watched in amazement as WWE Superstars — The Rock, Roman Reigns, The Undertaker, and Charlotte Flair — led an action-packed show. In the ramp-up to the big event, WWE WrestleMania Week itself consisted of many other events as the WWE made a lasting impact on our region through a myriad of community engagements and other sports entertainment events.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLAG FOOTBALL

“What was so amazing was seeing all of the WWE Superstars engaging with so much of the community three times a day for five days. They create so much goodwill and are the perfect picture of how to engage fans and the community.” JOE ALBSMEYER, Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE VISIT

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

BE A STAR RALLY

“When WWE was here with WrestleMania, our staff all had various areas we managed. I was assigned the Make-A-Wish event. Roman Reigns was so good. He would ask their names, hugged them, and never let up. I couldn’t quit crying during that whole experience. Just to see the light in the kids' eyes when the WWE Superstars would put their arms around them. That was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.”

GINGER LIVELY-CADE

Director of Sales, Dallas Sports Commission MAKE-A-WISH AUTOGRAPH SIGNING

WWE in the Community — As part of WrestleMania Week, WWE and its Superstars hosted numerous community events in the Dallas region. Some of those included: • WWE and partner First Book granted local “book wishes” to 59 schools and programs in Dallas, Arlington, and Fort Worth. In total, nearly 50,000 brand-new books were provided as part of the WrestleMania Reading Challenge. VETERAN CAREER PANEL

• Veteran Career Panel & Networking Event with Hire Heroes USA at the George W. Bush Presidential Center featured over 100 local veterans in attendance who learned from experts in the industry how to turn military service into civilian success. • Make-A-Wish experiences for wish children and their families, each of whom were inducted into the Circle of Champions by WWE Superstar John Cena. • Be a STAR (Show Tolerance And Respect) anti-bullying rally with Boys and Girls Club of Dallas as part of WWE’s bullying prevention initiative. • Visits to Children's Medical Center Dallas and the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, along with local community centers. • WWE Superstar meet-and-greet and other events at Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. • Flag football tournament featuring Special Olympics Athletes and WWE Superstars.

WWE AXXESS

• WWE Superstar Golf Pro Am, pairing WWE Superstars with members of the Dallas business community. FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE HOSPITAL VISIT

2017 NCAA WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR The 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four was an amazing celebration of women’s basketball, both on the court and off, and proved once again that Dallas is America’s Premier Sports Destination. The Dallas community rallied around the event as both semifinal games and the national championship game were sold out before the weekend. “The 2017 Women’s Final Four provided some of the greatest moments in the history of the sport,” said Terry Gawlik, chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and senior associate athletic director and senior woman administrator at the University of Wisconsin. While the moments on the court were breath-taking, the community initiatives and social engagements off the court gave fans of all ages opportunities to be a part of the grand stage of the Women’s Final Four. In honor of the late North Carolina State women’s basketball coach Kay Yow, Tourney Town hosted special Play4Kay events to raise money and awareness for the foundation, attracting over 12,000 attendees.

Other community events included the following: •

NCAA Team Works Legacy Project: Partnered with the Nancy Lieberman Charities' Dream Courts program, the Dallas Sports Commission, the Big 12 Conference, and the WorldVentures Foundation to build an outdoor basketball court at Arcadia Park in Dallas.

•

Beyond The Baseline Events: More than 650 women attended the series, which provided exclusive networking opportunities to help celebrate women’s advancement.

•

Read To The Final Four: Included 44 schools from Dallas, Garland, and Mesquite ISDs. Students competed in a bracket-style competition and schools advanced based on number of minutes read.

•

Youth Clinics: Approximately 116 children ages 3 to 8 participated in NCAA-sponsored clinics which included conditioning, life skills, and sport instruction from NCAA coaches and student athletes. The Dallas Police Athletic League also hosted free basketball clinics for area youth during the weekend.

•

Recycle To The Final Four: In collaboration with the Dallas Local Organizing Committee, a myriad of local schools, hotels, and corporations collected more than 235 pounds of recyclable materials, which were donated to Connor Sports for the manufacturing of the Women’s Final Four court.

BEYOND THE BASELINE

DREAM COURT DEDICATION

“It was an honor to host the marquee sporting event for the sport of women’s basketball and all the community initiatives, fan events, and celebrations that make it about so much more than a game.” MONICA PAUL, Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

FINAL FOUR SALUTE

READ TO THE FINAL FOUR

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

“Dallas delivered the best NCAA Women’s Final Four in history, no matter how you judge it. And, it wasn’t just three games. The experience provided several events for fans to enjoy how Big Things Happen in Dallas, and on top of that, a legacy program made sure that the Women's Final Four would continue to have an impact on the youth in Dallas through reading programs and a Nancy Lieberman Charities Dream Court.”

DAYNA SCHERF

Executive Associate Commissioner, Big 12 Conference TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE HOSPITAL VISIT

“The Dallas Sports Commission swings for the fences and brings impactful, quality events to the Dallas metro area. These events don’t happen by chance, and the Dallas Sports Commission will continue to host top events since they are one of the best. Those that support them know how valuable they are to the vibrancy of Dallas as a place to play and live."

VINCE TRINIDAD

Executive Director, Tulsa Sports Commission

NCAA TOURNEY TOWN

RECYCLE TO THE FINAL FOUR

NCAA TOURNEY TOWN

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

NFL DRAFT EXPERIENCE

2018 NFL DRAFT More than 100,000 people flocked to Day 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium and the NFL Draft Experience, with the entire weekend drawing more than 200,000 people celebrating America’s favorite professional sports league. The NFL Draft Experience also provided countless free opportunities for kids throughout the region to kick, pass, punt, and run their way through drills, contests, and other fun festivities held during the weekend. Spanning the size of nearly 26 football fields, fans of all ages and teams participated in interactive exhibits, immersive games, virtual reality experiences, player autograph sessions, and more.

“We believe the NFL Draft has been one of our most successful events, specifically from a community engagement standpoint. Not only did the news coverage of community outreach receive more than one billion media impressions alone, but the Draft touched more people than ever before. The NFL Draft provides one of the greatest platforms for a region to engage entire school districts, partners, and communities. It’s an event that, through the game beyond the field, can make all dreams come true.”

CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON Chief Brand Officer, Dallas Cowboys

NFL DRAFT LEGACY GROUNDBREAKING

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

"When the NFL goes to a city for the Draft, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crucial the league uses its resources to help give back and leave an impact through a series of community events and initiatives. During the 2018 NFL Draft, the NFL expanded its community initiatives beyond the stadium into the cities of Dallas and Arlington and the surrounding areas. We were elated to provide thousands of local children and their families everything from youth football clinics to character-building initiatives, school celebrations, and much more, which have endured long after the last selection was announced."

ANNA ISAACSON

SVP of Social Responsibility, National Football League

NFL PLAY FOOTBALL SUMMER CLINIC

FUEL UP TO PLAY 60

"The NFL Draft in Dallas once again raised the bar for host cities for what has become one of the most-anticipated events of the year. We are grateful to the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Sports Commission, and all of our partners for helping to create such a memorable event for our fans, clubs, incoming players, and media."

PETER O'REILLY

Senior Vice President Events & Club Business Development, National Football League NFL PLAY FOOTBALL SUMMER CLINIC

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

NATIONAL VETERANS WHEELCHAIR GAMES It shouldn’t come as a surprise when you ask members of the Dallas Sports Commission staff about some of their greatest memories over the first five years of the organization’s existence, most mentioned the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG). “We are hard to miss and easy to get behind,” admitted Dave Tostenrude, Director of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

Founded in 1981, the NVWG came to Dallas in the summer of 2015. It was the 35th edition of the Games, which are presented annually by the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The PVA and VA use the Games as rehab programs for veterans with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. The event allows disabled veterans to

engage in sports and competition while also improving fitness and quality of life. The Dallas Games, which featured nearly 600 veterans, hosted 18 events that ranged from wheelchair basketball to quad rugby and more. “The National Veterans Wheelchair Games was such an amazing event,” said Ginger Lively-Cade, the Sports Commission’s Director of Sales. “As we were bidding for the event, I thought we were having to prove why our city is ADA accessible. In reality they just wanted a city that was willing to work with them to get there. “The purpose of the Games was to be able to bring veterans to a destination where they could help integrate them back into society. It’s not a perfect world out there. The veterans can manage the wheelchairs, but what happens when there’s not a ramp? This event utilizes sports as a backdrop to help veterans learn how to adapt to their new reality. You see these guys and girls coming back from serving and see them playing sports to learn how to cope with real life. That’s amazing.”

mber ame Me F f o ll a rans tball H the vete Pro Foo h it d n w a s t e e t adua ch me demy gr r Stauba a e c g A o l R a v Na

“Our entire staff was impacted by this event. To know that these athletes served overseas and were significantly injured while protecting our interests back home, how could you not become emotional? It’s tremendously inspiring.”

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

“The National Veterans Wheelchair Games showed just the sheer impact of these athletes. They don’t do it to be in the newspaper or in the spotlight. Just to see what the athletic competition does for their lives and their happiness at this point in their lives, it’s amazing to see what they’ve overcome.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

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“One of my best memories from Dallas was that Evander Holyfield came out just to attend the events and cheer on our veterans. He wasn’t an invited guest; he came on his own. I was at one of the venues, and I saw a crowd of vets. I looked and said, ‘That’s Evander Holyfield.’ We had no idea he was coming.”

DAVE TOSTENRUDE Director, National Veterans Wheelchair Games

“Seeing all those wheelchairs rolling in during the opening ceremonies of the games at the convention center, there was not a dry eye in the house. Then Governor Abbot rolled in on his wheelchair. That was a really cool moment."

GINGER LIVELY-CADE

Director of Sales, Dallas Sports Commission

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“The Hispanic market has such sentimental value to me as I have experienced first-hand their loyalty and passion for their team. We have such great respect for the culture and their love of sports. When we host the Mexican National Team at AT&T Stadium, the energy the fans bring and the presence WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR created is unlike any other crowd at a sporting event. Soccer, being an international sport, unites all our cultures around what we all love, which is competition and entertainment. In addition, it plays such a significant part in the foundation of sports for our youth.”

JERRY JONES

Owner, Dallas Cowboys

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MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM U.S. TOUR In 2019, a landmark partnership between the Mexican Soccer Federation, the Dallas Cowboys, FC Dallas, and the Dallas Sports Commission made Dallas the home-away-from-home for the Mexican National Soccer Team. For four years, through 2022, the Mexican National Soccer team will train in Dallas and play international matches in AT&T Stadium during the Mexican National Team U.S. Tour. And like all major events and partnerships hosted by the Dallas Sports Commission, this partnership provides numerous opportunities for members of our community, as Dallasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; partnership with the Mexican National Team is

more than just one day and one match. It is about engaging and giving back to our community, providing opportunities for the youth within our region to experience something truly special, celebrating the culture, creating new soccer fans, and igniting the passion and excitement of our community to make this truly feel like the home of the Mexican National Team throughout the span of the partnership. Community events include an annual MexTour Fan Fest in downtown Dallas that celebrates the soccer culture and features concerts and musical acts, legend and mascot appearances, interactive games and activities, food trucks, beer gardens, FIFA gaming stations, and more. The partnership also includes reading programs for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, promoting bilingual literacy to students from Dallas, Arlington, Mesquite, and Frisco. FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Mexican National Team U.S. Tour is a BIG WIN for us in the overall plan for bringing the World Cup back to Dallas in 2026. The Mexican National Team is a top brand known all throughout the world. In some areas of our country, they are more recognized than even Team USA. This gives the city of Dallas worldwide exposure, and with that spotlight we have a chance to show the world that Dallas is a top soccer city. We will demonstrate that we are able to host the Mexican National Team events and can also host World Cup events. We have to make sure we do these events well, and we have to continue to build the platform for 2026.â&#x20AC;?

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe having as many touch points as possible with international soccer is essential in continuing to show the world that Dallas will support soccer and has the infrastructure to do so. Our goal in general is to grow soccer and give every resident of North Texas an opportunity to see world class soccer. The lasting impact will be on those kids involved with the events and the reading program.â&#x20AC;?

JIMMY SMITH

COO & CFO, FC Dallas

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

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DISD ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME The Dallas Independent School District and the Dallas Sports Commission teamed up to recognize and honor the legendary athletes and sports heroes who grew up in Dallas public schools. The partnership began in 2018 and has now seen two classes inducted, including the likes of Major League Baseball and Booker T. Washington legend Ernie Banks; NBA and Skyline High School legend Larry Johnson; Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Tim Brown, who also starred at Woodrow Wilson High School; Roy “Robot” Martin, considered one of the greatest high school sprinters of all time; and Barbara Brown-McCoy, a trailblazer on the administrative side of DISD athletics, among many others. 106

“We are very pleased with the support that the Dallas Sports Commission has provided to our school district and the Department of Athletics in helping us recognize and celebrate some of our rich history and great student-athletes who have represented Dallas ISD in athletic competition. In addition to providing financial support of our annual Dallas ISD Athletic Hall of Fame event, the Dallas Sports Commission has provided us with media relations support, and they assisted us in identifying quality venues to host the event,” said Troy Mathieu, former Executive Director of Athletics at DISD. Added Larry Kelly, Director of Marketing & Communications for the Dallas Sports Commission: “We’ve enjoyed assisting this event that means so much to so many within the city. Supporting the DISD Athletic Hall of Fame is another way we use our resources to help support a community initiative that we believe is important to the city.”

DALLAS POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE The Dallas Sports Commission and the Dallas Police Athletic League (PAL) work together to support community-related athletic events that bring local area youth in direct contact with Dallas police officers — all in a recreational setting that utilizes educational and athletic activities to develop relationships between the police and members of the community they serve. The Dallas Sports Commission began working with the Dallas PAL during the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four. During Final Four weekend, the Dallas Sports Commission hosted free basketball clinics for area youth. Police officers and members of the Dallas Wings served as coaches for the clinic. In 2018 and 2019 the Dallas Sports Commission also partnered with the Dallas PAL for its Battle in Big D event, as the Dallas PAL identified an unmet need for opportunities for local boxers to compete. The event attracted not only local boxers, but boxers from 18 states stretching from Rhode Island to California.

“Supporting the Dallas Police Athletic League is another way the Dallas Sports Commission gives back to our community. The goals and initiatives of the PAL are very important in that they help to grow a trust and bond between the police force and the community they serve through sports and athletics. We very much believe in those goals and are proud to partner with the Dallas PAL any time we can.” MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

FULFILLING OUR PROMISES

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5 FOR 5 A Short Five Years Has Produced Many Magical Moments 108

5 FOR 5

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WHAT A FIVE-YEAR RUN!

Sometimes the easiest path forward is to dip your toe in the water, survey the landscape, and proceed with caution as you gain better footing and become more confident in your surroundings. That’s not the story of the first five years of the Dallas Sports Commission. With the pedal on the floor and the throttle wide open, the Dallas Sports Commission burst onto the scene in full force and has not yet slowed down. Just weeks after the launch of the Dallas Sports Commission brand in October 2014, the group received word that it earned the right to host the NCAA Women’s Final Four in 2017. What a way to make a statement! These past five years have seemingly been one big win, one inspirational story, and one championship performance after another. As the Dallas Sports Commission celebrates five outstanding years, we also rejoice in these special athletes, competitors, moments, and accomplishments that became legendary, thanks to that one moment in time when the stars aligned and fate met preparation to spark a magical experience that will forever be a part of Dallas’ sports legacy.

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N U M B E R

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B A K E R M AY F I E L D

5 STA R S

NEVER A DOUBT Sometimes persistency, and a little belief in one’s self, can pay off beyond even the wildest imagination. That’s the Baker Mayfield story. A 5’10” walk-on quarterback at Texas Tech, he shocked everyone but himself and became what is believed to be the first true freshman walk-on starting quarterback for a major college football program. But even that wasn’t good enough. Mayfield had to transfer to Oklahoma to finally get that coveted scholarship. It was at Oklahoma that Dallas sports fans got a firsthand look at what sheer determination really looks like. Mayfield was 3-1 playing in the Metroplex, including going 2-1 against arch-rival Texas in the Red River Showdown. But he may have saved his best performance for last, earning MVP honors in the 2017 Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium, all but wrapping up the Heisman Trophy. It's only fitting that months later Dallas would again be the setting of another Mayfield triumph when he heard his name called as the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NFL Draft from the stage in AT&T Stadium. 5 FOR 5

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ROMAN REIGNS

BEATING THE GAME Roman Reigns capped off one of the most memorable WrestleMania events of all time with an epic win over “The Game” Triple H to claim the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before a record crowd of 101,763 at AT&T Stadium. Against all odds, Reigns overcame outside interference, sledgehammers, and the continuous onslaught of a proud champion. But ever the gladiator, Reigns gave as much as he took and finally outlasted The Game, proving to the world that his time to reign atop the WWE was now. “To be able to get out there in front of that crowd and be able to be in there with Triple H and you have a match of that caliber and at that level, it’s indescribable,” Reigns said after the match. “WrestleMania is a huge thing. The event sells itself. But there’s just something about Dallas. AT&T Stadium, over 100,000 people, sold out. It’s mind-blowing!”

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Since then, Reigns' WWE star has shined brightly, as he's held multiple WWE championships. He also announced the return of leukemia in October 2018 after an 11-year hiatus, only to beat it once again and return to action in February 2019.

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JOHNNY MANZIEL

5 STA R S

FRESHMAN PHENOM It seems like underclassmen have been winning the Heisman Trophy forever, but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too long ago when that was unheard of. In fact, the first 72 winners of the Heisman were either juniors or seniors. That streak came to an end when Tim Tebow claimed the prestigious honor as a sophomore in 2007. But surely we would never see a freshman win the de facto Player of the Year award, right? Right, until Johnny Manziel became Johnny Football. Manziel beat No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa and as a freshman accumulated an SEC-record 4,600 yards of total offense en route to being named the SEC Freshman of the Year, the Davey Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien winner, and the 77th recipient of the Heisman Trophy. Manziel capped off his record-setting freshman campaign in the Cotton Bowl Classic where he produced a Cotton Bowl-record 516 yards of offense and four touchdowns, leading Texas A&M to a 41-13 demolition of ninth-ranked Oklahoma and added to the legend of Johnny Football.

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A’JA W I L S O N

HOMETOWN HERO A’ja Wilson could have gone to play college basketball anywhere. The No. 1 high school basketball player in the country, she wanted to stay home and bring South Carolina its first national championship in women’s basketball. But oftentimes, the mounting pressure of carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire state and region can be crippling. Add to that the heartbreak of a grandmother passing away during a championship run, and no one could fault Wilson if it were all too much to handle. But that’s the reason for the tears still streaming down Wilson’s face well after the Gamecocks defeated Mississippi State, 67-55, at the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Dallas. Wilson, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, was determined to not fall short again after doing so as a freshman and sophomore, especially with her grandmother watching from above.

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On this championship night, nothing was going to get in her way. The only disappointment was that her grandmother wasn’t there to see it. But Wilson knew what she would be thinking. “She would’ve probably told me to stop crying. She always told me to stop crying.”

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CLINT DEMPSEY

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A GOLDEN MOMENT Clint Dempsey grew up playing in soccer-frenzied, Dallas-area youth soccer leagues. So it was a special moment when one of his final heroic nights as a member of the U.S. National Team came just up the road in Arlington. The former Dallas Texan came off the bench to earn Man of the Match honors, with a goal and an assist in the United States’ 2-0 semifinal win over Costa Rica, advancing the U.S. to the finals of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Dempsey, whose assist in the 72nd minute gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead over Costa Rica, later iced the win on a free kick to match Landon Donovan with his 57th international goal, tying the U.S. National Team's all-time scoring mark. “This has to be the best in Texas for me, since I tied the record and it was an important game,” the 34-year-old forward from Nacogdoches said. “Coming back from two heart procedures, being able to still play at this level, I’m living a dream. So I’m happy.”

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MORGAN WILLIAM

THE SHOT The Shot. That’s what it will always be known as in women’s college basketball lore. Morgan William, the diminutive Mississippi State guard, had fate in her hands in overtime of the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four. Connecticut's 111game winning streak was on the line. Game tied. Just seconds left on the clock. William, whose potential game winner was blocked at the end of regulation, took the ball near half court, drove just inside the three-point line, and floated The Shot over a UConn defender, sending her fellow Bulldogs into chaos and denying the Huskies a fifth straight national championship. David slayed Goliath. “My lasting memories from the Final Four in Dallas have to be sharing that moment with my family, friends, and teammates,” William said. “Every time I think about it, I get chills. Dallas was incredible, and I’ll cherish that moment forever.”

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A HERO IS BORN Freshmen kickers usually don’t earn nicknames. Most never even see the field, so it was a rarity for Cameron Dicker to even be playing in the 113th edition of Texas vs. Oklahoma in October 2018, much less finding his way into the history books. Yet that’s exactly what happened when Dicker drilled a 40-yard field goal with just nine seconds left in the rivalry game to lift the 19th-ranked Longhorns to an upset win over the seventh-ranked Sooners in Cotton Bowl Stadium. It probably should have never come down to that. Texas actually led 45-24 before Oklahoma scored 21 points in less than six minutes to tie the score. And then and there the legend of Dicker The Kicker was born. “It felt good right when it left my foot, and looking up, it was going through. I don’t even think I watched it go all the way through. I just turned around and went to Ryan (Bujcevski), our holder, and celebrated with him.” 5 FOR 5

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AARON WISE

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER There was already a buzz around the 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson. The event made its long-awaited return to Dallas and gave most people their first look at the new Trinity Forest Golf Club course. Many hoped for a storybook win for local favorite Jordan Spieth. But in 2018, youth was served on the new course as Aaron Wise, the 21-year-old hot-shot golf prodigy who would have been a senior at the University of Oregon had he not turned pro after his sophomore year, picked up his first PGA Tour win. “It’s everything I’ve dreamed of,” Wise told reporters. “It’s huge. It’s a dream come true to win this one.”

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The win didn’t come without distraction, though. After sinking the final putt in near darkness on Saturday, Wise reminisced about receiving a text early Sunday morning, alerting him of a four-hour rain delay. His mother then began cluttering his thoughts by discussing the "what ifs" of a victory. “I kind of made her leave the room,” Wise said. He then cleared his head, the clouds broke, and he soon became the second-youngest player to win the prestigious Byron Nelson — behind only Tiger Woods.

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SPELLING BEE TIE 5 MOMENTS

NO MORE WORDS The 60th Annual Golden Chick Dallas Regional Spelling Bee in 2018 resembled a modern-day showdown among a talented group of local spellers. By the 12th round, only three remained â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sohum Sukhatankar, 12, of Allen; Naysa Modi, 12, of Frisco; and Abhijay Kodali, 11, of Flower Mound. All three battled word-for-word in back-and-forth fashion, neither giving an inch. Sukhatankar finally blinked in the 26th round. Then, after another successful round by the two finalists, Bee organizers advised that they had run out of words, awarding the victory and the all-expenses paid trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in suburban Washington D.C. to both Modi and Kodali. In D.C., Modi finished second nationally to another Dallas Regional Spelling Bee speller who advanced after falling to Modi and Kodali in the Dallas regional bee. The word that tripped Modi up in round 17 of the Scripps finals? Bewusstseinslage.

5 FOR 5

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KEITH PIERCE

GOING STREAKING Keith Pierce likes to make a statement. Winning a competition once is nice. Winning twice makes a statement. In 2017, Pierce won the BMW Dallas Marathon for the second straight year, becoming only the eighth man to win the event more than one time in its then 47-year history. He also won the Austin Marathon twice and the Fort Worth Cowtown Marathon three times. Pierce first won the BMW Dallas Marathon in 2016 after a five-year racing hiatus. “I was a little surprised to be able to win Dallas after a five-year break. In that five-year period, I continued to run a decent amount but never really raced much. I think the hiatus was a great way for me to renew my competitive spirit.” Though he failed at a three-peat bid in 2018, Pierce now has another challenge in his sights. “I have set my sights on a 50-mile race. My goal for it is to simply finish. After that, I will re-evaluate my goals and see where running takes me next.”

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BULLDOGS SHOCK HUSKIES 5 BIG WINS

STREAK SNAPPED “When it went in, all I could do was smile and go, of course. How could it end any other way? It’s time. It was time. And that just happened to be the time. That was the moment. That was the kid. That was the shot.” That's how a shell-shocked Connecticut head coach Gino Auriemma described the end of the national semifinal game that saw Mississippi State snap UConn's 111-game winning streak in overtime of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four. It was one of the most shocking losses in Final Four history, given the way the game ended and the fact that the previous year saw UConn defeat Mississippi State by 60 points, 98-38, in the Sweet 16. If Auriemma was stunned after the game, he was joined in those sentiments by Bulldogs head coach Vic Shaefer. “I don’t have to play them 100 times. Only have to beat them once,” Schaefer said. “That is one heck of a basketball team, the greatest of all-time. So how proud am I of my kids?”

5 FOR 5

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USA MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SOCCER TEAM

REDEMPTION Eight months earlier, the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team was embarrassed in a 4-0 loss to Costa Rica, which put the Americans in a huge hole in their bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. It was the most one-sided loss in World Cup qualifying in 36 years for an American team. The Americans ultimately failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. They had a chance for redemption in 2017 when Costa Rica and the U.S. Men's National Team faced off in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup at AT&T Stadium. This time it was the Americans who put their best foot forward, downing Costa Rica 2-0 to advance to the finals of the tournament. It was during that match that hometown hero Clint Dempsey sparked the U.S. team to victory, earning Man of the Match honors. The U.S. Men's National Team would ride the momentum earned in Dallas from the win over Costa Rica to Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, where they prevailed in a late, dramatic 2-1 win over Jamaica. The win gave the Americans their sixth CONCACAF Gold Cup title and a new shot of confidence for future international competition.

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LOYO L A- C H I CAG O VS MIAMI, TENNESSEE 5 BIG WINS

LONGSHOTS Sure, the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers posted their best regular season record since the 1948-49 season to clinch their spot in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, but few foresaw one of the greatest runs in NCAA tournament history. And it all started in Dallas. The No. 6-seed Miami Hurricanes seemed a sure bet to down the 11th-seeded Ramblers in the opening-round, but Loyola found magic at the end of the game when Donte Ingram hit a deep 3-pointer from the March Madness logo just before the buzzer, lifting Loyola to a 64-62 comeback win. Two days later the Ramblers faced No. 3 Tennessee. Loyola’s heroics would continue when Clayton Custer’s jumper bounced on the front of the rim, lightly touched the backboard, and rattled a couple times before slipping through the net with 3.6 seconds left. A final Tennessee heave fell short. The Ramblers again escaped, this time 63-62. Loyola would prove to be the longshot story of the entire 2018 tournament, not only getting to the Sweet 16 but ultimately advancing all the way to the Final Four. 5 FOR 5

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WRESTLEMANIA 32 R E C O R D AT T E N DA N C E

BIGGER AND BETTER When the WWE announced plans to bring WrestleMania 32 to the Dallas area, they did so with a grandiose vision. “We look forward to making history at WrestleMania, while adding AT&T Stadium to the list of iconic venues that have hosted our annual pop-culture extravaganza,” said WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon in making the announcement. And make history the WWE did, attracting 101,763 fans for the company’s premier annual event. "Every light pole had a banner on it. Every billboard was a WrestleMania banner. They made it feel like WrestleMania was the only thing in town," said Jonathan Coachman, who hosted ESPN's SportsCenter on the morning of WrestleMania live from AT&T Stadium, a first for ESPN.

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Added McMahon: “Fans from every state in the union, from countries all over the world, came here and enjoyed this awesome event. And when they go home and reflect back on what they saw here, they will simply say to themselves … ’Wow!’”

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F C DA L L A S U 1 8 ACA D E M Y T E A M 5 BIG WINS

FIRST-TIMERS Since starting in 1980, Dr Pepper Dallas Cup has been widely renowned as the most prestigious youth soccer tournament played annually in the United States. And since 1990, the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup has featured the U19 Gordon Jago Super Group as its highest level of competition. In 2017, the FC Dallas U18 team was one of 12 teams participating in the Super Group. Early on, the FC Dallas team cruised through the bracket, including earning an impressive 5-0 win over Everton FC in Cotton Bowl Stadium. Moving to Toyota Stadium, FCD posted an exciting 2-1 win over Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coritiba FC, scoring a tie-breaking goal in the 88th minute when Jesus Ferreira and Paxton Pomykal connected for a beautiful game-winner. If that drama wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough, FCD waited until the 89th minute of the finals to power through a long-distance goal to break a 1-1 tie and give FC Dallas the championship. FC Dallas became the first MLS youth academy to win the Gordon Jago Super Group and just the second American team to ever claim the title. 5 FOR 5

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SISTER JEAN

A HIGHER POWER During Loyola University Chicago’s run to the NCAA Men's Final Four in 2018, there was one special inspiration always with the team. That inspiration was 89-year-old team chaplain Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt. Sister Jean became a folk hero who not only prayed with the team pregame, but also drew up game plans and talked X’s and O’s with the players. “She’s like another coach,” guard Donte Ingram told the Chicago Tribune after his buzzerbeater against Miami at the American Airlines Center. “[In my first ever game], it caught me off guard. I thought she was just going to pray. She prayed, but then she starts saying, ‘You’ve got to box out and watch out for 23.’” While in Dallas during Loyola's first two NCAA games, Sister Jean was asked how she felt about being a national celebrity. She promptly enlightened the journalist: “Really, if I can correct you, international,” she joked. And she might not have been that far off. According to statistics compiled by Loyola, there were 38,595 media mentions of Sister Jean during March Madness in 2018.

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NOT ALONE The purpose of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games is to get disabled veterans engaged in sports and fitness in order to help improve their lives. For many, the Games represent the first time away from home since their injuries. “We try to get them thinking beyond the chair,” said Games director Dave Tostenrude.

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N AT I O N A L V E T E R A N S W H E E LC H A I R GA M E S

As has been proven by the increased attendance every year, veterans come for the first time and then continue to return year-after-year. For most observers, just seeing the veterans compete and thrive under their new circumstances provides an unforgettable, emotional experience. But for the veterans, they provide their own camaraderie. “Many of the returning vets will tell you that their favorite part of the Games is to come mentor the new first-time vets,” Tostenrude said. “A lot of them live in very isolated situations at home. They go home, feel isolation, and then come to the opening ceremonies and see all of their fellow vets. It’s empowering. They’re not alone anymore. We realize it’s an incredible medicine.”

5 FOR 5

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N CA A L L- STA R CHEERABILITIES

STEALING OUR HEARTS CheerABILITIES is a division of NCA All-Star Cheerleaders that focuses on athletes with special needs. Year after year, the CheerABILITIES division packs the arena at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center with spectators and fellow athletes excited to cheer on and encourage these young athletes. “It is the highlight of every competition, especially NCA All-Star Nationals. The crowd is on its feet the entire time for every team competing in this division," said Buffy Duhon, Senior Vice President and General Manager of NCA and NDA. “We see in their faces the same joy, determination, and focus that we see from the rest of the athletes at the competition. Some have never experienced this large of a crowd, this many lights, and this much applause, so their elation puts a smile on every face in the venue.”

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S H AQ U E M G R I F F I N

For University of Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin, walking across the stage during the 2018 NFL Draft in Dallas was just another obstacle cleared in a life full of defying the odds.

5 I N S P I R AT I O N S

A SPECIAL WALK Griffin suffers from amniotic band syndrome, a rare condition that occurs during fetal development. He lost his left hand when he was four years old. Still, he’s been able to excel in the game he loves, though there were many tough times along the way. He was sent home as a college freshman as coaches feared his disability was holding his twin brother’s development back, only to work his way back on the team. But on Draft weekend, round after round, his name wasn’t called. Griffin just wanted a shot … that’s all he asked for. Finally, in the fifth round of the seven-round Draft, the Seattle Seahawks — the same team that employed his twin brother — called his name, and he was able to live out his dream of walking across the stage as a player drafted by an NFL team. “I literally broke down. I couldn’t breathe. That was the most amazing experience in my entire life,” Griffin said. 5 FOR 5

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CA L I F O R N I A P O L I C E

BLUE STAMPEDE On July 7, 2016, a peaceful protest in downtown Dallas turned into chaos when a gunman opened fire, ambushing unsuspecting police officers and civilians. As a result, five officers were killed and nine others, including two civilians, were injured. The event made national headlines and moved many to want to honor the slain officers and their families. One such demonstration of support came on those same streets in downtown Dallas just months later, as 21 California law enforcement colleagues calling themselves the Blue Stampede honored their Dallas brethren by running the BMW Dallas Marathon in uniform â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an undertaking that only compounds the many challenges of running a marathon. The effort was the brainchild of San Leandro police Sgt. Ryan Gill, who recalls being glued to the TV the night of the Dallas tragedy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The pain, discomfort, and mental challenge of running a marathon in full uniform represents the pain and discomfort those officers who sacrificed their lives felt the night they died," Sgt. Gill said after completing the race.

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DA L L A S S P E L L I N G C H A M P S 5 CHAMPIONS

SUPER SPELLERS When the Dallas Sports Commission took over the local Dallas Regional Spelling Bee in 2017, one of the hopes was that the new partnership would give local competitors an improved platform upon which to shine. But even the most optimistic observers couldn’t foretell the success that Dallas' spelling champions would have on a national stage. In 2018, the Dallas region made it a clean sweep at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, taking first, second, and third places. The event was won by McKinney eighth-grader Karthik Nemmani, with Frisco’s 12-year-old Naysa Modi finishing second and Flower Mound’s 11-year-old Abhijay Kodali finishing third. But the Dallas-area spellers weren’t done yet. In 2019, the Scripps National Spelling Bee exhausted its dictionary during an intense final round. Ultimately, the eight remaining spellers were all named co-winners. Three of those eight came from the Dallas region, including Kodali, who finished third the previous year. He was joined by Sohum Sukhatankar, 13, of Dallas, and Rohan Raja, 13, of Irving. 5 FOR 5

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S O U T H CA R O L I N A

PROMISE KEEPERS As the confetti fell following what may have been the best NCAA Women’s Final Four in history, the South Carolina Gamecocks found themselves on the podium in the American Airlines Center, tears mixing within the falling confetti. It was the first national championship in program history. It fulfilled the promise that head coach Dawn Staley made to local high school phenom A’ja Wilson – stay home and we can win it all. And it allowed every other women’s college basketball program to believe again after seeing UConn’s streak of 111 straight victories and four consecutive national championships snapped earlier in the Final Four weekend. “It feels great. You want to visualize it. You’re so close. I was anxious, waiting all day to get to this moment,” Staley said after the game. “It’s still unbelievable. I don’t know how to celebrate. I don’t know how to act. I don’t know what a national champion is supposed to look like, but I know it feels incredible.”

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O H I O STAT E

Whether the Ohio State Buckeyes were always destined to win the national championship, or they simply conquered every opportunity put in front of them and continually defied the odds, the 2014 Buckeyes proved remarkable in earning the first-ever College Football Playoff national championship.

5 CHAMPIONS

DESTINY! Many outside the Big 10 will tell you that the Buckeyes only squeaked into the playoffs because of the Big 12â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inability to crown a champion of its own. That may be the case, but every champion at some point displays a resiliency and a never-be-defeated attitude. That was case for these Buckeyes, who overcame the loss of a starting quarterback in August of that season and then lost their second-string QB in the regular season finale. Desptie the setbacks, Ohio State found a way to win each time it was challenged in the postseason, routing Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big 10 Championship Game despite starting a third-string quarterback and then downing No. 1 Alabama in the CFP semifinals. In the CFP championship game in Dallas, the Buckeyes left no doubt. OSU dismantled Oregon, 42-20, riding Ezekiel Elliottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 246 yards rushing and four touchdowns to earn their first national championship since 2002. 5 FOR 5

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TEAM KALIBER

BIG UPSET IN BIG D If it’s done in Dallas, expect it to be big. And that was the case with the Call of Duty World League Dallas Open in December 2017. The event, held in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, featured an enormous open bracket of more than 200 teams, proving to be the largest CWL open event competition ever. And with thousands in attendance and many additional thousands watching online, upstart Team Kaliber defeated the favorites, including local favorite and Dallas-based OpTic Gaming, in a fiercely competitive tournament. “Team Kaliber winning CWL Dallas means everything to me. We’ve all been putting in a lot of hard work in the last few years, and I’ve had a chance to watch all my friends succeed in that time. I relive this moment through their eyes, and now I’ve had my chance to win,” said Team Kaliber’s Lamar “Accuracy” Abedi after being named CWL Dallas Open MVP. “Thanks for all the fans in the crowd and watching online. This has been unbelievable.”

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K A S S I E M OW RY 5 CHAMPIONS

FROM OUT OF NOWHERE When you sneak your way into a competition as the Last Chance Qualifier, odds are long that by the end of the event you’re going to be standing in the winner’s circle. But that’s exactly what happened with barrel racer Kassie Mowry during the three-day 2016 ERA World Championship Rodeo. Her story was the underdog story of the ERA World Championships at the American Airlines Center. Her back-to-back-to-back sweep of the barrel racing events topped numerous legends in the sport, breaking the previous record with a time of 12.91 in Round 1 on Friday, then winning again with a time of 13.028 in Round 2 on Saturday before establishing the new record in Round 3 with a 12.793 second effort. Said Mowry: “I am just beyond ecstatic. I really had no idea that he (Mowry’s horse, Firewatermakehappy) would come out like he did. I just thought this would be a really good learning experience. I am just thrilled that he is taking it in and getting stronger even at the end … just thrilled.” 5 FOR 5

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STORIES OF US Seeing Others Accomplish Their Dreams, Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s What Inspires Us To Serve You 136

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PURPOSE > PRAISE

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson When one leads a life of purpose, he or she seeks out something to live for, and then finds a way to make things better. Or, as American author Robert Byrne once stated, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” You could say that the Dallas Sports Commission, in just five short years, has lived a life of purpose. No one can argue that the Dallas area is not better now than it was prior to the launch of the Dallas Sports Commission in October 2014. Whether it’s measured by economic impact, community initiatives that engage local students, refurbishing of local parks and playgrounds so that kids have better access to sports and activities, bringing in sports and entertainment celebrities to raise the spirits of patients in local hospitals, keeping locallyowned hotels, restaurants, and entertainment districts filled with patrons, offering job training and placement assistance to veterans and other groups, or providing, through numerous events hosted by the DSC, millions of dollars for local school systems and non-profit organizations to advance their own missions and initiatives, the DSC has demonstrated its purpose in aspiring to provide a positive impact on the economy and quality of life of Dallas residents. And that doesn’t even include the impact the organization provides for those groups who entrust Dallas with their events. "At the NHL, we travel throughout North America and meet with cities, sports commissions, and our teams," said Steve Mayer, Chief Content Officer, NHL Events & Entertainment. "The experience in Dallas has always been first class. It is so obvious that the Dallas Sports Commission is one of the best at what they do in the country. Their ability to bring in local sponsors, add a local flair to your event, put people in a room who can deliver for you on the ground in Dallas, and give you total support makes them unique. Plus they do it with a smile. Monica and her entire team are wonderful. We have loved our relationship with the Dallas Sports Commission and can’t wait to put on another great event together in Dallas." 138

"If, by simply hosting sporting events, we can stand and proudly say that the Dallas Sports Commission brings benefit to the city and gives back to underserved communities, that’s the absolute dream."

DARLENE ELLISON

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, Vice President Business Development, Veritex Community Bank

“Seeing these events in your town, seeing all of the banners and the signage on billboards and in restaurants, it gives you a source of pride in your community.”

TARA GREEN

Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission, Principal of Program Development, OJB Landscape Architecture

“We love to tell stories of the powerful impacts of sports on those who play them or attend the events, rather than discuss room nights and economic impact stories.”

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission STORIES OF US

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“I take tremendous pride in just seeing the success of my team members. The growth and the BIG WINS are great to see. We’ve faced a lot of challenges, but we’ve also overcome them by dusting ourselves off and getting back up. That’s what makes me most proud.” MONICA PAUL

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

GINGER LIVELY-CADE

DIRECTOR OF SALES

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“What we do is personal to me. Event rights holders trust me with their events. That's their livelihood. That’s why I’m so passionate about my job. We have to work every day to make sure Dallas is worth people putting their livelihood and trust in. People keep coming back to Dallas because of our proven track record for making their events successful and bigger and better than the year before.”

JOE ALBSMEYER

“The genuine ‘wow’ factor and appreciation you see when people arrive for their events — it’s at that point that you know you’ve done something to surprise or delight people. We can’t control who wins or loses, so just making sure our clients are successful on the business side and they can give their customers the experience we said we could help them deliver, that’s a great feeling.”

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

“I’ve always been passionate about sports, and to bring the events to Dallas for both locals and visitors to enjoy is what’s great about the Dallas Sports Commission.” LARRY KELLY

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

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STEPHANIE EVANS EVENT MANAGER

ANDREW DOCKRILL EVENT MANAGER

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“At the end of the day, we see events come full circle from start to finish. We see all the hard work that goes into it. Once the event begins and you see the excitement and enjoyment on the fans’ faces, that always excites me. You see families creating such great moments that they will remember for the rest of their lives. And to know you were just a small part of that, it’s special and warms your heart.”

“The camaraderie among the team, we get along so well. We get to touch so many major events, and it’s never the same with each event. From the Spelling Bee one day to the Super Bowl the next, there is the same level of attention to detail and support along the way to ensure that all clients get the most out of their event in Dallas.”

“The people – this is like my second family when I get to work. I just love being here and the people I work with.”

ADRAIN ARMSTRONG

SALES & SERVICES COORDINATOR

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“No one works harder to make sure groups are having the best possible experience. The service and execution are always top notch. The Dallas Sports Commission is truly the best!”

“If there’s such a thing as more than valuable, the Dallas Sports Commission has been more than valuable.”

JASON SIMS

Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, VisitDallas

CHERYL RICHARDS

Sales Manager, ACCESS Texas

“What we do is create memories and moments. It’s like the saying goes, ‘People will never forget how you made them feel.’”

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

“The Dallas Sports Commission truly is a one-stop shop to help produce the greatest sports and entertainment events. I am proud to have worked with a hardworking team in the epicenter for global sport and entertainment.”

BRITTANY MEBUST

Former Intern, Dallas Sports Commission 144

“When fans and athletes have a great experience and appreciate our efforts, and when we get positive feedback from our partners whom we are helping to meet or exceed their goals, that’s when we know we’ve done our job. And we like seeing smiles on faces!”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

“Sports today is such an important branding item for a city because we are so focused on entertainment. The most important thing when you think about economic growth and tourism is the brand. If you don’t have sports as part of that brand then you lose a big hand in the game of poker, so to speak. Some cities are known for music. And it’s not that Dallas and Fort Worth don’t have great music, but they are not known for that. You have to be known for something in the entertainment world and sports does that. And Dallas is certainly known for hosting and executing first-class sports events as well or better than any city in the country.”

MIKE RAWLINGS

Former Mayor, City of Dallas STORIES OF US

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VOLUNTEERS MAKE OUR EVENTS GO

“Volunteers take so much pride in the work they do. None of the big events we bring to Dallas could take place without the volunteers. Once we go into 'event mode,' the service is on a different level, rolling up their sleeves and doing whatever is asked of them to get the job done, from striping fields to setting up scaffolding to driving referees around. It’s just incredible the work that they do, which really allows the events to be executed flawlessly in the eyes of the spectators and the public.”

TARA GREEN

Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission, Principal of Program Development, OJB Landscape Architecture 146

“My favorite memory while working with the Dallas Sports Commission was having the opportunity to serve as the Ball Kid Liaison during the Women’s Final Four. The pure joy of seeing the ball kids smile and developing their social skills over that period is what this is all about. Having the opportunity to watch the game at that level was pretty amazing!”

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STACEY SEGAL

ACTIVE VOLUNTEER DATABASE

Volunteer, Dallas Sports Commission

“What originally began as a way to gain experience in the industry working a major championship event turned into an incredible week of working with some of the most professional people, who were able to make a once-in-a-lifetime weekend happen. I’ll always be able to take away the relationships made from working the 2017 Women's Final Four and the priceless memories made.”

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BROOKE ROBINSON

VOLUNTEERS FOR THE 2018 NFL DRAFT

Intern/Volunteer, Dallas Sports Commission

“The Dallas Sports Commission continues to do amazing work for our city and region. The Dallas Sports Commission makes so many people happy and creates wonderful memories for those who live in the region and for those who come to our city for events. I love volunteering and being a part of it.”

CORRAINA ANTHONY Volunteer, Dallas Sports Commission

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VOLUNTEERS FOR WWE WRESTLEMANIA IN 2016 STORIES OF US

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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION

“The Dallas Sports Commission made us feel like we were the most important event to ever come to Dallas! They made us feel really valued and appreciated!”

PATTI PHILLIPS

Women Leaders in College Sports National Convention

“The events always exceed expectations, but it’s really the relationships I cherish the most. A lot of time is spent working on each event — sometimes years — and being with people who bring such passion and energy is infectious. I thoroughly enjoy working with the staff and have incredible trust in each and every person.”

“Just look at the jobs and the opportunities that bringing in sporting events provides for a city. They also put people in hotels and restaurants. But there are also things that we can’t measure, but we can see the impact. Major sporting events put cities on the map. It’s the trickle-down effect. Citizens enjoy these events coming to town because they give them new and exciting things to enjoy individually and as families. These events help to build the city up, both financially and in non-financial terms.”

DAYNA SCHERF

MARK CLAYTON

Executive Associate Commissioner, Big 12 Conference

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, Former Dallas City Council Member

“The Dallas Sports Commission’s unwavering support, year in and out, truly enhances our events. The awesome staff helps us achieve the best customer experience possible. The Dallas Sports Commission is a big reason why our customers simply refer to our event as 'Dallas!'”

MIKE DUHON

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Executive Director, Championship Operations, National Cheerleading Association

“Our relationship with the Dallas Sports Commission has been outstanding. We’ve been working with them for a long time, and they know and understand our event now maybe as much as we do, so they are able to provide outstanding insight and collaboration with whatever we need.”

GLEN LIETZKE

Executive Director, Mizuno Lone Star Classic

“The Dallas Sports Commission is one of the best organizations I have worked with in my career. The energy, spirit, and love for Dallas and sports, in particular women’s basketball, is evident in the success of the 2017 Women’s Final Four and willingness to host another Final Four. The NCAA Women’s Basketball community is grateful for the Dallas Sports Commission and their work in the success of the 2017 and future Women’s Final Fours. The Dallas Sports Commission elevated the Women’s Final Four and set the bar high for other host cities.”

LESLIE CLAYBROOK

Assistant Commissioner of the SEC, Member NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee

“The Dallas Sports Commission is deeply imbedded in the North Texas community and is committed to changing the landscape for so many events. From being a part of the AT&T Byron Nelson to bringing major, worldwide sporting events to our community, including NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four tournaments and national soccer teams, the Dallas Sports Commission has given our community awareness and proximity to some of the greatest athletes in the world.”

“What stands out to me more than any other city or sports commission I have worked with is simply their staff. They are committed to making our events successful and have accomplished that each time we bring the Baseball Winter Meetings to Dallas. They always have our best interests in mind and take the initiative to find solutions on our behalf.”

NANCY LIEBERMAN Nancy Lieberman Charities

TIM BRUNSWICK

Senior Vice President Baseball & Business Operations, Minor League Baseball STORIES OF US

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BIGGER IS BETTER When You Bring Your Event To Dallas, Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Not Just Coming To Dallas 150

BIGGER IS BETTER

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REGIONAL APPROACH & COOPERATION If you’ve noticed, there’s kind of a BIG theme going on with the Dallas Sports Commission. Big wins. Big events. Big goals. Big expectations. But when you take a look at the sheer size and expansiveness of the Dallas regional footprint, it’s a big place. And throughout our region, we are blessed to have some of the greatest sports venues, facilities, sports complexes, conference and convention centers, entertainment districts, restaurants, and hotels. When people come to Dallas, they want to experience all of what Dallas has to offer, even though it’s likely when they say “Dallas,” they are simply referring to everything we can serve up throughout the entire Dallas region. That takes a special kind of cooperation among all the regional partners, which is rarely seen today. In an era when most communities want to promote themselves first, then the region, the Dallas region has taken a step back to consider the experience of the client first in ultimately developing the very best opportunity for the event, no matter where within the region those opportunities lie. “It’s not always just about Dallas,” said Joe Albsmeyer, Director of Business Development at the Dallas Sports Commission. “Monica makes it a point to work with all the various regional partners. We have put a lot of events in surrounding cities, and that goes back to Monica’s approach of what’s best for the event is best for us. We don’t pull anything from other cities or require them to only have their hotels or their venues in Dallas if they want to work with us. We support other local cities because we still know that when people travel to our region, in their minds they’re going to Dallas, so it’s in our best interest to make sure they have the best experience possible. At the end of the day, it all reflects back on us.” This regional partnership approach doesn’t just pertain to the surrounding cities. It also is relevant with the professional teams and major collegiate sports organizations in the area. The Dallas Sports Commission has outstanding relationships with all of these entities, which, again, is not always the case in major cities where, too often, sports commissions find it a challenge to partner with the prominent sports teams in their respective cities. As you will see, that’s far from the case with Dallas. 152

“When hosting major events, we engage all of our region to ensure the impact of the event is truly felt for years to come.”

CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON Chief Brand Officer, Dallas Cowboys BIGGER IS BETTER

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MAJOR EVENTS PARTNERED ON: WWE WrestleMania NCAA Men’s Final Four College Football Playoff National Championship CONCACAF Gold Cup Mexican National Team U.S. Tour NFL Draft International Champions Cup FIFA World Cup 2026

The Dallas Cowboys have embraced the Dallas Sports Commission since the organization’s launch in October 2014. And with the Cowboys organization operating some of the most impressive facilities in the region such as AT&T Stadium and The Star, the Dallas Sports Commission often finds itself working closely with the Cowboys in preparing bids for major sporting events.

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“To have the number one sports brand in the world be your partner is pretty special,” said Monica Paul, Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission. “The Jones family is second to none, and to work with their staff and the entire organization is an honor. I always feel like I have a partner when we reach out to them. Our values are aligned as it relates to insuring that events we do together include initiatives that give back and provide opportunities to the community. They understand and embrace the role we play, and we understand the importance of their brand and what they bring to the table.”

Added Chad Estis, Executive Vice President, Business Operations of the Dallas Cowboys: “Being as spread out as we are, with facilities, hotel rooms, and ancillary activities, the Dallas Sports Commission is imperative for our region to effectively host events. So many regions have great assets, whether it's state-of-the-art facilities or enough hotel rooms, but without human resources, it doesn’t matter. The Dallas Sports Commission gives our region one of the greatest assets with their hard-working personnel. “Both WrestleMania and the NFL Draft bring back fond memories of this regional approach, as I think these were two incredible events that showcased our region really well. WrestleMania in particular demonstrated our abilities as a region to work together with the convention center, American Airlines Center, all the hotels in the region, and other venues hosting the numerous events associated with WrestleMania Week.”

MAJOR EVENTS PARTNERED ON: Mexican National Team U.S. Tour FIFA World Cup 2026 CONCACAF Gold Cup Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Dallas Regional Spelling Bee USA 3v3 National Championship U90c Premier SuperCopa North Texas State Soccer Association Olympic Development Program The Sport Source Annual Showcase U.S. Soccer Development Academy Fall Regionals Generation adidas Cup U.S. Youth Soccer Presidents Cup

FC Dallas and the city of Frisco play a major role in our region’s illustrious soccer scene. As such, the Dallas Sports Commission and FC Dallas are closely aligned on all things soccer, including the region’s upcoming bid for the FIFA World Cup 2026. “Our relationship with FC Dallas is growing, and we are excited about working with them,” said Monica Paul. “They are a huge part of our FIFA World Cup 2026 bid. But what we are really excited about is that we are working together to grow the game of soccer here in the Dallas region, and that includes us supporting events for FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium and MoneyGram Soccer Park, which FC Dallas manages. We are in step with them in being able to bring significant amateur and grassroots soccer events to the area.” FC Dallas also played an important role in the Mexican National Team’s partnership with the Dallas region.

“The partnership between FC Dallas and the Dallas Sports Commission couldn’t be stronger,” said Jimmy Smith, FC Dallas COO & CFO. “We work very closely together to grow soccer throughout our region, and have been working even closer through our collective efforts to bring the Mexican National Soccer Team to Dallas and also through our World Cup bid efforts. “We are all invested in our communities. So when we are able to bring in a partnership like the Mexican National Team U.S. Tour, it touches the Frisco community, the Arlington community, and the Dallas community, and they all are beneficiaries of this partnership. But again, it takes a strong partnership with the Dallas Sports Commission to be able to pull something like that off because of all of the logistics and organizational assets that have to be accounted for from across the region in order to make this tour work.” BIGGER IS BETTER

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MAJOR EVENTS PARTNERED ON: NHL Draft NHL Winter Classic Dallas Regional Spelling Bee

Bringing the 2018 NHL Draft to Dallas proved very pivotal to the growing relationship between the Dallas Stars and the Dallas Sports Commission. Working together on the event allowed each organization the opportunity to understand each other’s strengths. The event's success confirmed that a true partnership could lead to additional opportunities. Those additional opportunities soon came, as the NHL, Dallas Stars, and Dallas Sports Commission set their sights on bringing the Winter Classic to Dallas, and in doing so positioned the event for a New Year’s Day puck drop at historic Cotton Bowl Stadium, making it the first Winter Classic outside of a traditional winter weather city. “If we weren’t able to do such a great job with the NHL Draft, it would probably have just been another Stadium Series game at AT&T Stadium 156

or it would have been played on some other date during the season,” said Joe Albsmeyer, Director of Business Development of the Dallas Sports Commission. “But to have this as the NHL’s premier game and having the stage on New Year’s Day, this is going to be a really special event for Dallas.” Added Dallas Stars President Brad Alberts: “The relationship between our two organizations is really seamless. The execution of the NHL Draft and NHL Winter Classic are evidence of that. The league saw two organizations that could pull all of the moving pieces together in order to flawlessly execute those two large initiatives. The intersection of understanding the city and its functionality, along with the sport side of the business, is critical, and Monica and her staff display a thorough understanding of both.”

MAJOR EVENTS PARTNERED ON: 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four Dallas Regional Spelling Bee DreamHack NBA All-Star Game Bid 2023 Women’s Final Four & 2023 NCAA DII & DIII Women's Championship

The Dallas Sports Commission and the Dallas Mavericks have a long-standing relationship that goes beyond just basketball. Both have a shared interest in supporting initiatives that provide opportunities that benefit the local communities. The Dallas Mavericks continue to support the Dallas Sports Commission’s Golden Chick Dallas Regional Spelling Bee and have been supportive of various sporting events the Dallas Sports Commission has hosted at the American Airlines Center. But there’s one big fish both organizations are working together to lure back to Dallas – the NBA All-Star Game. “The Mavericks have been a great partner in many of our community initiatives, especially during the Women’s Final Four,” said Monica Paul. “We are both committed to bringing back the NBA All-Star Game and will continue to push

to make that a reality. That’s a really big goal for both of us. It’s been too long since we’ve had one here in Dallas, and bringing it back is a top priority.” Another aspect of the relationship that will continue to grow is the Dallas Sports Commission’s alignment with Mavs Gaming. The Dallas Sports Commission partnered with Mavs Gaming during the international DreamHack gaming lifestyle festival it hosted in June 2019, which attracted record crowds of more than 30,000 people to downtown Dallas. With the eSports world continuing to grow at an exponential rate in Dallas and throughout the country, the Dallas Sports Commission and Mavs Gaming partnership will become even more important as events look at Dallas as a major eSports market within the United States. BIGGER IS BETTER

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MAJOR EVENTS PARTNERED ON: 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four 2020 NCAA Women's Basketball Regionals 2023 Women’s Final Four & 2023 NCAA DII & DIII Women's Championship Dallas Bike Ride

The WNBA's Dallas Wings demonstrated their commitment to the region during the 2017 Women’s Final Four, the first year the Wings played in Dallas. The organization participated in nearly every community social responsibility initiative that occurred during Final Four weekend, from assisting with the reading programs to Tourney Town to the various Beyond the Baseline events that took place. “We have a great partnership with the Wings,” stated Monica Paul. “They came to town right when we were preparing for the Women’s Final Four, and they quickly and excitedly integrated into that platform. They were front and center with many of the CSR initiatives we did during that event, including programs with Girls Inc. and the 2017 Women’s Final Four Ambassador Program.” 158

And as Dallas prepares for the 2023 Women’s Final Four — which will also include the championship finals for not only NCAA Division I, but also Division II and Division III women’s basketball that same weekend, along with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX — the relationship between the two organizations is only expected to grow even closer. “We are looking forward to expanding that relationship even further as we begin preparations for the 2023 Women’s Final Four,” Paul continued. “A huge theme of that event will be celebrating women in sports with the 50th anniversary of Title IX. That will be a year-long celebration and something we will be able to work on with them to help grow the Wings brand.”

MAJOR EVENTS PARTNERED ON: International Champions Cup Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament

It’s odd that the first real partnership between the Dallas Sports Commission and the Texas Rangers centered around soccer. But that was the case when the home of the Rangers, Globe Life Park in Arlington, hosted an International Champions Cup showdown between Chivas de Guadalajara vs Atletico de Madrid in July 2019. With the Rangers entering a brand-new stadium for the 2020 season, the Dallas Sports Commission’s partnership with the Texas Rangers will provide even more exciting opportunities, including hosting the Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament starting in 2021. And then there’s Texas Live! — the new 200,000-square-foot dining and entertainment district adjacent to the new Globe Life Field.

“The Rangers were slow to the game in working with the Dallas Sports Commission but we quickly recognized what we were missing," admitted Sean Decker, Senior Vice President of Operations & Events for the Texas Rangers. "What we have found is a committed partner with passion and drive that is unparalleled in the region, or the country for that matter. In becoming fast friends and partners we have been drawn to their level of responsiveness and energy to bring great partners and world class events to the area. The Dallas Sports Commission’s dedication and unwavering support is a difference-maker for our business, a catalyst for development in the region, and an agent for growth in the ever-expanding sports and entertainment landscape. We value all they have done and are currently doing and look forward to being an active supporter and participant in their future successes.” BIGGER IS BETTER

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MAJOR EVENTS PARTNERED ON: Big 12 Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament Big 12 Conference Football Championship Game Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament 2016 NCAA Women’s Regional Round 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four 2018 NCAA Men’s 1st/2nd Rounds 2021 NCCA Men's 1st/2nd Rounds 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four

The Big 12 Conference was one of the first local sports organizations to partner with the Dallas Sports Commission in 2014, and that partnership has been a strong one ever since. From conference championship events to being host partners for NCAA postseason events like the NCAA Women’s Final Four in 2017 and the NCAA Men’s 1st/2nd Rounds in 2018, there is no question that the Big 12 has provided Dallas a number of opportunities to demonstrate its ability to execute great events at a high level. “The Big 12 Conference is our host partner when we bid on major NCAA events,” stated Monica Paul. “We couldn’t make our NCAA events so successful without the expertise the Big 12 brings. They have extremely high standards, and they bring those standards to our NCAA championship 160

events. It’s nice to be able to rely on their experienced staff who have such great know-how and abilities to help make our events great. We have a seamless relationship, know what each other expects, and know at the end of the day we want to make our events the standard while raising the bar for others to live up to." The conference has also been a leader in the advancement of women’s sports. “It helps to have the Big 12 Conference offices here with strong female leadership within the conference,” said Tara Green, Dallas Sports Commission Board Member. “Even when I was at the CVB, and it has continued with Monica, we wanted to bring big sporting events to Dallas, and, like the Big 12, we saw women’s sports as an opportunity to do that.”

“The Dallas Sports Commission is the tip of the sword to lead the way and get people to work together. Monica’s greatest strength, in my mind, is being able to wrangle people together and get them to work towards a singular goal. That’s a massive undertaking when you look at the size and scope of some of the events that we are able to bring to this region. Everyone feels like they are part of it.”

MATT WILSON

Vice President of Sports & Events, Arlington CVB

“We have always found a consistent, genuine attitude of helpfulness, guidance, much needed advice, industry direction, and referrals to both sports event planners and the sometimes much-needed vendors. The Dallas Sports Commission is generous with its time, knowledge, hospitality, and friendship. They’ve made a huge impact on our ability to be successful at what we do.”

DEBBIE ROBERTS National Sales Manager, Visit Irving

“I consider everyone at the Dallas Sports Commission friends first and true professionals second. They’re a team that understands their strengths and weaknesses, they always have a plan, they always have new events in their crosshairs, and they’re always innovating and pushing the boundaries.”

PATRICK HIGGINS

Vice President of Marketplaces, Connect Meetings

“The Dallas Sports Commission has embraced the 'Think Big' mantra and has really taken it to another level. They do everything so big and so well, and everything is done as if it’s on a grand stage, no matter the type of event or the size of the crowd.”

“The Sports Commission is so valuable to the Metroplex. From its leadership, we continue to learn different ways to service clients in such cool ways. The Dallas Sports Commission does it right!”

ANNE STOKES

GINA MILLER

National Sports Sales Manager, City of Farmers Branch

VP of Media and Communications, FC Dallas

WHAT OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS ARE SAYING

“We love our relationship with the Dallas Sports Commission.”

KEISHA DUNLAP

Sr. Associate Commissioner/COO, Conference USA

“It has been so much fun to be a part of the preparation for so many of the large sporting events: the first College Football Playoff national championship, the NCAA Men’s Final Four, WrestleMania, and the NFL Draft. None of these events would have been possible without the Dallas Sports Commission, and I am so proud to have been along for the ride.”

JOSH DILL

Director of Sports & Events, Visit Frisco

“When you combine the top-level infrastructure that includes the many sports facilities, hotels, airports, etc., we have a great story to tell, and Monica and her team are tremendous ambassadors to sell all the many benefits that come with a major event in North Texas.”

RICK BAKER

President/CEO, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic BIGGER IS BETTER

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DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS The Future Belongs To Those Dreamers Who Have The Courage To Pursue Their Big Dreams 162

DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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DREAMS COME TRUE IN DALLAS

As sports fans, and even just as residents of a community, we remember the great moments, those iconic memories that remain with us for a lifetime and project a sustaining glow around our recollections of certain events, especially those that sustain from events that we attended. But what about the subjects of those memories, the athletes and icons who personally lived the moments? A first PGA Tour win. Back-to-back BMW Dallas Marathon titles. A 98-year-old nun who became a national celebrity during her teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NCAA Final Four run. A team from FC Dallasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; youth program making worldwide history. And a former Dallas-area youth soccer player outplaying his age to send the U.S. National Team to the CONCACAF Gold Cup championship in front of his hometown crowd. Those are but a few of the dreamers who chose to DREAM BIG in some of the biggest moments of their careers. But those are not the only ones. The following pages relive, in a first-person narrative, some of the passion, the trials and tribulations, and the will to overcome when the stage was the grandest and the lights were the brightest during events hosted by the Dallas Sports Commission during our first five years.

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DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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CARDALE JONES

THIRD-STRING QB LEADS HIS TEAM TO VICTORY IN THE FIRST-EVER CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

On his memories from that night in AT&T Stadium: “I celebrated in that cool locker room. Being on the sideline when the defense was playing, I remember just looking up and watching the game on the huge jumbotron. Then the stadium itself, admiring how they had clubs all around the stadium. Just the atmosphere that night in the stadium was amazing.”

On his thoughts walking into the stadium for the first time and seeing it:

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“By far one of the coolest stadiums I’ve ever been in, outside of our stadium at Ohio State, of course. Just the way it’s built and the way it can kind of open up and things like that. There’s a lot going on, but it’s a stadium where you don’t have to be a fan of football to enjoy it.”

On managing the weight of the playoffs and the championship game as a player who had very little playing experience during the season: “That I guess comes from being surrounded by great players and being surrounded by great coaches. I think the coaches put us in a great position that had good sets and didn’t really ask me to do anything that I wasn’t capable of. If you look at our season and our offense, our offense was based around a running quarterback, but when I got in the game, that wasn’t my strength, so I think that’s just a testament of our coaches. You know, find a way to maximize each guy’s ability and potential.”

EZEKIEL ELLIOTT

RUSHED FOR 246 YARDS, THE MOST IN NCAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HISTORY

On his team getting into the national championship game when it would not have played for the championship in the BCS system: “We’re very grateful that there was a playoff. It gave us a chance to get to the national championship game. We got our chance, and we seized the moment."

On winning the national championship when OSU legends like Eddie George, Archie Griffin, and Beanie Wells did not:

On if he ever had dreams about winning the national championship: “It’s something you dream about as a kid when you’re playing NCAA Football and you create your little player. It's our dream. It came true. All the stuff we went through to get there, it's just crazy. I think the biggest thing is Coach Meyer. He just demands excellence of everybody, every aspect of your life. When he demands that every day from you, you don't have a choice but to change. You see he has changed this clown, this goofball."

“Just being able to accomplish something that all of them weren’t able to accomplish, it means the world to me, and I’m happy that I was able to carry on that lineage.” DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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JULIUS RANDLE

PLAYED IN THE FINAL FOUR AND ADVANCED TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN HIS HOMETOWN

On being from Plano and playing in the Final Four at AT&T Stadium: “It’s just added motivation that it’s in Dallas, but any kid wants to play in the Final Four. I don’t care if it’s on the moon. You want to play in the Final Four. But for it to be in my hometown, it’s special.”

On what playing in the Final Four in Dallas means for his family: “It’s kind of been emotional for my family, all that the team’s been through this year. They’re just really proud of where we came from. But at the end of 168

the day we’re just excited to get out there and compete and have another opportunity to play the game. There’s been so many people invested in my life, it just definitely shows the time they put into me, how it’s paid off.”

Julius' mother Carolyn Kyles on seeing Julius get to the Final Four in Dallas: “It’s been pretty crazy and exciting. We’re just so happy for him and so glad we get to see him right here at home.”

SHABAZZ NAPIER

CAPPED OFF HIS SENIOR YEAR WITH A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER ALSO WINNING ONE AS A FRESHMAN

On staying for his senior season instead of leaving school early: “It was for a chance to play in this championship. I was going to give everything I had, no matter what happened. Leave everything on the floor and you see what happened. You don’t know your own destiny. You have to push every single day and prepare for anything.”

On becoming a two-time national champion, winning as a freshman and a senior:

it’s still hard to describe. We did everything we possibly could to win, and we just believed in each other.”

On taking and making big shots throughout the tournament: “When you get in the moment, you can’t shy away from it. You can’t tell yourself, ‘I don’t want to shoot this because I don’t want to miss.’ To be successful, you have to try, and sometimes when you try, you fail and you move on to the next one.”

“It’s a special feeling. You want to enjoy it because at the end of the day you and your teammates worked so hard. It’s hard to describe. I’ve won two, and DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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MORGAN WILLIAM

MADE ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SHOTS IN NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HISTORY TO UPSET TOP-RANKED CONNECTICUT

On whether people still want to talk about The Shot when they see her: “It's not every day, although when someone recognizes me they often do refer to The Shot. I was blessed to hit that shot during the biggest moment of my career. I have always been overlooked because of my height. Therefore, when I knocked down that shot against Connecticut, it was indescribable. Not only did that shot impact me, but also young female athletes across the country.”

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On snapping UConn’s 111-game winning streak: “We weren’t worried about their 111-game winning streak. We just wanted to go out there and play our game to redeem ourselves from the previous year (when UConn defeated Mississippi State by 60 points in the Sweet 16).”

On how she ended up taking the last shot: “Coach Shaefer wanted the ball in Teaira McCowan’s hands. We just couldn’t get the ball to her in time before the clock expired. I knew we needed to get a shot off to have an opportunity to win rather than another overtime. The Shot turned out to be historical and life-changing.”

A’JA WILSON

HOMETOWN HERO LED SOUTH CAROLINA TO ITS FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

On playing the role as a hometown hero who stayed home to try to win a championship: “It’s a tough role to have because people look at you to be that person all the time. And you might not want to be that person all the time. But you have to dig inside.”

On people doubting whether South Carolina could compete with the women’s basketball bluebloods: “We watch a lot of TV. When you’re hearing people constantly bashing your school and doubting, calling you the underdog, it’s tough to take in. I think it really helped us out in the end. There’s nothing better than hate, hate,

hate. When someone hates you, you want to prove them wrong. For us to prove people wrong that once doubted us, hopefully we turned them into fans now.”

On winning a championship for Coach Dawn Staley: “In the last huddle I said to my team, ‘We got to do this for coach.’ She’s been close plenty of times. I know that probably burns her up inside. To finally see her — I wanted to see her cry. I really wanted her to cry. Just to see her smiling and hugging her coaching staff is just a great feeling, honestly.” DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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LEIGHTON VANDER ESCH

BECAME A FIRST-ROUND NFL DRAFT PICK AFTER PLAYING 8-MAN FOOTBALL IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WALKING ON AT BOISE STATE

On being a kid from a small town in rural Idaho and being drafted by the most recognized team in professional football: “That was probably the biggest dream come true ever. During the whole entire process, this is where I wanted to be. So the fact that it actually happened in the stadium that I was going to be playing in, with my family watching and my now-wife and her family there, it couldn’t have been any better.”

Memories from the days in Dallas leading up to the Draft: “I was living in the moment and having an absolute blast. I wasn’t nervous. 172

I felt that things were going to go the way they needed to go. I had a good gut feeling about it. I was just living in the moment, having fun, and enjoying every single day of that week with my family. It was a great experience, and the hospitality was awesome.”

On imagining playing in the NFL as a possibility when he was a kid: “I did. I had faith in myself and I had faith in God that the gifts he had given me and the talent he had given me, if I did what I needed to do, nothing was going to stand in my way of achieving my goal of playing in the NFL.”

CONNOR WILLIAMS

DRAFTED BY HIS HOMETOWN DALLAS COWBOYS IN DALLAS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHILE AT AT&T STADIUM

Thoughts on being drafted by the Cowboys, his hometown team:

On taking on bullying as a platform and how he is helping others who might be in that situation:

“It was surreal. I saw that 972 number calling my phone and being from Dallas I knew where that number was from. My family, all the emotions came out. Just being in Dallas and being drafted by my home team, it was a dream come true.”

“It’s all about looking forward. I went through a hardship when I was younger and I know a lot of people are going through that same thing, so for me to just be able to reach out to kids who may be going through a tough time and getting bullied because of their weight or because they don’t fit in, I just try to help them as much as I can. It’s all about finding who’s there for you and following them and following your passion.”

On being at AT&T Stadium and hearing his name called: “The wait was longer than expected and we were getting impatient. The clock was winding down in the second round for the Cowboys so we were starting to look to the next team. But once we got that phone call everybody just broke down in emotions. It was a dream come true for all of us.”

DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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RASMUS DAHLIN

THE FIRST PLAYER SELECTED AT THE 2018 NHL DRAFT AT THE AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER

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On living out a dream and being at the NHL Draft:

On the best part of the entire process:

“It feels crazy to be here actually. I can’t believe it. I was kind of nervous. It was amazing when I heard my name. Sometime in the near future I’ll stop and think about what I am going through, but I’m just trying to enjoy this time as much as I can.”

"Probably spending a great amount of time with my family. I live away from my family the whole season, so we were just having so much fun. I've been waiting for this for so long. I'm ready to get on the ice and start training and start developing."

On being compared to Mats Sundin, the last Swedish player to be picked No. 1 overall:

On how he managed the pressure and the expectations of being the No. 1 prospect throughout the entire year:

“Yeah, it’s pretty crazy. He’s a legend in the hockey world. It’s kind of weird but amazing. Really, there’s much emotions in my body right now, but I can tell you, I’m proud of myself.”

"It was pretty easy, actually. There wasn't as much hype in Sweden, so that helped me a lot. But I learned to handle it and just focus on what I could do every day to become a better hockey player. I try to not watch everything and block it all out."

TY DELLANDREA

DRAFTED AS THE DALLAS STARS’ FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK AT THE 2018 NHL DRAFT IN DALLAS

On what he remembers from being in Dallas for the Draft: “I remember being down here with a bunch of family and friends. We came down a week early, which was cool because we got to see some stuff and explore the city. When I was drafted it was super exciting to be the hometown pick and have already gotten to see some of the city. I remember the fans were going nuts and showing their support, which was a really good feeling.”

On whether he expected to be drafted by Dallas: “I don’t think I expected to be drafted by Dallas. It was crazy to see Jamie Benn and Mike Modano do their speech, and then to hear Benn call my name was super special. Hearing the fans go wild and all the media stuff afterwards was fun because it was a lot of media members from Dallas,

so everywhere you go people are congratulating you. Walking out of the building and seeing all the fans was incredible, especially being the hometown's first pick. I think draft night is memorable for everyone, but being able to be in the city you’re drafted to is pretty special.”

On being able to celebrate with family and friends: “It was really special to have everyone there. They all have been a part of this journey and have had a huge impact on my life and my hockey career, so to have them all there to celebrate with was incredible. It’s their journey too, you know, my family has sacrificed a lot for me, so this is just as much their's as mine. We went to a dinner spot and just had the patio to ourselves. The restaurant stayed open late for us to celebrate.” DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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A.J. STYLES

PARTICIPATED IN HIS FIRST WRESTLEMANIA AFTER BEING ONE OF THE TOP WRESTLERS IN THE WORLD FOR MANY YEARS

On finally being able to be perform at WrestleMania: “Why would I not want to be a part of it? I’m hearing these fans saying, ‘You finally made it.’ I’m like, ‘I know, I know.’ I took the long route, but I’m here. I had to pinch myself, to be honest with you. To be able to perform to literally the world is a dream come true.”

On realizing that he was finally at WrestleMania: “I had this stupid grin on my face, like, ‘Wow!’ ... a guy from Gainesville, Georgia, who finally made his way to WrestleMania. It’s WrestleMania, we’re 176

going to break attendance records. It’s my debut. There may be a little of this going on,” he said as he jokingly wiped tears from his eyes.

On his memories from that night: “I just remember it being a long walk to the ring. Don’t trip. Take your time, soak it all in. 100,000+ people? That’s amazing. The experience is something you really can’t describe. You have to be there. It’s WrestleMania!”

CHARLOTTE FLAIR

WON THE FIRST-EVER WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER THE WWE TRANSITIONED FROM THE DIVAS DIVISION

On arriving at AT&T Stadium for WrestleMania: “On Instagram I kept seeing this picture of AT&T Stadium with me in the middle. When I pulled up and I saw the graphics on the stadium, I was like, ‘Ooh, the men look like the eye candy and (the female Superstars are) front and center.’ I have goosebumps just thinking about it. This is what I’ve lived for every single day.”

On her thoughts as she walked out to the ring for her match: “There’s 101,000 people in one stadium looking at you. You can’t hear

anything. It’s like you’re in a bubble. You’re like, this is happening. I just soaked in the fact that my father, who meant so much to the industry, was walking beside me. You try to take a minute to reflect, but it’s difficult.”

On the special robe she wore to the ring: “At WrestleMania 24 my dad retired. He wore this beautiful blue robe, and our seamstress, Terry, had all the pieces of that robe still left, so she said, 'Yeah, if we are going to do a robe, let’s make it super special just like your dad.' My dad’s robes are so cool, now I have my own.” DALLAS IS FOR DREAMERS

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PREMIER DESTINATION FOR AMATEUR SPORTS Sports Is Engrained In The Fabric Of Our Community, And It Starts At A Young Age 178

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RAISED ON SPORTS

Drive by a park or a gym or a recreation center or a school in Dallas on a Saturday morning and you’re likely to see throngs of kids hitting, kicking, shooting, and throwing, all in the name of youth sports. If the Dallas region is not the epicenter of youth sports, you’ll have a tough time finding somewhere that matches the sheer volume of youth teams and athletes, along with the associated infrastructure that hosts all of that activity. Dallas, and Texas in general, is known for doing it big. When it comes to youth sports, we have the facilities and infrastructure to match that perception. Dallas’ MoneyGram Soccer Park boasts 19 fields. FC Dallas has 17 more at the Toyota Soccer Center, without even including the 20,000-seat Toyota Stadium. And we have yet to mention the many youth baseball, softball, football, lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, swimming, cheer and dance, and multi-use facilities spread throughout the region. So if you’re looking for a game, a match, a tournament, or just a place to practice, day or night, we have you covered. The following pages discuss the proliferation of youth sports in Dallas over the past five years.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dallas area has a thriving youth sports scene. You can name the sport, and there is some type of organization or league for kids to get involved in and learn teamwork and leadership. The talent pool here is also incredible, as there are athletes from Dallas and the region making their mark all over the amateur, collegiate, Olympic, and professional levels.â&#x20AC;?

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission

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GIRLS & BOYS VOLLEYBALL The Dallas area is overflowing with youth sports, and one of the most popular sports among area youth is volleyball. It’s a trend that is growing throughout the state, and the Mizuno Lone Star Classic’s ever-popular events are proof of that continued growth. “It’s exciting,” Mizuno Lone Star Classic Executive Director Glen Lietzke said about the growth of the sport. “In girl's volleyball, there continues to be more and more growth. At the high school level there are now six divisions. Now on the club side they are talking about adding two more divisions. And the growth is not at the very top. It’s starting at the grassroots levels and growing into the middle. If it continues to grow, what do we do? And boy's volleyball is blowing up. There are now about 16 high schools supporting 182

boy's volleyball in Dallas and more in San Antonio. The boy's national championships were held in Dallas in 2019. It’s just fun, exciting times.” The growth of the sport has also been recognized by Andy Reitinger, Commissioner of the North Texas Region of USA Volleyball. “We’ve seen the growth and success of the sport reach new levels in the last five years,” Reitinger said. “Junior volleyball leads the way in that growth in both indoor and beach participation. North Texas is home to some of the most successful and competitive junior clubs in the country. The region has sent more than 100 teams to the USAV Junior National Championship the past three years and local teams have been crowned National Champions in several age divisions. Recently we were proud to serve as host to the USAV 2018 Adult Open Championships and the USAV 2019 Boys Junior National Championships. We are excited to see what the future holds as the USAV 2020 Girls Junior National Championships are being held here in Dallas."

“Monica and I go way back. We were together at the University of Texas, so we have known each other for a long time. There is a lot of familiarity. We are pretty frickin’ proud of her. Her and Ginger, they are two exceptional people. They both know volleyball inside and out, and I truly believe that's one of the reasons volleyball continues to grow like it has in the Dallas area.”

GLEN LIETZKE

Executive Director, Mizuno Lone Star Classic

“We love our friends and the people we work with at the Dallas Sports Commission. They have always been a great partner to us, and we know we can count on them to help us bring quality events to Dallas. The city embraces us while we are there, and we always feel at home in Dallas. The convention center is great at facilitating all our event needs, and the hotels are always willing to give us room blocks and are very welcoming to our attendees, staff, and officials. There are plenty of quality restaurants with a variety of cuisine choices. We always appreciate the Texas hospitality.”

KRISTY COX

Director, Events, USA Volleyball PREMIER DESTINATION FOR AMATEUR SPORTS

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“Youth cheerleading and dance are part of Dallas’ culture. If you’ve never been downtown when they take over, it’s quite a sight to see. As a Sports Commission, we have to have events like these — events you know you can count on year in and year out.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

CHEERLEADING Competitive cheerleading and dance have been a staple of youth sports in and around Dallas for decades. Throughout the entire region, girls — and later boys — learned their craft in preparation for showcase competitive events held in downtown Dallas. “Dallas is the birthplace of the National Cheerleaders Association and the National Dance Association,” said Mike Duhon, Executive Director, Competition Operations for the NCA and NDA. “Dallas has been our home for two National Championships every year since they began. The high school and all-star market is just huge here.” 184

Like volleyball, the annual NCA/NDA event held in downtown Dallas is one of the largest events the city hosts. It not only shows off downtown Dallas and the region to tens of thousands of families and athletes who come in from all over the country, but also gives Dallas residents a hometown advantage when competing for the ultimate championships in their respective sports. "Throughout the years in Dallas, NCA championships have seen such incredible growth," Duhon explained. "We’ve needed to cut off registrations for our All-Star event numerous times, which is typically unheard of for a cheer event. The Dallas Sports Commission is such a wonderful partner for NCA, and we continue to bring more events to the city because of this great relationship. We look forward to many more years of successful partnership and great events in Dallas!"

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YOUTH SOCCER Not only is Dallas home to the second largest youth soccer organization in the country, but it also serves as host to numerous youth soccer tournaments and other events that typically draw hundreds of teams and thousands of young athletes and their families to the region every weekend. The Dr Pepper Dallas Cup receives the most headlines, and for great reason. Since 1980 it has been this country's most prestigious youth soccer event. It's become so massive that it utilizes most of the local soccer facilities for the weeklong event. “Dr Pepper Dallas Cup is an example of multiple entities throughout the region pulling together for a great event,” said Gina Miller, VP of Media and 186

Communications for FC Dallas. “You have games played at Cotton Bowl Stadium, MoneyGram Park, and Toyota Stadium. It brings in a ton of heads in beds, and visitors are housed throughout the North Texas region. But most of the events are free, so fans get to see some great soccer from some of the greatest young players in the world. Just look at David Beckham. He played here and stayed with a host family in East Dallas. They still talk about it — it was the first time he ever ate enchiladas!” But Dr Pepper Dallas Cup is far from the only local youth soccer presence. The Dallas area is home to US Youth Soccer, the governing body of amateur soccer in the United States. Also located here is the headquarters for the North Texas State Soccer Association, our local US Youth Soccer chapter. And recently, Dallas added another major youth soccer tournament when it hosted the Generation Adidas Cup, a newly formed U15 tournament featuring MLS and Liga MX clubs.

“North Texas is a hotbed of soccer activity at all ages. With 137,000 youth players and 17,000 adult players, we continue to see the development of highly skilled players who come up through North Texas Soccer on an annual basis. Our region has embraced the sport like few others in the country, which is a big reason why many of our club programs have teams that are competitive on a national level. As we continue to improve player safety and address issues in the sport, we expect to develop even more outstanding soccer players and see the sport as a whole thrive at all levels.”

DAVID MESSERSMITH

Executive Director, North Texas Soccer

“Soccer is growing rapidly in our area. Dallas is not only a major soccer destination, but we have a huge soccer community within our region. We have some very passionate soccer fans and a huge youth soccer market. We are working to promote the game throughout the Dallas region and to create a united front for soccer as we move into the future.”

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission

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USA BOXING JUNIOR OLYMPIC & PREP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

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USA GOVERNING BODIES

Weightlifting National Championship, FINA Water Polo, and US Bowling Congress Junior Gold Championship, along with additional national meetings held in Dallas by many of the USA sport governing bodies.

Dallas and the United States amateur sports governing bodies have a great relationship, with many of those teams coming to our region for events and to train over the past five years. Some of those events have included the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championships, USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships, FIVB World League, USA Volleyball US Open Championships, USA Dodgeball Combine, USA Ultimate World Games Training, USA Boxing Junior Olympic & Prep National Championships, USA Fencing National Championships, IWF World Masters Cup, USA

"We appreciate the commitment to our events shown by Monica and her team," said Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Weightlifting. "It's tremendously unusual for a huge metro area like Dallas to give that attention to relatively small events, and it was much appreciated. Dallas' key is its almost unrivaled accessibility through both DFW Airport and Love Field. That's a big reason why people love coming to Dallas. Secondary reasons why we love coming to Dallas are a good volunteer community and an excellent range of hotels and space across Dallas and the Dallas Metroplex."

USA VOLLEYBALL BOYS JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

USA FENCING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

USA VOLLEYBALL GIRLS JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP USA WEIGHTLIFTING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

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THE WORLD’S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS Dallas’ Soccer History Runs Deeper Than You Might Think 190

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THE WORLD’S GAME IS OUR GAME

While the game of American football is in no way in danger of losing its prominence in our football-crazed region, there’s no denying the fact that the world’s game of futbol occupies a significant portion of our sports landscape. From the very highest level of international soccer to the early connections with the game through youth soccer leagues, the game of soccer at all levels resonates with so many of those in the Dallas region, so much so that it’s clear that the world’s game is also, indeed, our game as well. Dallas’ rich history of soccer might surprise you, as might its place within both the American and international soccer landscape. Did you realize that Dallas was home to the father of American professional soccer, Lamar Hunt? Or that Dallas is home to the second largest youth soccer community in the United States and that U.S. Youth Soccer, the largest youth sports organization in the country, calls the Dallas region home? From young to old, from historical to modern day, Dallas is and has been an integral haven of soccer in the United States, with connections to the game that most American communities cannot match. “The sky is really the limit for the future of soccer in Dallas," said FC Dallas President Dan Hunt. "My dad (Lamar Hunt) said before he passed away in 2006 that he thought there would be two dominant leagues in 50 years, the NFL and Major League Soccer. And with this kind of trajectory and growth rate that we see across the country in soccer and see how FC Dallas continues to grow, and frankly just general interest in soccer, I think my dad was quite a visionary. You don’t get into these major sports Halls of Fame without really knowing your stuff. So we could get to a point where the NFL and Major League Soccer are the two dominant sports in America."

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"The state of soccer in the Dallas region is probably at an all-time high. I almost can’t go anywhere without someone mentioning the 2026 World Cup and asking do I think Dallas is going to get games and which games do I think Dallas is going to get. So I think there’s a lot of interest from that standpoint and also just how dynamic the city is. We provide so many opportunities for domestic and international soccer. I would say we have come a long way since the 1994 World Cup, and I thought the city did a good job of embracing the World Cup then, so I think we’re obviously at an all-time high."

DAN HUNT

President, FC Dallas

“Dallas is viewed as a diverse and culturally vibrant soccer community, with a long and decorated history of hosting top international youth, club, and national team programming. In addition to its outstanding soccer and support facilities and passionate fanbase, its central location within the United States and transportation capabilities make it a world-class host for the sport of soccer.”

CAMILO DURANA

SVP, Properties and Events, Soccer United Marketing & Major League Soccer THE WORLD'S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS

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“Dallas is a fantastic city that has a lot of love for soccer.” TATA MARTINO

Mexican National Team Manager

THE FATHER OF DALLAS SOCCER Lamar Hunt’s importance to professional soccer in the United States and in Dallas cannot be overstated. Mr. Hunt was instrumental in the formation and advancement of the North American Soccer League, which included the Dallas Tornado. After helping the United States and Dallas land the 1994 World Cup for the first time, he was also instrumental in the launch and ultimate success of Major League Soccer and the Dallas Burn/FC Dallas.

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WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT ON DALLAS When the World Cup came to the United States in 1994, it jump-started a rebirth of soccer across the nation. Dallas played a major role in the tournament, which still holds World Cup attendance records today as the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium hosted six matches, including a memorable quarterfinal between Brazil and the Netherlands, arguably the tournament’s top match. Dallas was also host to the International Broadcast Center, with studio shows worldwide emanating from Fair Park.

EARLY PRO TEAM LEAVES LEGACY With Lamar Hunt leading the way, Dallas played a significant role in the creation of America’s initial pro soccer league, the NASL. In the initial year, foreign clubs doubled as American teams in the league, thus Scotland’s Dundee United masqueraded as the Dallas Tornado. The Tornado went on to win the championship in 1971, but the Tornado’s greatest legacy may have come as the players from those teams, mainly from Europe and South America, remained in Dallas and started youth clubs and programs.

THE HISTORY OF SOCCER IN DALLAS From Lamar Hunt to the World Cup to the very beginning of the MLS, Dallas has a rich history of supporting and building soccer in the United States. There aren’t many regions throughout the country that lay claim to the depth and breadth of soccer as can Dallas. With more than 200,000 youth soccer athletes playing from age 5 all the way through high school, coupled with Dallas’ successful track record for hosting the largest amateur soccer tournament in the U.S., as well as professional soccer matches, international soccer tournament matches, and international friendlies, it’s clear to see that the Dallas region is a soccer hotbed like very few others in North America.

THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF PRO SOCCER Major League Soccer arrived in Dallas in 1996 when the Dallas Burn became one of 10 charter members of the MLS. The team made it through the league’s rough patches and won the U.S. Open Cup in 1997, its first major trophy. In 2005, the team rebranded to FC Dallas and moved north to Frisco into what was just the third major soccerspecific stadium constructed in the country. As FC Dallas, the team won the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the 2016 MLS Supporters Shield. The stadium added the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2018.

INTERNATIONAL SOCCER COMES TO DALLAS Following the success of the World Cup, Dallas was seen as a soccer city. Soon to follow were additional international tournaments, along with international friendlies. Fair Park hosted half of the 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup matches, and since AT&T Stadium has opened, it’s hosted Gold Cup matches in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017, with Toyota Stadium also hosting matches in 2017 and 2019. There have also been a number of friendlies played in the region, bringing worldwide soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to Dallas.

SECOND HOME TO THE MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM Dallas has become the second home of the Mexican National Team, hosting numerous friendlies and international matches featuring the Mexican National Team, including the first sporting event in AT&T Stadium and a memorable match in 2012 when 84,000 fans saw El Tri beat five-time FIFA World Cup champion Brazil, 2-0. Mexico will continue to be a regular visitor for friendlies and community engagements over the next four years through a groundbreaking partnership with the city.

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INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP: ARGENTINA VS. MEXICO

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INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES Dallas has been home to numerous international friendlies, or exhibitions, which exposed soccer fans in the Dallas region to the various styles of play of some of the best teams and players from around the world. These events have traditionally been not only opportunities for soccer superstars to play in front of American audiences, but also opportunities for fans in cities like Dallas to celebrate the international game being played at the highest level. One memorable friendly came in 1991 when the United States took on Costa Rica. On a cool fall evening, 22,000 fans came out to see a game played right over the football lines at the old Texas Stadium. Nonetheless, the atmosphere around the 1-1 draw impressed local organizers enough to ensure that Dallas would remain part of the rotation as these exhibitions began to increase in frequency in the United States through the 1990s.

area appearances in 2014 and 2015. First came Cristiano Ronaldo, headliner of the Real Madrid bunch that came through to play in the Cotton Bowl in 2014 as part of the International Champions Cup. A year later, Argentina’s peerless Lionel Messi, who many would argue is the best to ever kick a soccer ball, didn’t just play at AT&T Stadium — he performed spectacularly, scoring a goal against Mexico as the team played to an entertaining 2-2 draw. And now Mexico will continue to be a regular visitor for friendlies in Dallas, thanks to its four-year agreement between the national team and its local partners to play annually at AT&T Stadium through 2022. The 2019 Mexican National Team U.S. Tour got off to a successful start when Mexico defeated Ecuador 3-2 before a raucous crowd of 59,222 at AT&T Stadium. A strong performance from Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder and former Dr Pepper Dallas Cup star Jonathan dos Santos helped the team secure a victory on its way to the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Dallas got its turn in the storied U.S.—Mexico men’s soccer rivalry in a 2004 friendly. A crowd of more than 45,000 at Cotton Bowl Stadium saw an American team headlined by U.S. soccer icon Landon Donovan battle Mexico to a scoreless draw for 90 minutes. Just as it looked as though things would end this way, an Eddie Pope goal in added time proved the difference as the United States began to build its dominance in soccer’s bitter border rivalry with a 1-0 U.S. victory at Fair Park. Although Cotton Bowl Stadium still hosts matches, most of the high-profile contests have made their way to AT&T Stadium. For instance, in July 2010, one of Mexico’s top teams, the famous and popular Club America, met London’s Chelsea FC, one of the heavy influencers of European soccer. A crowd of 57,229 saw that match, part of the exhibition series known as the World Football Challenge. Audiences were certainly acclimated to seeing marquee soccer matches at the Cowboys’ home by the time Mexico met five-time FIFA World Cup champion Brazil in a 2012 friendly. A festive crowd of more than 84,000 saw a 2-0 win for El Tri. INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY: MEXICO VS. BRAZIL

The two biggest names in global soccer over the last decade made Dallas THE WORLD'S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS

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2017 CONCACAF GOLD CUP: UNITED STATES VS. COSTA RICA

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CONCACAF GOLD CUP The prestigious CONCACAF Gold Cup, a regional 16-team tournament played every two years and featuring some of the top teams in North and South America, has become an important event on the road to the World Cup. The event has also made inroads into the Dallas market, with games often being played in AT&T Stadium or Frisco's Toyota Stadium. The last American CONCACAF championship came in 2017, and Dallas played a major role in the road to the championship for the U.S. National Team. After Toyota Stadium in Frisco hosted a pair of Group A matches, AT&T Stadium hosted the semifinal, which featured Team USA vs Costa Rica. The match saw Texas native and former Dallas youth soccer player Clint Dempsey earn Man of the Match honors after scoring one of his

2019 CONCACAF GOLD CUP: NICARAGUA VS. HAITI

team’s goals and assisting on the other in a 2-0 win. The win propelled the U.S. National Team to a strong performance in the finals against Jamaica to claim the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, their 6th Gold Cup championship. Either Toyota Stadium or AT&T Stadium has hosted matches in the CONCACAF Gold Cups of 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. CONCACAF also oversees regional qualifying for Olympics (men’s and women’s), for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and for all the men’s and women’s FIFA youth championships. The region’s governing body for soccer also plans and manages the CONCACAF Champions League, an annual competition for clubs. Mexican teams have historically dominated although Major League Soccer clubs now make regular incursions into the tournament’s later rounds.

2019 CONCACAF GOLD CUP: COSTA RICA VS. BERMUDA

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“There is no doubt that MLS and the sport of soccer in America would not be where they are today without Lamar Hunt’s passion, commitment, and unrelenting love of the game. He dreamed … that America could someday be a Soccer Nation. And he lived to see that dream come true.”

DON GARBER Commissioner, MLS

Dallas soccer fans still recognize one of the most influential men in the history of American sports as, prior to every MLS match at FC Dallas’ Toyota Stadium, a “scarfing” takes place, during which a local or national celebrity, or someone otherwise worth honoring, climbs a ladder and gently wraps a traditional soccer supporter's scarf around a statue of Lamar Hunt. 200

HOME OF THE NATIONAL SOCCER HALL OF FAME The National Soccer Hall of Fame (NSHOF) is the first major league sports Hall of Fame to be built within a stadium. It opened in 2018 as part of a $55 million renovation at FC Dallas' Toyota Stadium. The Hall of Fame contains two components: the NSHOF Experience and the HOF Club. The interactive NSHOF Experience allows fans to be part of the game through virtual reality, along with gesture technology and interactive digital video boards. Throughout the museum you’ll also see tons of soccer memorabilia – 400 pieces to be exact, including FIFA Women’s World Cup

trophies, championship jerseys, and a Hall of Fame inductees wall. The museum also includes stations where you can design your own scarf or kit and build your fantasy team. It’s a salute to the past and present, while also allowing fans a glimpse into the future. The Experience also serves as home to the Hall of Fame annual induction ceremonies. The HOF Club includes specialty seating for season ticket holders for all FC Dallas home games, as well as multiple event spaces that will function as food and beverage hubs on game days.

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A LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP DALLAS & THE MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM

“Dallas has a large and passionate fan base for the Mexican National Team, and we look forward to celebrating that partnership. It gets bigger every year. At AT&T Stadium, we know they love the Cowboys, but at times I think they like the Mexican National Team better. I’ve seen those events take place. It’s remarkable.” MIKE RAWLINGS

Former Dallas Mayor

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“The Federacion Mexicana de Futbol and Soccer United Marketing, its commercial agent, are thrilled with the long-term commitment to the Dallas Sports Commission, the Dallas Cowboys, FC Dallas, and local governments. We have formed an opportunity to build meaningful community relationships and more fan opportunities in a city that has historically provided some of the most passionate Mexican National Team support in the world.”

CAMILO DURANA

SVP, Properties and Events, Soccer United Marketing & Major League Soccer

“Dallas is a fantastic city that has a lot of love for soccer. In our case, the Mexican National Team plays as the home team. It’s really important to be here not only for the friendlies, but for what’s coming in the future.”

TATA MARTINO

Mexican National Team Manager THE WORLD'S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS

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CELEBRATING A SOCCER CULTURE The stands in AT&T Stadium may not shake like those in Azteca Stadium when the Mexican National Soccer Team takes the field, but close your eyes and you might think you’ve been transported to Mexico City. The passion for the game in Mexico has developed a soccer culture second to none in the world. And that culture travels. In making Dallas the Mexican National Team’s new home-away-from-home through 2022, the Dallas region is just beginning to understand the culture that surrounds futbol in Mexico. It’s like New Year’s Eve, with a dash of Mardi Gras, mixed with the nonstop party vibe of Vegas

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nightlife. It’s passion multiplied by pride. It’s a joyous devotion surrounded by a fanned fervor. But to put it on paper doesn’t do it justice. You have to feel it. You have to experience it. You have to live it. And that’s what Dallas will be able to do over the next few years, thanks to this groundbreaking partnership between the Mexican Federation, the Dallas Cowboys, FC Dallas, and the Dallas Sports Commission. Between now and 2022, there will be numerous ways to soak in the culture surrounding Mexican soccer. From the friendlies at AT&T Stadium to the fan festivals in downtown Dallas and other areas across the region, take in the mariachis, absorb the festive sights and sounds, expose yourself to the authentic Mexican foods and drinks, and let yourself truly experience one of the most unique cultures in the sporting universe, all in our own back yard.

“Soccer United Marketing has found a true partner in the Dallas Sports Commission. Under Monica Paul’s leadership, we have built programming that has delivered value to fans, the city, and the Mexican National Team. These types of relationships work best when there’s an openness to work towards collective objectives, as well as goals that are important to the participating parties. We truly value our partnership with the Dallas Sports Commission and look forward to continued work with them across Mexican National Team and other Soccer United Marketing events.”

CAMILO DURANA

SVP, Properties and Events, Soccer United Marketing & Major League Soccer THE WORLD'S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS

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BRINGING THE WORLD CUP BACK TO DALLAS

“Hosting the World Cup in Dallas would continue to cement our city as a ‘must have’ and ‘must visit’ place for internationalists. We are truly on the world stage from a business standpoint and aviation and immigration. We need that pizzazz from an entertainment standpoint as well. We are perfectly situated to present that for the World Cup, and it’s paramount that we make this happen.”

MIKE RAWLINGS 206

Former Mayor of Dallas

“Bringing the World Cup to Dallas would be like nothing we’ve seen before. Not like the ’94 World Cup here in Dallas. Not like the NFL Draft. Not like the World Series. This will be something so unique. The 1994 World Cup still stands as the largest attended World Cup in history. The U.S., despite soccer not being the traditional pastime, is still one of the biggest supporters of soccer in the world. This will be a huge event that the Dallas Sports Commission will get!”

JIMMY SMITH

COO & CFO, FC Dallas

“I attended the World Cup in Dallas in 1994. And while it was a big event for the community, Dallas was less of an international city back then. However, hosting the World Cup ‘94 I think put us on the map in a lot of ways. So having the World Cup potentially return in 2026 would be a major accomplishment for the city and would allow the rest of the world to see what a vibrant city we are.”

RAFAEL ANCHIA

Texas State Representative, Dallas Sports Commission Board Member

“It would be a massive, massive win to host the World Cup again. The ability to host the World Cup group stage, the media center, or even the semifinals or finals puts a city or region on the map. It’s the biggest sporting event in the world, and it’s not even close. It would be as big of a public relations coup for the area as there could possibly be.”

MARK CLAYTON

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, Former Dallas City Council Member THE WORLD'S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS

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A DECADE (OR THREE) IN THE MAKING

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By the time it is announced which cities throughout North America will host FIFA World Cup 2026 activities, it will be a decade since those same cities began making their push to be FIFA World Cup 2026 hosts. But should the FIFA World Cup return to Dallas in 2026, it will be more than three decades since the world’s most significant sporting event was in Dallas, and it will be returning to a very different Dallas.

There will be 48 teams in the 2026 field, meaning 80 matches will be played. Sixty of those matches will be played in the United States, including the quarterfinals through the finals, and the other 20 matches will be split between sites in Mexico and Canada. The United 2026 bid submitted New York and Dallas as finals host cities and submitted Dallas and Atlanta as semifinals host cities.

The joint bid by the United States, Canada, and Mexico was officially awarded hosting rights in 2018. But putting together that bid, known as the United 2026 bid, began well before 2018. And now that the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosting rights countdown is officially on, the next step is for FIFA to determine which cities will become host cities.

Dallas is expecting to bid on hosting quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals matches, as well as bidding for the prestigious rights to be the home to the International Broadcast Center (IBC), FIFA Headquarters, and Referee Headquarters. It’s from the IBC that all studio shows from around the world will emanate, extending even further Dallas’ international brand shall we earn those rights.

A LONG TIME COMING Dallas hosts numerous CONCACAF Gold Cup matches since 2009

Dallas hosts 6 matches inside Cotton Bowl Stadium

United States hosts 1994 World Cup, hosting the event for the first time

Dallas is home to the World Cup International Broadcast Center U.S., along with Canada and Mexico, wins United 2026 bid to host World Cup

Dallas and Mexican Federation announce deal to host MNT games in Dallas

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By June 2020, U.S. Soccer required to propose to FIFA 10 U.S. cities to host matches

The U.S. loses bid to host 2018 World Cup

The U.S. loses bid to host 2022 World Cup

FIFA will consider the cities and announce the host sites no earlier than December 2020 THE WORLD'S GAME FINDS A HOME IN DALLAS

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CHAMPIONING WOMEN’S ACHIEVEMENTS Defining Success On Their Own Terms, Dallas’ Women In Sports Take Center Stage 210

CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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LEADING A MOVEMENT Ahead of her time? Maybe not. But did she know what she wanted and have a plan on how she would get there? Absolutely!

Monica Paul, the first and only Executive Director the Dallas Sports Commission has ever known, was recruited to Dallas based on her vast knowledge of the sporting events industry and her reputation for being a tenacious, tireless worker who makes things happen. Those traits became particularly useful when it became clear that her organization, then the Sports Marketing Department of VisitDallas, was best situated to take charge and create a sports commission that all of the region could support. “It was a difficult process, and it didn’t always go the way we wanted it to,” said Joe Albsmeyer, Director of Business Development for the Dallas Sports Commission. “But Monica was very strategic and had some big wins lined up that we could announce soon after the announcement of the birth of the Dallas Sports Commission, which gave ourselves some legitimacy.” Added Linda Logan, Executive Director of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission: “Monica has so much valuable experience from both ends of the spectrum as a customer and as a destination. She has a wealth of insight that very few across the country have.” Monica knew that Dallas and the region had so much more to offer than just selling room nights. From her days with USA Volleyball and other organizations, she experienced first-hand everything that Dallas could provide as a sports destination. So she relied on that tenacious, tireless worker to will the region to dream bigger, demand more, and expect BIG WINS to follow. And they soon did, starting with the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four. But there was more. "The commitment by Dallas and the Dallas Sports Commission to girl's and women’s sports has paid dividends for the entire community. It has been a grassroots effort through many years of tenacity that has resulted in numerous events being awarded to the city — and that is in large measure due to Monica," said Dru Hancock, Senior Associate Commissioner of the Big 12 Conference. 212

CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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“SHE’S OUR ROCK STAR” Monica Paul comes off as a mellow, arms-wide-open kind of person. Need help? She’s there to provide any assistance you need. Need advice? Her knowledge and experience can offer up a helpful solution to just about anything. But don’t tell her she can’t. Whether it’s building a sports commission in Dallas after so many others failed or attracting the biggest events to the region, Monica simply won’t accept “can’t.” “It would have taken a Monica-type to establish such a successful organization in such a short period of time,” said Alan Walne, current Board member of the Dallas Sports Commission and longtime supporter of growing Dallas as a sports destination. “We had one. We had Monica! She had the passion and expertise we needed at the time.” Upon the establishment of the new Dallas Sports Commission brand, Monica and her team hit the ground running, winning bids for big-time events like the NCAA Women’s Final Four and quickly earning a reputation as a formidable brand in the region and throughout the country. “Monica is a rock star, plain and simple!” said Charlotte Jones Anderson, Chief Brand Officer of the Dallas Cowboys. “She has united our region with her leadership, energy, and dedication to bringing major events to North Texas. She has provided, not just Dallas, but our entire region an ability to compete for events with human resources, political support, ancillary venues, and the list goes on and on. She is the ultimate team player.”

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And that success has continued to bring in more big events based on successful previous experiences in the region. Such was the case with the NHL Winter Classic, which will be played in Cotton Bowl Stadium on January 1, 2020. The NHL was so impressed with the way the Dallas Sports Commission worked with the league, the Dallas Stars, and the city during the 2018 NHL Draft, it decided to double-down on Dallas, bringing its spotlight mid-season game to a southern market whose hockey history may pale in comparison to other markets that desperately wanted to host the event.

“Monica has been critical to the success of our region in hosting major events. It is her leadership that provides us all the ability to compete for big events, as well as execute the events once we get them. She works incredibly hard, brings energy to a room, and is a great example of underpromise, over-deliver,” said Chad Estis, Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Dallas Cowboys. Always looking for bigger and better, don’t look for the Dallas Sports Commission to stand still or rest on its laurels. That’s not in Monica’s nature. “Monica is the single greatest influence to getting the Dallas Sports Commission to where it is now,” said FC Dallas COO & CFO Jimmy Smith. “She has relationships with so many entities and sports venues and teams and hotels. She has done a tremendous job of creating the Dallas Sports Commission and then fostering its growth. She does such a great job of bringing people together who have their own visions and getting them all aligned to focus on a single vision for the greater good. That’s what happened with Soccer United Marketing with the Gold Cup and the Mexican National Tour. For both, she was able to bring everything together to get those events to Dallas while also keeping an eye on the long-term vision of getting the World Cup here.” And it’s that long-term vision that should have Dallas and the region so excited about the future of the Dallas Sports Commission, understanding its humble beginnings and appreciating where it now stands as a leader among its peers. “Monica and I go back a long way,” said Cheryl Richards, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer of VisitDallas. “When I say someone is knowledgeable of the sports tourism industry, she’s it! She studies it. She knows it. It is embodied in her, and I think that’s a huge advantage for Dallas and the Dallas Sports Commission. “She is what I consider to be a leader in every sense of the word. She’s taken a sports marketing division and made it into a true stand-alone sports commission. She came to us with great partnerships and has been able to build so many more. She’s helped put Dallas on the map as a sports destination. She is everything a sports commission could want in its leader, particularly as a leader in our city. She’s our rock star!”

“My relationship with Monica is very much a true friendship. I respect her, I learn from her, I laugh with her, and I want her opinion and advice as often as possible. I never hesitate to call or text her with my wins and losses and my questions and successes. While we are industry competitors, I cherish our friendship. Our mentorship with each other is more valuable and rewarding than beating Dallas on any bid.”

“Our personal relationship is a very, very good one. Her brand is one of the most trusted brands in the country. Monica Paul is known as one of the people that can get things done, and that’s one of the reasons we get along so well. We are both very direct people, but we are able to work with others to ensure the best outcome.”

MATT WILSON

KATHY NELSON

Executive Director, Arlington Sports Commission

CEO, Greater Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation

“When we’re able to be together at events or at industry shows, one of my favorite things is to be able to get together with the Girl Power Group. We cherish the time we are able to spend together, and even though we’re always just a phone call away, having that personal touch and that camaraderie, it’s just so much fun. You don’t always see that among competitors in other industries.”

LINDA LOGAN

Executive Director, Greater Columbus Sports Commission

WHAT HER FELLOW SPORTS COMMISSION LEADERS ARE SAYING “I always know that Monica and her team have not cut corners or given less than what is required when it comes to hosting events, so I know that I’ll get honest feedback when I’m searching for advice or wanting certain dynamics of an event. The true changemakers in this industry know that sharing best practices only helps, and I’ve always appreciated Monica for being a leader in our industry.”

MATTHEW PAYNE Executive Director, Denver Sports Commission

“Monica is an incredibly hard worker, knows how to get things done, and has great relationships throughout our industry. She has been a great fit for Dallas. She is always willing to help with answers to questions on events and bids we have in common. She’s just a great person. And she is a lot of fun!”

JENNY CARNES

Senior Vice President, COO, San Antonio Sports

“What Monica has accomplished for Dallas has been nothing short of amazing. She was the right person in the right position at the right time, and the DFW area has benefitted greatly from her efforts. I have personally learned a lot from her, and I have made efforts to build other sports tourism departments using the mold of the Dallas Sports Commission.”

JOSH DILL

Director of Sports & Events, Visit Frisco CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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“Monica is just really smart. She has insights into sports and sports tourism that go beyond volleyball. She has a deep level of experience that enables her to be outstanding. She has intelligence plus a personality that is very inviting and also very intuitive. She knows how to put groups together and get them to work toward a common goal and a common purpose. She understands our needs before we can even see them.”

GLEN LIETZKE

Executive Director, Mizuno Lone Star Classic

A TRUE ASSET TO OUR REGION As the Dallas Sports Commission has thrived, so has the entire Dallas region. And there is no one other than Monica Paul to thank for that. “I appreciate the fact that she has included everyone in this geographic area,” said Scott Murray, longtime Dallas-area broadcaster and current Dallas Sports Commission Board member. “That’s the best thing she’s done, in my opinion. She’s opened her arms to everyone in the region. She’s also opened her arms to not just the four major sports. She’s invested in college sports, national team sports, and youth sports. She has championed

women’s sports, and that’s hugely important. She’s got pretty good ears and listens. That’s important for any leader. That’s why the good Lord gave us two ears and only one mouth.” Her unrelenting demand that not only the region thrives, but so do the events that make the Dallas region home is a key to her win-win philosophy. And it doesn’t go unnoticed. “Anytime we’ve asked for help from Monica and her staff, they have stepped up,” said Rick Baker, President/CEO of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. “She knows all the ins and outs of our industry and has done a remarkable job of building her reputation and that of the Dallas Sports Commission. We’re lucky to have her here in North Texas.”

“When it’s all said and done, Monica is an impressive and effective leader and has great experience in the event space. That’s a lot different than a sales person whose expertise is selling rooms but who hasn’t rolled up their sleeves and gone into the weeds to help make events successful. She is able to leverage her relationships and develop a plan for each event that her and her team are then able to execute flawlessly.”

MIKE MILLAY

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Sports Consultant, Managing Partner, Clancy’s Sports Properties

AN INSPIRATION AND A LEADER

And that’s key for any leader, being willing to get down in the trenches and lead by example. It’s those characteristics that attract the respect that she receives from those around her.

If it is true that those whose minds are steadfast will keep in perfect peace, then Monica Paul is the picture of perfect peace. Monica’s steadfast dedication to the client, and her unyielding demand that the need of the client comes first, no matter which combination of regional partners it takes to get that accomplished, might be her single biggest legacy to Dallas and the industry. “Monica focuses on an attention to stressing that the small things matter,” said Dallas Sports Commission Director of Business Development Joe Albsmeyer. “There are a lot of opportunities to cut corners. Seeing all of the passion and effort she puts into not cutting corners and making sure to take care of the small things, it’s inspirational. But at the same time, she’s not going to ask you to do something that she hasn’t done herself.”

“Monica was given the opportunity to be an executive director in a major destination. She might not have become the trailblazer she did if she would have been in a small market. Dallas gave her the platform to be recognized, and she took advantage of that. She overdelivered on her promises. She developed the 'Monica Standard.' There are high standards, then there is the Monica Standard. People in the industry will tell you that they bring their events to Dallas because they know we operate on the Monica Standard."

GINGER LIVELY-CADE Director of Sales, Dallas Sports Commission

Adrian Armstrong, Sales & Services Coordinator for the Dallas Sports Commission, sums it up thusly: “Monica is a very straight-forward person. She has expectations, and she expects you to do your job at a high level. She has an open-door policy and a great personality. Her laugh kills me. When she gets upset, she has this thing she does with her hands. That’s how I know she’s upset. But she’s always approachable. She’s inspiring. It makes me think that anything is possible. The hospitality industry is so male dominated. Monica walks the walk and talks the talk. She is a great mentor. She has so much knowledge and wisdom and is always willing to share it with you.”

“As a young woman, it’s great to see another woman at that level of leadership. She is selfless about giving her knowledge and sharing it with others. She is extremely intuitive and forward-thinking, and those are important qualities for a leader. It’s not about just the Dallas Sports Commission, but it’s about the success of Dallas as a region and the events we bring to the area.”

STEPHANIE EVANS Event Manager, Dallas Sports Commission

“No one is more principled than Monica. Even though we all have a job to do and it is our responsibility to achieve certain sales metrics, she has taught me that everything is not always about making the most money or chasing the next dollar. It’s all about the experience of our customers and our visitors, even if that means doing something that is going to offer a better experience rather than something that might have more of an impact on our bottom line. If you do the right thing, it will always come back around.”

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

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IMPACTFUL

WOMEN IN SPORTS

CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON As the Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer of the Dallas Cowboys, Charlotte Jones Anderson is one of the most powerful women in the National Football League and all of American sports. As such, she was also named Chairman of the NFL Foundation in 2012 and currently serves on a number of league committees on behalf of the Cowboys organization. Her vision and passion have helped to build the Cowboys into the most valuable sports franchise in the world. But her legacy may be most remembered in the way she has been able to engage the Dallas Cowboys brand within the community and ensure that on every occasion possible, the Cowboys organization, and the NFL itself, gives back and provides resources, opportunities, and support to local communities, school districts, non-profit organizations, and causes.

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“I feel honored to join such an incredible group of female leaders in our community. It’s an incredible time to be involved with sports, as I’ve never felt more motivated and inspired to not just contribute, but encourage our current and future employees and females with an interest in sports to dream big. I would have never imagined back in my 20s that I would have the platform I do, nor would I have envisioned that I would be surrounded by other women with a similar drive and passion for sports. I hope it is a great example that nothing is impossible and we can help inspire young women to reach for their dreams.”

CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON

Executive Vice President, Chief Brand Officer, Dallas Cowboys CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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IMPACTFUL

WOMEN IN SPORTS

STEPHANIE MCMAHON Stephanie McMahon is another powerful female executive who has demonstrated an authoritative demeanor and established a lasting legacy in the business of sports. As one of the WWE’s principal owners and its Chief Brand Officer, McMahon has been a champion for women’s involvement in what has traditionally been a male-dominated business. She proved her dedication to the women of the WWE when, while the company was in Dallas for WrestleMania Week in 2016, she did away with the derogatory “Divas” term used to represent the women’s division and introduced a new women’s championship that was more in line with that worn by the male world champion. McMahon often represents the WWE in corporate endeavors and in front of business interests and shareholders. She also leads the WWE's efforts in incorporating the WWE brand into the communities that support its events, as demonstrated in a meaningful way during WrestleMania Week in Dallas when the WWE made a huge impact and lasting legacy on our community.

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“Getting to know Stephanie McMahon has been an awesome experience. When you look at what the WWE does in the communities and for the lives of families that are struggling, it’s so inspirational. And a lot of the credit for that goes to Stephanie McMahon. I admire what they did here in Dallas during WrestleMania Week and am a huge fan of the whole brand.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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DRU HANCOCK Big 12 Conference Senior Associate Commissioner Dru Hancock was an original member of the Big 12 staff and has been actively involved throughout her career in NCAA governance and reform. As part of that reform, she serves on the NCAA Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Oversight Committee, encouraging growth of the sport, equality among all, and opportunities for anyone who wants to play the game. She was instrumental in helping to get the 2017 NCAA Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Final Four to Dallas and has been a pioneer in developing, growing, and transforming women's sports and opportunities for female athletes within both the Big 12 and the entire NCAA.

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“Dru is a dear friend and a true champion of women’s sports. We could not have had the success we’ve had over the past five years without her friendship, her expertise, and her advice. She is a trailblazer in women’s collegiate athletics, and we continue to lean on her for support.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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IMPACTFUL

WOMEN IN SPORTS

NANCY LIEBERMAN Nancy Lieberman is a basketball icon and a true leader in sports. The first woman to ever become head coach of a menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional team in any sport, the Basketball Hall of Fame member played eight years of pro basketball, coached in the NBA and the G-League, and was a broadcaster on ABC and ESPN. Lieberman is also a philanthropic-minded individual, as her Nancy Lieberman Charities assists the youth of Dallas in having more opportunities to participate in sports. She is an impressive advocate for women and youth in sports and has lent her unwavering credibility and personal brand to accomplish much as a champion for all.

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“Everyone knows Nancy as one of the greatest basketball icons of all time, but she is also such a great person. The charity work she does often goes unnoticed. She has proven time and again that there’s no wall too high to climb and nothing that can’t be accomplished when you put your mind to it. She is a hero to girls and women everywhere and is always there to lend a hand to the Dallas Sports Commission and to help make Dallas great.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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THE BEST WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR — EVER! Certainly we are biased when discussing the success of the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four. But don’t just take our word for it. “In partnership with the Dallas Sports Commission, we were able to deliver one of the best Women’s Final Fours in the event’s history,” said Anucha Browne, the NCAA vice president of women’s basketball championships. “I was overwhelmed by the support the Dallas community showed for our championship. The four teams enjoyed an amazing experience, and we all left Dallas knowing that it was an experience not soon to be forgotten.” Added the Big 12 Conference's Dayna Scherf: “I just remember standing in a sold-out American Airlines Center where the excitement gave you goosebumps. Dallas delivered the best NCAA Women’s Final Four in history, no matter how you judged it." And the stats don’t lie either. Take a look at the next page to see just how much of a dominant force the 2017 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four

“We all joke about Monica’s ‘vertical’ when the (2017 Women's Final Four) announcement was made, but that awarding really did elevate the city of Dallas, the Dallas Sports Commission, and the American Airlines Center as big-time players in the sport of women’s basketball.”

DAYNA SCHERF

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turned out to be from a broadcast perspective and also from a social media standpoint.

"The 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four was a defining moment for American Airlines Center and a career highlight for our team members. The competition was fierce and the energy was as intense as any sports competition we have ever hosted. The most gratifying aspect of the championship was the way the city of Dallas and community stepped up and embraced the games. The entire community was buzzing about the championship for weeks."

DAVE BROWN

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, COO & GM, American Airlines Center

HASHTAG #WFINALFOUR ESTIMATED REACH TO

MOST STREAMED CHAMPIONSHIP GAME EVER

FINAL FOUR

NCAA SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENTS

1.9 MILLION

WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR

38,431

A 340% INCREASE OVER 2016

TOURNEY TOWN PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE

TWO-GAME ATTENDANCE

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ATTENDANCE

WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR

3,886,000 AVERAGE NUMBERS OF VIEWERS ON ESPN

IMPRESSIONS ON OFFICIAL NCAA SOCIAL MEDIA

A 230% INCREASE OVER 2016

BY THE NUMBERS

FIRST SELLOUT SINCE 2014

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

40.4 MILLION

2017 NCAA WOMEN’S

19,221

1.7 BILLION

29% INCREASE OVER 2016

6,000 VISITORS PER DAY

TOURNEY TOWN PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE

1 MILLION

MINUTES READ BY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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GIRL POWERED: WOMEN OF STEM Girl Powered is a global initiative shared by the REC Foundation and VEX Robotics aimed at increasing girls’ access to and confidence in STEM careers. Students experience the excitement of building robots, testing their problem-solving skills, and meeting female STEM mentors at Girl Powered workshops hosted in community venues across the U.S. and the world.

second annual Girl Powered Flagship Event. The event was just one of many of Girl Powered events taking place around the world during the month of October in an effort to help spark young girls’ interest in STEM education and robotics. Throughout the day, attendees had the chance to speak with some impressive female role models, including Dr. Knatokie Ford, Founder and CEO of Fly Sci Enterprise, and via the Ask An Engineer speakers.

In October 2019, hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school students and female change-makers united at Texas Instruments in Dallas for the

“I can hire these kids who are coming out of these programs directly into the workforce because they have all the skills that we look for. They know how to work on a team. They know how to program. They know how to deal with real-world systems. And, most importantly, they also know how to deal with failures.”

SHIVAKUMAR VENKATARAMAN Vice President of Engineering, Google

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GIRL POWERED: DALLAS OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES “Monica is a bright light when she walks into a room. I saw it for myself when I was with her in Tampa for the Women’s Final Four. You can tell the great amount of respect she has earned from the entire sports community, and that respect is only going to enhance Dallas' ability to bring more sports opportunities for females to Dallas.”

ANDREW DOCKRILL

darlene ellison

Event Manager, Dallas Sports Commission

"Young girls have to have role models and need opportunities to see and experience women’s sports. During the 2017 Women’s Final Four, I had the opportunity to take a friend’s daughter who was a junior high basketball player. She came away so impressed. It was a great opportunity for her, just to know there are women’s sports at a higher level that she can maybe aspire to be at on the court one day. Even if it’s not basketball – it could be softball or cheer or volleyball – getting to experience that at such a high level and with such fanfare is a very valuable thing for young girls."

MONICA PAUL, Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

“Our destination is a platform for success, and we have been able to showcase women’s sports on the same platform as men’s sports – the same media coverage, the same hospitality, the same venues, the same fanfare. We provide strong women with a larger voice. And Dallas is on the cutting edge of diversity and inclusiveness with some strong women who have really helped speed lift some of these women’s sporting events. It starts with Monica, but also Tara Green in the past and Charlotte Jones Anderson, Nancy Lieberman, and Dru Hancock.”

GINGER LIVELY-CADE Director of Sales, Dallas Sports Commission

CHAMPIONING WOMEN'S ACHIEVEMENTS

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CENTER OF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL UNIVERSE Where Saturdays Are Sacred, And Everyone Rallies Around The Home Team 230

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL REIGNS KING If there’s a hierarchy of sports in this sports-crazed state of Texas, there’s a clear delineation of dominance. We can all argue about who’s No. 2, whether that be basketball, baseball, hockey, or the surging sport of soccer. But when we’re talking about the king of the mountain, the top of the heap, there’s no question about where Texans’ true love lies … and that’s football. Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry once said, “Football is to Texas what religion is to a priest.” And he probably wasn’t that far off base with that assessment. From the Pee Wees to Pop Warner and from Friday Night Lights to the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium, football in the fall is a badge of honor carried down from generation to generation. It’s entire communities living vicariously through the Boys of Fall. It’s donning the helmet, cleats, and shoulder pads, slipping on that jersey, and givin’ ‘em hell for four quarters. Want to better understand the mindset regarding the importance of football in our culture? Just take in this quip from national championship head coach Paul Dietzel: “You can learn more character on the two-yard line than anywhere else in life.” Most Texans couldn't put it any better. With that mindset, it’s no wonder why Texas, and the Dallas area in particular, has emerged as the center of the college football universe. Home to the College Football Playoff and the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame, home to AT&T Stadium and the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium, home to three major college football programs (SMU, TCU, and North Texas) and multiple bowl games spread throughout the region (Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, and the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl), home to the Doak Walker Award and the Davey O’Brien Award and other national college football trophies — there’s no debating that when the spotlight turns to college football, it shines brightly on Dallas.

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GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

“College football is a national treasure — its passion, its traditions, the way people love their teams and how they count the days until the next season begins. Texans get that!” BILL HANCOCK, Executive Director, College Football Playoff

RED RIVER SHOWDOWN

STATE FAIR CLASSIC

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HOME OF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF & CFP SELECTION COMMITTEE The Dallas area is home to the College Football Playoff (CFP). With its headquarters in Las Colinas, the CFP brings a prestige to our region, and our region provides a tremendous amount of support to the organization that annually crowns college football’s king. “We are grateful to call the Dallas community home. When we established our headquarters here, we knew it was the right fit. Texas loves football. The CFP staff felt the support immediately, and the community embraced the opportunity to crown a national champion,” said Bill Hancock, Executive Director of the College Football Playoff. The esteemed CFP Selection Committee meets regularly in Grapevine, just northeast of Dallas during each season to review and rank each team. The CFP Selection Committee releases six sets of Top 25 rankings during November and December of each season. In what has become a new December tradition on the Sunday following the conference championship games, the committee meets one last time to determine the four teams to participate in the College Football Playoff. This is a rare glimpse inside that committee meeting room.

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HOSTING THE FIRST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME The inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game was played at AT&T Stadium on January 12, 2015. The fourth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes claimed the first CFP title with a 42-20 win over No. 2 Oregon, powered by the impressive record-setting rushing performance by Ezekiel Elliott. The fourth-seeded team winning the first CFP national championship has become a harbinger of future playoff unpredictability. As of this writing, the lower seed has won all five championship games and nine of the 15 CFP playoff games.

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CFP SEMIFINAL ROTATION INCLUDES THE COTTON BOWL The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium is also part of the CFP semifinal rotation and has hosted two CFP semifinal games thus far â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a 38-0 win by Alabama over Michigan State in 2016 and a 30-3 Clemson win over Notre Dame in 2018. Both winning teams went on to win that year's College Football Playoff national championship, with Alabama defeating Clemson 45-40 in 2016 and Clemson winning its second CFP championship in 2019 with a 44-16 dismantling of Alabama, the then-largest margin of victory in CFP national championship game history.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL CATHEDRALS: THE HISTORIC There is a reason that Dallas-area football fans view historic Cotton Bowl Stadium with unabashed reverence. The nearly 100-year-old concrete structure is a palace of rich football history that has been home to the Dallas Cowboys, SMU Mustangs, the legendary Cotton Bowl Classic bowl game, and the annual Red River Showdown, pitting the Texas Longhorns against the Oklahoma Sooners. And that's just its football history. Today the stadium still remains an important part of Dallas' college football landscape. Annual college football events at Cotton Bowl Stadium include: Red River Showdown: The annual matchup between Texas and Oklahoma State Fair Classic: The historic HBCU contest pitting Grambling against Prairie View State Fair Showdown: A new annual series featuring Texas Southern and Southern University

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL CATHEDRALS: ... AND THE NOW The world-class AT&T Stadium is one of the most coveted venues for college football teams and fans alike. No other neutral-site venue hosts so many important college football matchups annually, making AT&T Stadium a college football kingmaker. In addition to the College Football Playoff semifinal and championship games played in the stadium, the following are some of the annual college events played there: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: One of the prestigious New Year's Six bowl games Big 12 Championship Game: The Big 12's road to the College Football Playoff AdvoCare Classic: Typically the premier college football matchup during each season's opening weekend Southwest Classic: Annual matchup between Texas A&M and Arkansas

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RUNS DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXANS "Texas loves football. From our great partners nationally, to the Cotton Bowl staff, Jerry Jones and AT&T Stadium, to the downtown community, everyone came together and helped facilitate our inaugural championship event at a high level. I simply recall the passion and hands-on way the Dallas Sports Commission approached our event. They were superb!"

BILL HANCOCK Executive Director, College Football Playoff

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"The team at the Dallas Sports Commission has played an integral part in the growth of the State Fair Classic HBCU football game. We have worked together to continue to offer all the traditions and history of the game to people who have attended for over 30 years and people who are visiting the State Fair Classic for the first time. I look forward to continuing to work with the Dallas Sports Commission and moving the game forward with the same focus that our amazing city has for all of its residents and visitors."

ULRICK BATES

Promoter, State Fair Classic

“When it comes to crowds of great folks and dollars flowing into our economy, Texas-OU weekend rules. It’s the biggest single event of the year in North Texas. Restaurants and hotels are packed, retail outlets flourish, and it is always the biggest day for attendance at the State Fair of Texas. Regardless of which team prevails on the field each year, everybody is a winner. The Dallas Sports Commission along with others in positions of leadership — our elected officials and those at the two universities — deserve our gratitude for keeping this great football tradition alive and well.”

PETE SCHENKEL

Dallas Sport Commission Board Member and one of the leading voices in keeping the Red River Showdown in Cotton Bowl Stadium over the years

"The future of not just the NFL, but the sport of football itself, is in the hands of the young athletes playing the game. Hosting college football in our stadium provides these players with a unique experience that gives them a glimpse into what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like at the next level. It gives us the opportunity to showcase the stadium and our region for all those fans watching, as well as all the local high school players looking for an unforgettable experience playing football."

JERRY JONES

Owner, Dallas Cowboys

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MAKING OUR MARK When We Give Back To Those Who Support Us, We Develop A True Partnership With The Community 244

MAKING OUR MARK

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BUILT LOCALLY

What really matters in sports? The wins are great. The losses are painful. The lessons can be lifelong. But how do we want to be viewed and remembered? We’ve previously discussed how the Dallas Sports Commission works with major events that come to our market in hopes of not only crowning champions and entertaining fans, but also leaving a lasting legacy through highly impactful community engagement initiatives. But these major events don’t happen every weekend. And for the Dallas Sports Commission to achieve its stated mission of improving the quality of life of Dallas residents, we must not only rely on the community outreach of big events we host, but we must also develop our own events and initiatives that positively impact our community and provide opportunities for residents to better themselves. The following pages describe how the Dallas Sports Commission executes its own events that provide members of our community with experiences and opportunities they may otherwise not have access to, such as the Dallas Regional Spelling Bee, the Cotton Bowl Stadium Prep Showcase, and the MexTour Reading Program. Through these and other events and programs we have supported, the Dallas Sports Commission is committed to making our community a better place to live and raise families. “Every event wants to leave a lasting legacy,” said Ginger Lively-Cade, Director of Sales for the Dallas Sports Commission. “All major events have philanthropic components. But big events only come around so often. We, as the Dallas Sports Commission, also have a responsibility to give back to the community and leave a lasting impression. Whether it’s refurbishing athletics facilities to give kids opportunities to play sports, enacting reading programs within our school districts, or bringing special experiences to kids who might otherwise never be able to have those experiences, there is a responsibility to give back, and that’s what we are doing and what we will continue to do.” 246

“Our role is to bring in high profile and quality events to Dallas, showcase our city in a positive manner, and be a benefactor to the community. But it goes beyond just sports. Yes, we bring quality events to the community. We are also stewards of the community and, along with our event partners, we are committed to giving back to the community through our community event initiatives.”

STEPHANIE EVANS

Event Manager, Dallas Sports Commission

“Engaging the community ensures that the work of the Dallas Sports Commission lifts all boats. The Dallas Sports Commission plays a key role in providing opportunities to touch the lives of people who view sports as an important part of their lives.” RAFAEL ANCHIA, Texas State Representative, Dallas Sports Commission Board Member

“Previously we were a conduit for everyone trying to do community impact events. We see value in owning and executing our own community impact events. The more people know and understand what we do, it will make these relationships stronger.”

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

MAKING OUR MARK

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DALLAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME The Dallas Sports Hall of Fame is being established by the Dallas Sports Commission on behalf of the entire Dallas region to recognize and honor the most accomplished athletes, coaches, team owners, and sports contributors who have distinguished themselves not only through their elite accomplishments, but also through the high standards of integrity and character reﬂected within their life’s legacy. Whether a Dallas-area native or their career superlatives extraordinarily elevated a Dallas-area collegiate or professional team or league, or the Dallas sports landscape in general, inductees into the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame shall have made remarkable impacts worthy of our honor and acclaim. Emanating from one of the great sports regions in the world, the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame is a source of pride for the local community and is sure to feature some of the most iconic athletes, coaches, and other individuals whose accomplishments unequivocally resonated within their sport. By bringing together these esteemed individuals, Dallas is set to honor its legends while establishing a new platform where it can continue to promote their famed legacies. An integral part of this will also be the establishment of the Dallas Sports Foundation, which will provide scholarships and other opportunities to the youth within our region.

We envision the annual Dallas Sports Hall of Fame & Awards Gala to be Dallas’ premier, most well-attended sports awards event of the year.

“The development of the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame is very exciting. Dallas needs something to recognize the rich history of athletes, teams, and executives that called Dallas home. This is a great way to tell the story of the Dallas Sports Commission and its values and the role it plays in the community.” TARA GREEN

Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission, Principal of Program Development, OJB Landscape Architecture 248

“The Dallas Sports Hall of Fame will be iconic. We will have a big celebration every year. It will also help take the Dallas Sports Commission brand to another level. Dallas is the biggest city in America that doesn’t have a sports Hall of Fame. Look at all of the incredible athletes and the incredible accomplishments that have come through here. Nolan Ryan. Roger Staubach. Tom Landry. But there are also others with great accomplishments who people may have never heard of. Having that Hall of Fame just gives us so much credibility as a city and a region. I’m really excited about it and really expect the community to embrace it.”

SCOTT MURRAY

Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE DALLAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME “We want to develop the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame for a number of reasons. First, from a Sports Commission standpoint, we want to extend our brand and create more awareness of it in the local community. We also believe that Dallas needs and deserves a platform to celebrate and immortalize its sports heroes, whether that be individuals from the area or people who have starred for our pro or college teams. We believe the Dallas community will embrace the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame, and we see this as a way to establish the Dallas Sports Foundation that will develop legacy community programs and initiatives and will provide scholarship opportunities to those in the community who may otherwise not have the means or access to continue their education.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission MAKING OUR MARK

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"Dallas is a perennial powerhouse when it comes to talented spellers. The Scripps National Spelling Bee recognizes and thanks the Dallas Sports Commission for its enthusiastic support of the local program. We appreciate the Dallas Sports Commission's dedication, and we celebrate the success that the Dallasarea spellers have enjoyed at the national level. You inspire students in hundreds of schools to improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, set goals, build confidence, and develop a strong work ethic."

BETH HECQUET

Program Manager, Events, Scripps National Spelling Bee

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“The Dallas Sports Festival and Olympic Day was a unique experience for all sports involved in the festival. It was amazing to expose the sport to new fans of volleyball. Being able to touch so many new fans during this event was invaluable leading into the Olympic Games and helping to catapult the national team to a bronze medal in Rio.”

MELISSA WEYMOUTH

Director, Beach & National Team Events & Sponsorship, USA Volleyball

MAKING OUR MARK

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“The Dallas Sports Commission and the Cotton Bowl Stadium staff have greatly supported the Cotton Bowl Stadium Prep Showcase. This classic event showcasing the best in Texas high school football couldn’t exist without their support. It allows Dallas-area high schools and communities to come together and celebrate the best in high school football and experience the city of Dallas and Fair Park, while also giving the kids a special experience while playing in the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium. There are now athletes on college rosters all over the nation who have participated in this event since 2016.”

STEVE BRAGG

Athletic Director, Mesquite ISD

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BLACKIE SHERROD AWARD “This is a very prestigious award that we have paired with major events that we host. It’s another way for us to be a well-rounded Sports Commission as we look to recognize those members of the media whose success and contributions to journalism have also positively impacted our city and region. During the 2017 Women’s Final Four, it only made sense to award two distinguished female journalists from our area: Charean Williams and Kristi Scales. They have both been trailblazers in their field and well-represent the meaning and mission behind the award.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

MAKING OUR MARK

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DALLAS: AN INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION If You’ve Never Experienced Dallas’ International Flair, You Don’t Know What You’ve Been Missing 254

DALLAS: AN INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION

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A MULTI-CULTURAL PRESENCE INFUSES DALLAS’ UNIQUE VIBE Dallas is gaining a worldwide reputation as a city of sophistication. With the backdrop of the downtown lights, there’s a unique multi-cultural vibe brewing throughout many pockets of the city and the region. “We are a melting pot for so many cultures in Dallas,” said Stephanie Evans, Event Manager for the Dallas Sports Commission. “A lot of people see Dallas and Texas as cowboy boots and hats. And while certainly we have a Western culture, we are so much more than that. It’s important to show that we embrace everyone and everything and ensure that we are all represented. We don’t all have boots and hats!” The truth is the Dallas region continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Economic growth has spurred much of this influx, with major new businesses relocating to the area. As a result, Dallas and the region have made significant investments in the infrastructure, which in turn have resulted in the organic growth of new, culturally diverse neighborhoods and a more vibrant urban experience. In 2015, the Dallas region was ranked No. 1 by the U.S. Census Bureau in new residents, topping the seven million mark for the first time. Today Dallas boasts the nation’s fourth-largest metro area in terms of population. The region is a melting pot of cultures, religions, and lifestyles. Dallas consistently ranks as one of the “top 5 cities for African-Americans,” and the metro area includes the ninth-largest Latino population in the country. More than 300,000 Asians call North Texas home, and the LGBT community is also among the nation’s largest and the biggest in Texas. Added Monica Paul, Executive Director of the Dallas Sports Commission: “With the World Cup looming, further establishing Dallas as a viable international destination is absolutely critical. We are already recognized as an international destination, but probably more so as a Western city. Some of that changes when people come and actually experience our city and our culture and our diversity. Part of our strategic plan for the next four years is to further enhance the image of Dallas as an international destination. “ 256

BIG WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE ONE

MELTING POT

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INTERNATIONAL

EVENTS IN DALLAS

KOREAN AMERICAN SPORTS FESTIVAL "The first Korean American National Sports Festival was held in 1981, and the wonderful and great city of Dallas hosted the 19th Korean American National Sports Festival in 2017. We were so grateful and honored to have partnered with the Dallas Sports Commission during our event. The Dallas Sports Commission helped make our event a huge success, and we wish for many fruitful years ahead and growth in our partnership.â&#x20AC;?

MICHAEL LEE

Dallas Korean Sports Association

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INTERNATIONAL

EVENTS IN DALLAS

FIVB WORLD LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL “The matches played in 2016 at the Dallas Convention Center Arena were the last tuneup matches leading into the Olympic Games in Rio. The atmosphere, organization, and professionalism of the Dallas Sports Commission proved invaluable to the team and their preparations toward the Olympic Games.”

MELISSA WEYMOUTH

Director Beach & National Team Events & Sponsorship, USA Volleyball

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INTERNATIONAL

EVENTS IN DALLAS

IWF WEIGHTLIFTING “This event showed that the Dallas Sports Commission is solutions-based. We worked extremely hard to find the right hotel partner that would be able to host this unique event and fulfill their needs. It seemed like we worked around the clock to be able to pull this off. It wasn’t necessarily a high-profile event, but it was something that we committed to and needed to find a solution for. At the end of the day we will always find solutions for our clients' specific event needs.”

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

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FINA WATER POLO “On a number of levels our 2016 FINA International Water Polo event was a win for us. We haven’t had that caliber of an event in a place like Texas, which is an emerging market, maybe EVER. We hope to bring more events back to the city and state. The kickoff dinner was really memorable. People had a chance to sit on the bulls. It was just a great Texas experience for people from China, Japan, and Australia. It was so cool to see the Texas hospitality and see everyone enjoying themselves.”

GREG MESCALL

Director of Communications, USA Water Polo

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DALL ALLAS: FOR ALL

The Authenticity Of Our City Allows For A Broad Range of Events For A Diverse Population Of People 262

DALLAS: FOR ALL

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CELEBRATING DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Dallas is a proud community. We’re proud of our diverse demographics, including being the nation’s fifth largest LGBTQ community. We take pride in showing visitors what makes Dallas such a unique blend of culture, business, and comradery. Two of our most popular neighborhoods — Oak Lawn and Bishop Arts — draw locals and tourists of all backgrounds with their distinct flavors, amazing restaurants, clubs, and shopping. They also happen to be our two most prominent LGBTQ communities.

Dallas’ diversity, coupled with our Texas hospitality and our unmatched infrastructure, allows us to host world-class sporting events and serve as a leading sports tourism destination. But it’s not just the NFL Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, and NFL and NHL Drafts that demonstrate our ability to attract top-flight events. True to our commitment to diversity, Dallas has made it a priority to host LGBTQ conferences, conventions, and sporting events. In fact, Dallas is the only city in the United States that has a Diversity & Inclusion Department as part of its CVB. And our local sports organizations are just as committed to building our LGBTQ sports community, providing an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere for those who visit Dallas. Over the years, Dallas has hosted a number of LGBTQ sports organizations and events, including North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance Cup, International Gay Bowling Organization Annual Mid-Year Bowling Tournament, North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance Winter Meeting, North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance Gay Softball World Series, National Gay Basketball Association Dallas Showcase Classic, North American Gay Volleyball Association National Championship, International Gay Bowling Organization Big D Classic, Pegasus Slowpitch Softball Association Big D Easter Bonnet Classic, International Gay Rodeo Association Finals, and Texas Gay Rodeo Association Finals, just to name a few.

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“It goes to what our brand is as a city. We are a welcoming, progressive, contemporary city and have that brand. We have to do a good job of making sure the sports world sees us as that, and the Dallas Sports Commission does that. We are an international city that supports the LGBTQ community, Title IX, and women’s sports. Being authentic to where our city is remains the job of the Dallas Sports Commission, and they have accomplished that in a very meaningful way.”

MIKE RAWLINGS Former Mayor of Dallas

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NAGVA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

“With the support of the Dallas Sports Commission, our staff was able to focus on the actual events. This support made Dallas one of our most successful GSWS events in history. Not only were we able to give back to charity, but we were also able to offer top quality entertainment for the players and fans. From Opening Ceremony at Annette Strauss to the Closing Block Party on Cedar Springs, everyone who assisted us with the GSWS showed true Texas hospitality. This included the hotels, softball complexes, nightclubs, restaurants, and the citizens of Dallas.” MATT MILLER, Gay Softball World Series (GSWS)/NAGAAA

IGBO BIG D CLASSIC

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NAGAAA GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES

“I’ve had the pleasure to partner with our Dallas Sports Commission on several events that have made a huge economic impact to our city. The Dallas Sports Commission consistently works to attract the ‘best of the best’ in sports, including the recent booking of the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series for 2021. Inclusive competition through sports is an important part of the LGBT and general community.”

TONY VEDDA

President & CEO, North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce

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DALLAS AWARDED 2021 NAGAAA GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES On September 1, 2019, it was announced that Dallas will host the 45th NAGAAA (North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance) Gay Softball World Series in 2021. Dallas hosted the GSWS in 1994, 2004, and 2014. The GSWS is the largest annual LGBTQ single-sport, week-long athletic competition in the world. More than 200 teams from the 46 membercities across North America compete to qualify and represent their city in one of five divisions. Dallas’ presentation for 2021 proposed options of 37 championship fields around the Metroplex. “I’m very proud to have presented alongside this group to return the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series to Dallas,” said Joe Albsmeyer, Director 268

of Business Development for the Dallas Sports Commission. “I’ve seen firsthand what this event, this fellowship, and this sport means to those who compete. Providing a safe and welcoming platform in our city is part of the Dallas Sports Commission’s mission to enhance the quality of life for our residents while also giving a positive boost to our local economy. We have a strong league partner in Pegasus Slowpitch Softball Association led by Ryan Holdhusen, great fields, a first-class headquarter hotel in the Hilton Anatole, a vibrant nightlife, and the largest LGBTQ population in Texas to ensure the 45th anniversary is a BIG celebration for everyone involved.”

"In 2014, the Pegasus Slowpitch Softball Association, a primarily LGBTQ+ organization, reached out to the Dallas Sports Commission when we were awarded the Gay Softball World Series. The Dallas Sports Commission immediately jumped on board and helped our organizing committee find resources that we never knew were available to us. The Dallas Sports Commission staff became an integral and active part of our committee and operations staff. They opened doors and helped move mountains on occasion to help us make Dallas shine as an amazing host city. We can't wait to welcome 225+ teams and 5,000 people to Dallas in 2021 for the GSWS, with much thanks to the Dallas Sports Commission. The city of Dallas is fortunate to have dedicated and laser focused individuals who represent our city and bring the best of the best sporting events, one after another."

RYAN HOLDHUSEN

Past Commissioner, Pegasus Slowpitch Softball Association & Dallas Chair of the 2021 Gay Softball World Series DALLAS: FOR ALL

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Look at the impact sports and athletics have on those who participate. True competition is a unifier. It brings us together. Dallas is an extremely exciting, vibrant, and diverse population in so many ways. We must continue to promote that and be a leader in that. If you say you are going to be the heartbeat of a city, you have to truly reflect what that city is, and the Dallas Sports Commission does that. Dallas is a city of inclusiveness and diversity, and when you look at all of the various events and competitions that we bring to Dallas, we provide something for all of our communities to celebrate.â&#x20AC;?

DARLENE ELLISON

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, Vice President, Business Development, Veritex Community Bank

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The welcoming, inclusive, and friendly spirit of Dallas is part of our wellknown hospitality and is why Dallas is committed to advancing equality and inclusiveness for the LGBTQ community Dallas is the Pride of Texas for the LGBTQ community, which is the 5th largest LGBTQ population in the U.S. Dallas is home to the largest gay and lesbian population in the world. Dallas has the largest and most successful LGBTQ fundraiser in the nation, the HRC Black Tie Dinner. Dallas also boasts of being the home to the world’s largest LGBTQ church, Cathedral of Hope. Dallas has one of the world's largest men’s choruses, the Turtle Creek Chorale. Out Traveler magazine voted Oak Lawn neighborhood, which is the heart and soul of Dallas' LGBTQ community, as the number one gayborhood in the nation for two consecutive years. “I've personally worked directly with the Dallas Sports Commission on several events, including the 2020 Gay Games bid. With everything we do together, the Dallas Sports Commission staff has always been incredibly helpful. The North American Gay Volleyball Association (NAGVA) holds their championship tournament somewhere in North America every Memorial Day weekend. We are fortunate that they have chosen Dallas three times (more than any city other than Chicago) and hope they choose Dallas again in the early 2020s." BRIAN BORSKI President, Dallas Independent Volleyball Association DALLAS: FOR ALL

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YOU CAN FIND IT IN DALLAS

From Roller Derby To Robots And Water Polo To The Winter Classic, Dallas Has Something For Everyone 272

YOU CAN FIND IT IN DALLAS

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CASTING A WIDER NET For a melting pot to actually be … a melting pot … it takes many different types of ethnicities, religions, backgrounds, and cultures. Dallas has those ethnicities, religions, backgrounds, and cultures, and thus is a great example of a true melting pot of people and ideas. Dallas’ cultural diversity is matched by the diverse types of events Dallas provides its citizens. On any given weekend or during any given week, there’s no telling what type of competition, activity, or sporting event you will find across the vast Metroplex, from spelling bees to squash and from Call of Duty to the call to the starting blocks. “Dallas’ diverse resume of events is important because it meets the goals of bringing to the city activities and events that reflect what the community is,” said Mark Clayton, Dallas Sports Commission Board Member and former Dallas City Council Member. “And the Dallas Sports Commission does a good job of that. They have made themselves accountable to the community for achieving that diversity, and so far they have been very successful in that initiative.” Added Ginger Lively-Cade, Director of Sales for the Dallas Sports Commission: “We look to be inclusive with the sports competitions and events we bring to Dallas. We look at every event opportunity. If we have the venues and date availability and it can logistically work, we want it in Dallas. We are proud to represent our city and want our resume of events to be as diverse as the residents who make up our region.”

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AT&T BYRON NELSON The AT&T Byron Nelson celebrated 50 years in 2018, the same year it relocated to Trinity Forest Golf Club in South Dallas. The tournament generates necessary funds for Momentous Institute, the Oak Cliff-based nonprofit owned and operated by Salesmanship Club of Dallas since 1920. Momentous Institute is dedicated to building and repairing social emotional health for children and their families through education, mental health services, and research and training in communities all over North Texas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including communities within the Southern Sector.

"We look forward to continuing to work with the Dallas Sports Commission to help promote the AT&T Byron Nelson and its role in the city's sports landscape as we continue to grow the event at its new home in Southern Dallas. We appreciate the Sports Commission's willingness to help us navigate the various players, stakeholders, and decisionmakers in Dallas to help ease our transition. The team is easy to work with and is truly invested in our success."

JON DRAGO

Tournament Director, Salesmanship Club of Dallas

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The BMW Dallas Marathon is not about being the biggest, but instead we focus on having the best experience. With anything we do with our event and with the city, guest satisfaction is number one in our eyes. That is why we have such a great relationship with the Dallas Sports Commission. The Dallas Sports Commission is very hospitable and always ensures everyone has a great experience. They have become a valued team member.â&#x20AC;?

PAUL LAMBERT

President, BMW Dallas Marathon

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"Our attendees enjoyed being part of the Dallas Sports Festival. We overheard many of the volleyball and boxing athletes say they thought fencing looked fun. The shared fan zone was amazing. The assistance from the Dallas Sports Commission really made all the difference for all three sports. Their understanding of our unique requirements and the flow of the sports coming in and departing was absolutely required to pull off a successful sports festival."

CHRISTINE SIMMONS

Senior Director of Operations, USA Fencing

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"The event featured the best teams in the world from 30 countries. USA Roller Derby repeated their victory, but you could see the improvement from many of the international teams as they gave Team USA quite a challenge. Our community really came out and enjoyed the event, which at the end of the day is a win."

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission 278

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dallas Sports Commission team makes it happen! To say they went above and beyond to bring major rodeo to Dallas is an understatement. Monica Paul and her whole team became like family to us as we worked our plan. The Dallas Sports Commission continues to show us its determination to bring major events to Dallas through all of its other successes we continue to read about.â&#x20AC;?

BOBBY MOTE

Four-time World Champion, President ERA World Championship Rodeo

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Junior Gold event in Dallas was the largest field in the tournament's history. We had 3,832 total participants in eight bowling centers around the Metroplex. The Dallas Sports Commission and the local community showed great support for the tournament and even brought out a record-number of spectators for the event. From the opening ceremonies at the American Airlines Center to the facilities, we heard nothing but compliments.â&#x20AC;?

GARY BROWN

Managing Director of Youth Development, IBC

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"Dallas has such a huge tennis fan base. Everyone thinks of the city as mainly being about football only, but our attendance increases every year. This puts a lot of pressure on our staff and volunteers. It is really great to have the Dallas Sports Commission involved in our event, and we appreciate their support."

SHAWN EDWARDS

Tournament Operations Director, RBC Tennis Championships

YOU CAN FIND IT IN DALLAS

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"The Dallas Sports Commission is a pleasure to work with and was a great partner during our USA Softball Nationals. The Dallas Sports Commission is involved throughout our events, and it made our opening ceremonies a special occasion for the players, parents, and everyone involved. USA Softball hopes to bring bigger and better events to Dallas in the future, and with the support of the Dallas Sports Commission, we will be able to do so."

DAVE DEVINE

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Commissioner, USA Softball

“Ginger at the Dallas Sports Commission always takes wonderful care of us and is a great advocate of eSports in Dallas. I’d say she was one of the first to understand the importance of the eSports business to a local market. Dallas offers a lot of options for food and entertainment, as well as great hotels. The Omni is one of my favorite hotels to visit in the country.”

ADAM APICELLA

VP League Operations & Events, Major League Gaming

YOU CAN FIND IT IN DALLAS

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"DreamHack Dallas was a great new launch in Texas. The event surpassed all expectations in terms of attendance and activity participation. Together with the Dallas Sports Commission and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, we were able to offer our attendees a unique experience and are looking forward to continuing our cooperation into the far future."

BAS BRUINEKOOL

Director of Global Festivals, VP of North American Operations, DreamHack

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“The World Food Championships is the highest stakes food competition in the world. Our multi-day, live-event culinary competition showcases some of the world’s best cooking masters competing for food, fame, and fortune. Dallas is the perfect host for WFC for many reasons, including its active and expanding culinary scene, central location, two airports, major population, and the fact that it's a top-five media market.”

MIKE MCCLOUD

President & CEO, World Food Championships YOU CAN FIND IT IN DALLAS

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ELEVATING OUR GAME When We Want An Event, We Go Get It 286

ELEVATING OUR GAME

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BIDDING ON THE BEST Dallas doesn’t shy away from big events. No, we roll out the red carpet and make our best pitch, understanding that big events want to come to Dallas just as much as we want them here.

“We deliver what we promise. People know they can trust us,” said Ginger Lively-Cade, Director of Sales for the Dallas Sports Commission. Goodwill and reputation are certainly part of the reason that Dallas has been so successful when bidding on big events. But Dallas being flush with resources and infrastructure doesn’t hurt either. “There are numerous reasons we’ve been successful in getting big events to come to Dallas,” Monica Paul stated. “We have some of the best venues. We have a central location with two major airports. We have hotel accommodations and transportation options. And you can’t put a value on Texas hospitality and making sure that shines through when visitors are here. We are affordable and have a corporate environment that is willing to assist. And we have some star-power in some of our partners (the Dallas Cowboys, Mavs, Stars, Rangers, FC Dallas, and Wings). “When we really want something for Dallas, we are extremely competitive and try to put our best foot forward, and that includes doing so with a passion that we believe expresses our desire to help make win-win partnerships.”

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NFL DRAFT

WWE WRESTLEMANIA

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

MAJOR EVENTS EMBRACE DALLAS NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR

CONCACAF GOLD CUP

NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM MEXTOUR

NHL DRAFT

ELEVATING OUR GAME

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THE BIGGEST WINS ARE A TEAM EFFORT Nothing gets done, especially at the scale and scope needed to pull off a successful major sporting event, without pulling together all of the resources a region can muster. In the Dallas region, we are blessed to not only have the resources, but the regional support to understand that by building the best team for a particular event, our entire region becomes the beneficiary.

“Credit our successful regional approach to Monica,” said Jimmy Smith, FC Dallas COO & CFO. “The sports industry is a very tight-knit group. Monica has a great personality, and she is a great networker. That’s the Texas way – we want to work together.” Whether it’s been the NCAA Men’s Final Four, WWE WrestleMania, the NCAA Women’s Final Four, or the NFL and NHL Drafts, none of these major national events would have been successful if they solely relied on one particular local community to support them. “The way an event decides to choose a city or a region is sophisticated today,” said former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “They have to have it all – the right venues, the right hotel packages, the right support of the teams and organizations, the right entertainment outside of the event. It’s very hard for one city to provide all of that. We’d all like to, but the reality is we need to use one another for big events like the Final Four, College Football Playoff, and international soccer.” Added Monica Paul: “I believe in doing what’s best for the event at the end of the day. As a region, there have been a lot of lessons learned since 2010 as far as inclusive thinking among the cities in the region. Sometimes we compete for the same events. But I truly believe we are ALL BETTER TOGETHER. We have a great relationship with Arlington, Frisco, Fort Worth – it’s just not feasible for any one entity or group to try to be an expert on every venue or hotel or facility in the region. And it wouldn’t be in the best interest for the events either to only be able to work with one group. Look at AT&T Stadium. Certain events need a venue that size and it’s in Arlington. But those events also tend to want to stay in downtown Dallas or perhaps downtown Fort Worth. So it takes everyone working together to win these bids, and we are grateful to have partners who all believe in each other here in our region.” 290

“Our industry can be competitive, but we respect each other and what each brings to the table. With that said, when you hear that the Dallas Sports Commission is bidding against you, you take pause as you are in for a fight.”

“We know that Monica and her team will be giving one of the best options and proposals for a rights holder to consider. We always anticipate that Dallas will be a favorite.”

VINCE TRINIDAD

MATTHEW PAYNE

Executive Director, Tulsa Sports Commission

KATHY NELSON

President, Kansas City Sports Commission

“You are going up against a group that understands and has strong relationships, with the resources of a major market backing it up. They provide an ability for fans to fly there in an inexpensive way. On top of that, they have great facilities. That all combines to make Dallas a formidable opponent in whatever event it goes after.” Managing Partner, Clancy’s Sports Properties

PATRICK HIGGINS

Executive Director, Denver Sports Commission

“Bidding against Dallas means bidding against Monica and her staff. If we are not successful in being awarded, then I want her/Dallas to win the bid. We know Monica and Dallas are powerful and have resources as a city and a state that others do not have. But we also know there is a smart person with an arsenal of ideas, relationships, and experience that makes it difficult and stressful to bid against!”

MIKE MILLAY

“You had better bring your A game! Dallas takes their bids very seriously — almost personally. They don’t take a shotgun approach to hosting events by bidding on everything. If they’re bidding on something, chances are that they have had their eyes on it for a while and have been working on it longer than you have.”

Vice President, Connect Meetings

THE WORD IS OUT: DALLAS MEANS BUSINESS

“All that money! That pot of gold. They have that Texas event fund. But aside from that, when you know you’re bidding against Dallas for an event, you’d better be on your game. You know that Dallas is coming with a very tough, competitive, lucrative bid. Make sure your I’s are dotted and your T’s are crossed.”

LINDA LOGAN

Executive Director, Greater Columbus Sports Commission ELEVATING OUR GAME

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OUR SECRET SAUCE(S) There’s no real secret to our success in attracting big events to Dallas, but there are some very important ingredients in the recipe. It starts with hard work and a burning desire to win. Throw in a dash of creativity and a whole lot of teamwork, and those are some of the staples of our winning formula. 292

“There is so much work that goes into the bidding process,” said Stephanie Evans, Event Manager for the Dallas Sports Commission. “It takes a lot of creativity, forward-thinking, and working with regional partners to develop a team representative of all aspects necessary for a successful bid. And because the bid process and the selection process can sometimes take a number of years, you also have to envision the city of tomorrow, not necessarily the city and region as it is today.”

But that’s not all. As Ginger Lively-Cade, Director of Sales for the Dallas Sports Commission, describes it, there’s a little bit more than just the standard ingredients that makes for a winning recipe. “I think the secret to our success is we treat people like they’re a guest in our home. When you have people over to your house you change the sheets and put out flowers. We do the same here in Dallas for our clients, and they

remember and appreciate that. We make sure we over-deliver, whether it’s a 100-person event or a 100,000-person event. Both events still have to provide a great experience for their participants and customers who come to Dallas. To us, everyone is the same and everyone is a guest in our city.”

ELEVATING OUR GAME

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BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD A Successful 5 Years In The Rear View Mirror, The Futureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bright For The Next 5 294

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EVENTS THRIVE BECAUSE OF OUR SPORTS CULTURE

In Dallas, sports mean so much to so many. Sports provide a way to unite, yet cause so many divisions. Sports provide a source of pride, but also deep disappointment. Sports bring families together, but can divide those same families on game days. Sports can inspire us, but can also test our mettle through defeat. Sports give us a reason to believe, even when we can’t believe what we just saw. But are we who we are because of sports, or are sports what they are because of who we are? There’s no denying that, as a region, sports are engrained in who we are. Sports are engrained in our lifestyle, and sports are engrained in our mindset. Thus, it's no wonder that we have the reputation for having the biggest and the best sports facilities. And it's no surprise that when we host big events, we look to obliterate past event records. It's just who we are. When people ask how big of a role sports plays in our community, let’s just say sports ignites a deep-down passion that boils our competitive juices, pumping that spirit throughout the heart of the region and into every ventricle that connects our community while feeding the inferno of victory as we dare to dream bigger, act bolder, and be better.

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“Sports are woven into our fabric and culture in Dallas and North Texas. We can present an event on the grandest of scales, and we can execute in ways that no one else can. And the hospitality factor here is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.”

GINA MILLER

VP of Media & Communications, FC Dallas

NFL DRAFT

“When you think of Dallas, you think of a destination that is capable of hosting an event of any size. There are massive facilities and venues and hotels. I know it sounds like a cliché that we do everything bigger in Texas, but it’s true. Folks here are very welcoming, and they just have a desire to do things bigger and better, and they do it right. From a sports fan standpoint, everyone thinks of the Cowboys. People know Dallas as a great sports city. But from an industry standpoint, people know Dallas as a destination that is becoming a place that needs to be in the regular rotation of your events, and that’s due to the hard work of the Dallas Sports Commission, the dedication of city officials and the corporate community to continue to develop the infrastructure, and the hospitality of the people who welcome these events to their city and provide them with a great experience while they are there.” RAFAEL ANCHIA, Texas State Representative, Dallas Sports Commission Board Member

“Sports are part of the fabric of many people’s lives in Dallas. If we can bring an event to Dallas that allows people to escape into sports for a few hours and lose themselves in the event, that is the type of impact sports can have.”

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission

DALLAS BIKE RIDE

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IF THE PAST IS ANY INDICATION...

The Dallas Sports Commission has made a significant impact both locally and on the national and international sports tourism scene in just five short years. But don’t just take that as our tooting our own horn. We’ve kind of developed a reputation. We had great success, and if that success is any indication, the next five years will be astonishing. “In just a few short years, the Dallas Sports Commission has developed a great reputation for doing the big events, and doing them well,” said Mike Millay, Managing Partner of Clancy’s Sports Properties. Added Kansas City Sports Commission Executive Director Kathy Nelson: “Monica (Paul) has the respect of her counterparts from across the country. We all tend to worry when we learn that Dallas is bidding against us on an event or championship. I know Monica is a driven, competitive, clever, and creative leader. She continues to make Dallas a city that is difficult to compete with.” That’s high praise from industry cohorts, but well-earned by the Dallas Sports Commission team that, while small in stature, has been able to leave a lasting legacy during its first five years. And that hasn’t gone unnoticed in the local market either. “The future is bright for Dallas,” said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. “As we continue to grow, our resources increase. When we all work together, we get smarter. We will be an incredible host for marquee match-ups for the 2026 World Cup, and we will continue to put resources behind bringing major events to our area. The Dallas Sports Commission plays a big role in leading the way for our region. I think they’ve done an incredible job thus far with everything. We will continue to get bigger and better.”

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NCAA WOMEN'S REGIONAL BASKETBALL

ERA RODEO

“We’ve been through the first cycle of the largest sporting events in the world coming to North Texas, and we should see another cycle begin in the near future. Additionally, North Texas is quickly becoming the leader for eSports events that will draw tens of thousands of people to our community in the future. The Dallas Sports Commission will be at the forefront, thanks to Monica’s leadership and the tremendous team that surrounds her.”

RICK BAKER

President/CEO, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic 2017 NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR HOSPITAL VISIT

“I’m on something like 19 Boards, but the Children’s Cancer Fund and the Dallas Sports Commission are two of my favorites. I love the people. There is so much great potential. I am very positive about where we can go. They have done a great job to this point, and there’s no reason to believe the future will be any different.”

SCOTT MURRAY

Board Member, Dallas Sports Commission

RED BULL GLOBAL RACE CHALLENGE

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LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

Dallas is bidding to become one of the 10 U.S. host cities as part of the United 2026 World Cup bid. Not only does Dallas want to host games in the quarterfinal, semifinal, and final rounds of the event, but the city is also bidding to become home to the International Broadcast Center, FIFA Headquarters, and the Referees Headquarters.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The opportunity to host the FIFA World Cup will put Dallas on an international stage and will display the diversity we have as a city and the other multicultural aspects we enjoy but the world may not know about. We've enjoyed some BIG WINS and some truly great and memorable events in Dallas, but to be named a FIFA World Cup host city ... it might be the greatest honor and opportunity to really provide a once-in-alifetime experience for our residents, guests, and our region. It sits at the top of my bucket list.â&#x20AC;?

MONICA PAUL

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Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

“We feel a huge responsibility to return the World Cup to Dallas. Dallas is a premier area for soccer, and we would be doing Dallas a disservice if we don’t bring the World Cup back. We have the history of hosting. We have the venues and facilities. And we know it’s coming to North America, so we have to do everything we can to put Dallas in the right position to give our region a prominent role in hosting World Cup events in 2026.” JOE ALBSMEYER, Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

“We started working on this in the late summer of 2017. It’s a different process for us because this is a three-country bid and a much larger bid process. But we are very excited about it. The job continues to be to put Dallas’ best foot forward as the premier soccer destination in the country with the best facilities and venues.”

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

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LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

The Winter Classic is one of the most prestigious events on the NHL calendar and, for the first time, it will originate from outside of a traditional hockey market. On January 1, 2020, all eyes will descend on Dallas and the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium to see the hallowed venue transformed into an outdoor hockey rink for a rivalry match pitting the Dallas Stars against the Nashville Predators. When the puck drops on January 1, Cotton Bowl Stadium will be transformed into a totally new sports environment. For decades, January 1 meant college football and the Cotton Bowl Classic. Now, for the first time ever, the iconic stadium will host a hockey game, adding yet another historic milestone to its resume.

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"We expected a strong turnout for tickets for the Winter Classic at Cotton Bowl Stadium, but I truly didn’t expect the speed at which tickets were sold and sold out. It proves that Dallas is passionate about hockey and, more importantly, passionate about big events. I think fans are in for a treat. It’s a chance for the NHL to show off Dallas in the most positive of lights. The music, the spectacle, the outstanding hockey — we really believe we will put on an event to remember in Dallas."

STEVE MAYER

Chief Content Officer, NHL Events and Entertainment

“This is a major international event that’s being brought to Dallas and the iconic Cotton Bowl Stadium in the heart of Fair Park. The fact that it sold out so quickly really illustrates the power of the event, of hockey, and of the rivalry between the Stars and the Predators. It’s on New Year's Day. 82,000 people. It’s a great sign to the NHL that people in our community care about hockey and want to be a part of a major, major event. The people of Dallas really spoke loudly to the NHL when the game sold out in just a few hours. Now it is our responsibility to deliver a big-time event and a bigtime party for the first outdoor hockey game that the NHL will ever stage in the South.”

PETER SULLIVAN

“We are extremely excited to bring the NHL’ s Winter Classic to Dallas. It is the first time this event has been held in a non-traditional market, and we love that Dallas will be the showcase for this game. The fact that it will be played in one of Dallas’ institutions, Cotton Bowl Stadium, just makes the allure of this game that much better. The Dallas Sports Commission was extremely helpful in getting the deal completed with the NHL and Cotton Bowl Stadium, as well as working with the league on various logistical and operational issues related to the game.”

BRAD ALBERTS President, Dallas Stars

“This is the absolute best thing we could ever put in Cotton Bowl Stadium. The big football and soccer games now go to AT&T Stadium. We have a great relationship with the Stars and the NHL, and that’s what made this happen. This game really supports Fair Park, and having such a high-profile NHL event in Cotton Bowl Stadium is so big. It used to be the Cotton Bowl Classic in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day, so the nostalgia of bringing back something to the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day is something we are very excited about.”

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

General Manager, Fair Park

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LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

In 2023 the NCAA Women’s Final Four will return to Dallas, the home of what some still consider the best Women’s Final Four weekend ever. That’s a high standard to live up to, but we’re always up to the challenge. In 2023, we’re going to raise the stakes in women’s basketball. Dallas will be centerstage for women’s college basketball, as the city will host not only the NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four, but it will also host the NCAA Division II and Division III championships during the same weekend. And, to cap that off, the weekend will also be the culmination of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the Education Amendments Act that protects people from discrimination based on sex in educational programs and other programs receiving federal assistance, such as collegiate athletics. In addition to hosting the 2021 NCAA Men’s 1st and 2nd Round and the 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four, the Dallas Sports Commission is also actively working with our local venue partners and host institutions to submit bids for other NCAA Championships such as the DI—DIII Lacrosse Championships, Women’s Division I Volleyball, Men’s Division I Wrestling, Men’s and Women’s Division I Soccer, Women’s Regional Basketball Championship, and the Frozen Four. 304

"The biggest compliment after conducting a successful event is to be awarded another opportunity to host it! The NCAA has earmarked the 2023 Women's Final Four as THE venue to celebrate Title IX in its 50th year. The landmark legislation has allowed girls and women to flourish on the athletic stage. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sports, simply put, would not enjoy the levels of participation and success it has without Title IX. Dallas will do an outstanding job with the Women's Final Four and with recognizing and celebrating Title IX!"

DRU HANCOCK

Senior Associate Commissioner, Big 12 Conference BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

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LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

The Dallas Sports Commission is in the process of developing the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame which will soon induct its inaugural class of local sports heroes and legends. The Dallas Sports Commission is launching the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame as an initiative to recognize and honor the most accomplished athletes, coaches, team owners, and sports contributors who have distinguished themselves not only through their elite accomplishments, but also through the high standards of integrity and character reflected within their lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy. While early on the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame will have a virtual existence online and will be celebrated annually during the Dallas Sports Hall of Fame & Awards Gala, it is expected that there will ultimately be a free standing Dallas Sports Hall of Fame, providing yet another destination to the Dallas sports scene. 306

“It’s long overdue that Dallas formally recognizes the great athletes and contributors who helped create the region’s rich sports history. The Dallas Sports Hall of Fame will recognize those folks and will provide friendly banter for many local sports conversations for years to come.”

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

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LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE

Each year, more than 1,650 of the top VEX IQ Challenge, VEX Robotics Competition, and VEX U teams gather together for an outstanding robotics and STEM celebration. The VEX Robotics World Championship is the culminating event of the season, showcasing the best and brightest teams from around the globe who have competed throughout the year at a series of local, state, and regional events in order to qualify. This seven-day annual event celebrates students’ accomplishments as they explore and excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Starting in 2021, the world’s top teams will gather together at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, TX, to compete in robotics competitions focused on creative design and problem solving.

"In Dallas, the REC Foundation has room to grow the VEX Robotics World Championship and offer this life-changing experience to more students around the world. The event isn’t the largest robotics competition in the world just because we have more robotics teams competing than any other event under one roof; it's the largest robotics competition around the world with over 2,500 events qualifying their winners to state, regional, provincial, and national championships all over the world."

DAN MANTZ

CEO & Chairman of the Board, REC Foundation 308

“The REC Foundation feels as if Dallas can be a true home for the VEX Robotics World Championship for years to come. The Dallas Sports Commission definitely expanded its repertoire to include STEM Education and Workforce Development. The Dallas Sports Commission’s willingness to help us break down barriers, solve problems, and build a comprehensive plan to address our unique event made all the difference in our decision to move the event to Dallas.”

DAN MANTZ

CEO & Chairman of the Board, REC Foundation

“This is the Super Bowl of robotics. We celebrate BIG WINS here in Dallas, and being awarded the VEX Robotics World Championship is a very, very BIG WIN.”

MONICA PAUL

Executive Director, Dallas Sports Commission

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LEADING DALLAS INTO THE FUTURE “So far the Dallas Sports Commission has certainly fulfilled its promise to Dallas. First, we positioned Dallas as the focal point of the region, but did so while still maintaining great relationships and partnerships with our regional partners. We have been inclusive in every way, from working well with others to providing so many different types of events that all of Dallas has been able to enjoy. We’ve accomplished that in partnership with so many and by being transparent with everything we do.”

“Going forward, we need to do a better job of telling our story and getting people to recognize what we do and accomplish for the city. We still have such a big opportunity for expansion and growth. We are just barely touching on our abilities and capabilities. We want to build and grow our own events while still being able to support at the very highest levels events that come to Dallas.”

GINGER LIVELY-CADE

JOE ALBSMEYER

Director of Sales, Dallas Sports Commission

Director of Business Development, Dallas Sports Commission

"We have had an incredibly productive five years, but I think the best is yet to come. Dallas is a major player for any and all events, and we have an opportunity ahead of us to expand our partnerships to bring even greater recognition to our city and region. The Dallas Sports Commission has worked hard to gain a reputation as a great event partner, and the future is very bright!"

LARRY KELLY

Director of Marketing & Communications, Dallas Sports Commission

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“We want to ensure that we continue to bring events for everyone and provide entertainment and participatory events that all individuals and groups within our community will be able to enjoy. That diversity is extremely important and something we will continue to focus on. This ties back to our mission, and it’s an ongoing process, but the moment we stop creating is the moment we stop evolving. We must continue to create and evolve. We can live up to that through the quality of the events we bring to the community.”

STEPHANIE EVANS Event Manager, Dallas Sports Commission

“There is no question that Dallas will continue to be a first-class sports destination with the Dallas Sports Commission leading the way. We have laid the foundation over the past five years throughout the region with partners, hotels, venues, etc., and have built a platform to make Dallas even more competitive for clients and events moving forward. It will be exciting to see what the DSC brings to Dallas next!”

“In order to be bigger and better we have to keep pushing and spreading the word on all that the Dallas Sports Commission can do. This means being innovative and thinking outside the box. We have to continually bring a different approach to our sporting events and make sure everyone knows that Dallas has it all and there is something for everyone in Dallas!”

ANDREW DOCKRILL

ADRAIN ARMSTRONG

Event Manager, Dallas Sports Commission

Sales & Services Coordinator, Dallas Sports Commission

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“We want to be the go-to sports organization where rights holders know they will be taken care of and know we will provide them with the resources they need to be successful. I always look for win-win partnerships. Our role is to help them be successful. We also want to be a very visible organization. We’re not just about room nights. We understand what it takes to run events and what’s needed to highlight those events within our own city and region. If we can assure that the client has the best experience, both the city and the Dallas Sports Commission will ultimately be successful.”

MONICA’S TAKE:

THE FUTURE OF SPORTS IN DALLAS

“eSports is our largest emerging market. We are bullish on that market segment, but we are also focused on bringing back some of the marquee legacy events like the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff Championship Game, NBA All-Star Game, NHL All-Star Game, MLB All-Star Game, WWE WrestleMania, NCAA Men's Final Four, and any other major event that makes sense for the city.”

“We are committed to the Dallas community and using sports to make our community better. Many of our community initiatives allow us to provide opportunities for kids in the area. Take, for example, the Spelling Bee. We have the largest regional in the country. We have a very strong region for spellers, and our top spellers do outstanding in the national spelling bee on ESPN. That brings attention to our region in a different but important way. It also allows us to expand our brand in Dallas and the region. The Spelling Bee is in approximately 730 schools within a 35-county Dallas area region. That helps spread the word about the Dallas Sports Commission. We do a great deal of community initiatives around the major events we bring in. And look at the MexTour that we helped bring to the region. Together we’ve established new relationships with school districts through our reading programs and the reading challenges we have established.” 312

“We want to attract a wide range of sporting events for our community, and I think our roster of events proves that we have been able to do that. Dallas has become a sports destination for a large variety of events, and these events increase the quality of life for our residents and provide opportunities for our youth on a grassroots level, opportunities they might not have otherwise.”

“You learn so many values when you grow up playing sports. It helps build character. You learn how to work with others and as a team. You learn how to overcome disappointments and losses. And then just the health and wellness benefits. I grew up in sports, and sports taught me my work ethic, gave me my competitive edge in terms of always trying to improve and goal setting and always wanting to win, or at least do my best every single time. I played team sports, so throughout my professional career I’ve always been one to take a team approach rather than just looking out for myself. I think that’s definitely something I learned from playing sports.”

“A lot of sports commissions throughout the country are 20+ years old, and I feel like in the past five years we’ve been building and growing as fast as we can to catch up. Ten years ago we had a goal of booking 120,000 room nights per year. In 2019 we will be over 400,000 room nights booked through our various events, and that’s been an important part of our early growth. We’ve been able to do this with a small team, and that says a lot about the dedication and professionalism of our team members, even going back to before the Dallas Sports Commission was officially formed.” BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

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“Dallas has a reputation of doing events well and doing them big! Whether it’s hosting a conference or NCAA event, WWE or the NFL Draft, we know Dallas will bring it and raise the bar for other cities and other leaders like myself. I applaud Monica and her staff on creating a competitive Sports Commission that others can look to and learn from.”

KATHY NELSON

President, Kansas City Sports Commission

BIG DOING IT

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

IN DALLAS

NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR

“Dallas is just BIG. It’s known for BIG. But what I think has been so masterful is how they’ve been able to connect everything together so seamlessly for the customer. The Women’s Final Four was a great example. There were events in so many places, but they were able to connect the facilities with the transportation, with the hospitality, and with the hotels and restaurants. It’s such a great way to be able to engage the community as a whole.”

LINDA LOGAN

Executive Director, Greater Columbus Sports Commission 314

“The City of Dallas would not be the premiere host location for sporting events that it is today without the Dallas Sports Commission. The Dallas Sports Commission goes beyond bringing major events to the DFW Metroplex, as they provide impeccable services including pre-event planning, day-of execution, and post event wrap-up. The events and experiences that the Dallas Sports Commission provides allows Dallas to thrive in the sports and entertainment industry on a global level.”

MARK CUBAN

Owner, Dallas Mavericks

“The 2017 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four is my favorite memory of working with the Dallas Sports Commission. The Final Four was a sell-out; the city and arena were rocking. People are still talking about the Dallas Final Four. It will go down in history as one of the best Women’s Final Four events.”

LESLIE CLAYBROOK

NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee & SEC Assistant Commissioner

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR

MINECRAFT MINEFAIRE

BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

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“Our community really enjoys when big events come to Dallas. But that does not get done without the Dallas Sports Commission. There is such a great amount of work, time, and effort that must be done to organize those bids and bring the right people together to execute those types of events. Our area needs a group like the Dallas Sports Commission to lead the efforts and bring together the teams, hotels, facilities, and venues.”

JIMMY SMITH

COO & CFO, FC Dallas MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM TOUR

“When bidding on a high-profile event, the Cowboys and Dallas Sports Commission become one team working together to get the event and execute on the event.”

CHAD ESTIS

Vice President, Business Operations, Dallas Cowboys

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WWE WRESTLEMANIA

“From the start of the bid process through the end of the event, the Dallas Sports Commission was a great partner to work with across all business areas and event logistics. They were a team that the NFL could rely on in all aspects and provided our team a great deal of comfort when planning a national event the size and scope of the NFL Draft.”

MALLORY GOLDFARB Event Strategy Coordinator, National Football League

NFL DRAFT

“The NHL Draft showed the NHL league executives how organized our city was and how we are completely prepared to handle major sporting events. The event from a planning perspective was flawlessly executed. The city with its hotel and restaurant set-up is perfect for large scale events. The Dallas Sports Commission has a fundamental understanding of how the city processes work along with the understanding and respect of how the individual sports and their teams operate.”

BRAD ALBERTS President, Dallas Stars

NHL DRAFT

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“It’s always a pleasure to work with the professional staff at the Dallas Sports Commission. We have enjoyed a successful collaboration for many years, and we look forward to continuing our efforts with the 2026 FIFA World Cup host bid and on securing other diverse sporting events for Cotton Bowl Stadium and our other regional facilities.”

“I can't say enough about how much I have enjoyed working with the Dallas Sports Commission staff for over a quarter of a century. I have made lifelong friendships with numerous staff members with the organization. They have made a tremendous impact on my life.”

TIM BRUNSWICK

Senior Vice President, Baseball & Business Operations, Minor League Baseball

WILLIS WINTERS

Director, Dallas Park and Recreation

ERA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RODEO

THE PRAISE KEEPS COMING “I can't say enough about every staff member of the Dallas Sports Commission. They are as genuine as they come in the industry!”

MIKE DUHON

Executive Director, Event Operations, National Cheerleaders Association

NCA HIGH SCHOOL NATIONALS

“One thing I love about the Dallas Sports Commission and its leadership is it’s not always about just bringing the biggest events. It’s about so much more. The Dallas Sports Commission is a major player in all things competition. Look at the Spelling Bee and the cheer competition. We are only partially about being a destination for big events, though we shine a tremendously bright light on Dallas. We are a mecca for arts, and a mecca for sports as well. Every event has a strong community component. We’re serving and giving back, especially to those who never have a chance to otherwise participate in some of these events.” 2016 WOMEN'S NCAA DRIBBLE TO WORK DAY KIDS CLINIC

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DARLENE ELLISON

Dallas Sports Commission Board Member, Vice President, Business Development, Veritex Community Bank

RED RIVER SHOWDOWN

“As the Vice President of the Dallas Advisory Board for the Texas Diversity Council, I was both impressed with and proud of the comprehensive package of activities that were amassed to compliment the 2017 NCAA Women’s Final Four. The Beyond the Baseline series emphasized more than women’s basketball. It provided a spotlight to show the success of our female leaders both on and off the court. At these events, I heard from current and former players, coaches, and sports personalities (all females) that built on their early success and went on to become prosperous entrepreneurs and leaders in a variety of industries.”

GREGG FALCON

Vice President of the Dallas Advisory Board, Texas Diversity Council

2017 NCAA WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR BEYOND THE BASELINE

"The 2017 WBCA Convention in Dallas was memorable, and for all the right reasons. We set what was then an attendance record. We housed our entire convention in a single facility — the Sheraton Dallas — for the first time in decades. Dallas wanted to do something tangible for our member coaches which led to us opening the convention, for the first time in a long time, with a huge welcome party that has now become a staple of the event. I cannot emphasize how great a role the Dallas Sports Commission played in all the success we enjoyed that year. The WBCA looks forward to partnering again with the Dallas Sports Commission for the 2023 WBCA Convention and the joint NCAA Division I, II, and III championships.”

DANIELLE M. DONEHEW

Executive Director, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know the Dallas Sports Commission has brought a huge sporting event to town when fans dress head-to-toe in team gear and head to the Perot Museum for a day of exploration! From the Red River Showdown to NCAA basketball, we are thrilled to be part of the Dallas experience for these guests. The Dallas Sports Commission is an important partner in attracting new audiences to the region and shares our commitment to make a lasting impact on the economy and quality of life in Dallas. We look forward to continuing our collaboration for many years to come. Congratulations on a tremendous first five years!"

LINDA SILVER, Ed.D.

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CEO, Perot Museum of Nature and Science

CHEERS TO FIVE YEARS

"I have had the pleasure personally and through my Nancy Lieberman Charities to work closely with the Dallas Sports Commission. I raise my glass to another five years of tremendous success for the Dallas Sports Commission. Thank you for your foresight and your passion to make Dallas the greatest sports city in America."

NANCY LIEBERMAN Nancy Lieberman Charities

“Congratulations to the Dallas Sports Commission on the organization’s fifth anniversary, and thank you for leading the way in making North Texas one of the premier destinations for sports and events.”

GREG BIBB

Capital Sports Ventures/Dallas Wings

“Congratulations on five years as a sports commission! Yours is a model that we see other cities looking to adopt. The Dallas Sports Commission went above and beyond in helping with our pre-planning and creating a memorable night for our staff. We really appreciate the attention that we received.”

JIM GRIFFITH

“What makes Dallas stand out is the Dallas Sports Commission. The opportunities they bring to the city of Dallas are incredible. The DISD coaches, athletes, students, and parents have all benefited greatly from each event, with tickets, books, supplies, clinics, speakers, and much more. Happy 5th Anniversary, and we wish you many more successful years.”

TROY MATHIEU

Executive Director, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine

Former Executive Director of Athletics, Dallas Independent School District

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PAYING IT FORWARD:

MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPORTS EXECUTIVES

“It's difficult to summarize my time at the Dallas Sports Commission and to articulate what my experience meant to me. Though my three years with the Dallas Sports Commission may be considered brief in the grand scheme of things, the impact on my life is permanent. I learned more than I could have imagined, built lasting relationships, and had the opportunity to play a role in and contribute to the sports history of our city. My greatest takeaway is the fact that a small team can accomplish BIG things. We celebrated many BIG WINS!” 322

KARA KIRKBY

"Working for the Dallas Sports Commission allowed me to gain the necessary skills and experience of working in sports, and although I don't currently work in sports, working for the Dallas Sports Commission projected me into a career in marketing that I am passionate about."

“My role being both the NFL Draft Volunteer Coordinator and Event Management Intern for the Dallas Sports Commission allowed me to expand my knowledge in marketing and event management for a multitude of sports. The Dallas Sports Commission allowed me access to network with global sport and entertainment professionals. This professional experience from the Dallas Sports Commission has given me the insight and background of working premier sporting events and non-profit organizations.”

BRITTANY MEBUST

BROOKLYN BOTZ

“The Dallas Sports Commission reinforced my thoughts on the importance of teamwork. I got to witness firsthand different people of all walks of life and all different backgrounds consistently come together to organize ways to make other people's sporting experiences in Dallas memorable. I am forever grateful to Monica and the entire staff for allowing me to play a role in the organization.”

CHIAKA OGBOGU

“It was the greatest experience for me to do an internship with the Dallas Sports Commission! The best office with the nicest people. Working the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four as the Volunteer Coordinator was my overall favorite memory. To be able to thank all the volunteers by organizing an appreciation party was very rewarding.”

FRANZI SPRINKMEYER

“My favorite memory would be being able to have my family experience the Final Four, thanks to Monica. It is a weekend I'll always treasure!"

BROOKE ROBINSON

"I am truly grateful for the people within the Dallas Sports Commission, local partners, and event clients for allowing me the privilege to see what it takes to put a sporting event together from the initial bid to the final whistle. I was given hands-on experience and, even though I was an intern, it felt like I had great responsibility given to me by being able to work on events such as the NCAA Women's Final Four, WrestleMania, FIVB World League Volleyball, and more. You all have made a lasting impact on my life and are continuing to transform the city of Dallas by hosting such great events. I will always remember my time at the Dallas Sports Commission!"

COURTNEY DE LAURIA BEYOND THE 5: THE ROAD AHEAD

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2019 DALLAS SPORTS COMMISSION

ADVISORY BOARD

Craig Lewis

CEO & President, Gig Wage

Rosalyn Mallet

President/CEO, PhaseNext Hospitality

Board Chairman Dave Brown

Allison Mayberry

Chief Operating Officer/General Manager, American Airlines Center

Major Gift Officer, Hamilton College

John Ackerman

Traci Mayer

EVP, Global Strategy and Development, DFW International Airport

Executive Director, Hotel Association of North Texas

Brad Alberts

Adam Medrano

President, Dallas Stars

Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem, City of Dallas

Rafael Anchia

Scott Murray

State of Texas House of Representatives

Chairman/CEO, Murray Media

Rick Baker

Mike Patel

President, Cotton Bowl Classic

Managing Partner, Prosper Hospitality

Greg Bibb

Dale Petroskey

President/CEO, Dallas Wings

President/CEO, Dallas Regional Chamber

Mark Clayton

Chris Pilavakis

Former City Council Member, City of Dallas

General Manager, Renaissance Dallas Hotel

Sam Coats

Jim Rodriguez

Interim CEO, VisitDallas

Marketing Director, Taco Casa

Sean Decker

Pete Schenkel

Sr. V.P. Operations & Events, Texas Rangers

Community Leader, State Fair of Texas

Darlene Ellison

Jimmy Smith

VP, Business Dev, Veritex Community Bank/Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce

Chief Operating Officer, FC Dallas & Toyota Stadium

Chad Estis

Peter Sullivan

Executive Vice President, Business Operations, AT&T Stadium/Dallas Cowboys

General Manager, Spectra-Fair Park

Ronnie Fauss

Danyel Surrency Jones

Chief Strategy & Financial Officer, Dallas Mavericks

CEO & President, Powerhandz

Rosa Fleming

Mitzi Tally

Director of Event & Convention Services, Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

Executive Vice President Administrative Services, Dallas Market Center

Jimmy Gaston

Jim Tam

CEO & President, Premier 360 Red River Distillery

Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Gnowbe

Tara Green

Jorge Villalobos

Principal of Program Development, OJB Landscape Architecture

President/CEO, Sports Marketing Monterrey

Peg Hall

Alan Walne

Partner, Spencer Fane LLP

Chairman, Herbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paint and Body Shops/State Fair of Texas & Salesmanship Club

Rick Hart

Royce West

Director of Athletics, SMU Athletic Department

Senator, State of Texas

Dave Johnson

Willis Winters

President & CEO, Aimbridge Hospitality

Director, Dallas Parks & Recreation Department

Lucian LaBarba

Matt Wood

L.L.I. NOW

324

President, Friends of Fair Park

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS More than 100 individuals, groups, and organizations were interviewed or provided commentary to help make this project come to life. Our deepest thanks and warmest regards go to all the friends of the Dallas Sports Commission who offered their time and memories for this project, including our events rights holders, our local and statewide elected officials, our regional partners, our partners among the various professional sports teams in the region, our friends within the regional hospitality industry, the many regional facility operators, colleagues from throughout the nation, the current and former staff of the Dallas Sports Commission and VisitDallas, members of the Dallas Sports Commission Advisory Board, and our friends within the many departments of the City of Dallas. Your contributions made this book possible. The author would also like to thank Monica Paul for her continued vision and leadership of the Dallas Sports Commission and for providing unfettered access in order to make DREAM BIG as comprehensive as possible. Additionally, the fantastic staff of the Dallas Sports Commission — Larry Kelly, Ginger Lively-Cade, Joe Albsmeyer, Stephanie Evans, Andrew Dockrill, and Adrian Armstrong — is owed a huge debt of gratitude for the time and attention in making this 5 Year Anniversary retrospective a reality, as are Dallas Sports Commission Board Members Dave Brown and Tara Green. Finally, we appreciate all of the photographers and photojournalists who provided assets for this book. These talented individuals were able to capture and document the history of the Dallas Sports Commission over the past five years, whether or not they knew they were doing so, and have allowed us to share their work in order to help tell our story.

NOTE ON SOURCES DREAM BIG: 5 Years of Big Accomplishments is based on dozens of original conversations with those individuals important to the Dallas Sports Commission’s development, growth, and success over the past five years, as well as previously published news accounts and interviews related to events which the Dallas Sports Commission hosted or with which it played a role. Comments from original interviews have been edited for clarity, with previously published comments utilized in those circumstances when the individual making the comments could not be reached prior to publication.

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IMAGE CREDITS All images courtesy of the Dallas Sports Commission, except for those provided by the individuals or organizations listed below. Any omissions brought to the publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention is an oversight and will be corrected in future editions. A page-by-page listing of image credits is available upon request. A special thanks to the following individuals and organizations for providing images utilized within this book: American Airlines Center Albert Pena/Cal Sport Media/Alamy Stock Photo Andy Tran Pandarazzi Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau Associated Press Big 12 Conference BMW Dallas Marathon Cal Sport Media/Alamy Live News College Football Playoff Cotton Bowl Classic Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cup Dallas ISD Dallas Marathon Dallas Mavericks Dallas Morning News Dallas Stars FC Dallas Grambling State University Athletics James Smith/Dallas Cowboys Jeremiah Jhass/Dallas Cowboys Jerome Miron/Southcreek Global/ZUMApress.com John Green/Cal Sport Media/Alamy Stock Photo Lifting Life Linda Logan Loyola University Chicago Athletics Manny Flores/Cal Sport Media/Alamy Live News Matthew Borrett Monica Paul NAGVA NAGAA 326

National Cheerleaders Association/National Dance Association National Football League National Hockey League National Soccer Hall of Fame NCAA Neal Simpson/Empics Photo Agency PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo Peter Robinson/PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo Ralph Lauer/ZUMA Wire/Alamy Live News REC Foundation/VEX Robotics Renata Aldana Red Bull Global Race Challenge Roller Derby World Cup Ronald McDonald House of Dallas Soccer United Marketing Southern Methodist University State Fair of Texas Texas Rangers Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children University of Central Florida Athletics University of Connecticut Athletics University of Kentucky Athletics University of Texas Athletics US Soccer USA Water Polo USA Weight Lifting VisitDallas Visit Frisco World Food Championships World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)