Lisa Furfine/Schneider Publishing Company, Inc. Chad Starbuck / SportsTravel and TEAMS Conference & Expo Laura Dixon / Plano, TX CVB Michael Jorgensen / Westin Hotel St. Louis How The Sports Market Can Help You Grow!

That was the worst javelin throw in history How the pole vault was invented

Topics in This Session: 2. Why Convention Bureaus Should Target the Sports Industry 3. The Hotelier’s Role in the Sports Market 4. What Event Organizers Want 1. How To Be Sports Friendly

Characteristics of Sports-Related Travel Behaves in ways that counter economic downturns Highly resilient and bounces back quickly from world events Is one of the leading sources of group drive business

Sports Move People! 75.3 million out of million U.S. adults (38% of the adult population) traveled 100 miles or more to attend an organized sporting event in the past five years Source: Travel Industry Association

Level of Competition on Most Recent Organized Sports Trips of 50+ Miles (Base = 75.3 Million Sports Travelers) Note: Multiple Responses Allowed Source: Travel Industry Association 15% 50% 14% 13% 12% 5% 4% 6%

Season of Travel Source: Travel Industry Association 23% 32% 26% 19%

Primary Mode of Transportation Source: Travel Industry Association 80% 75% 15% 3% 2% 0% 1% 2% 76% 71% 18% 3% 2% 1% 2% Total U.S. Travelers Sports Event Travelers %%

Region of Destination Source: Travel Industry Association Region of Origin Northeast South Midwest West Non-Resident (combined) WestMidwestSouthNortheast 69% 16% 11% 4% 31% 9% 77% 10% 4% 23% 6% 15% 75% 4% 25% 4% 8% 7% 82% 18%

The Bottom Line: Sports-related travel generates 46.2 million room nights annually!

“The doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing.” —Dizzy Dean

Lisa Furfine / Schneider Publishing Company, Inc. Chad Starbuck /SportsTravel and TEAMS Conference & Expo Laura Dixon / Plano, TX CVB Michael Jorgensen / Westin Hotel St. Louis How The Sports Market Can Help You Grow!

How To Be Sports Friendly And Increase Your Share of 46.2 Million Sports-Related Room Nights: 1. Know the market

The Sports Event Industry Source: SportsTravel subscriber forms Professional Leagues & Teams Corporate Sponsors of Sports Sports Industry Associations Sports Event Promoters, Managers & Marketing Firms College Athletic Departments & Alumni Groups Sports Governing Bodies & Sanctioning Organizations Types of Organizations:

Ideas for Getting to Know the Market: Become aware of what’s already happening in your local sports community Do opportunities exist to enhance activities that increase economic impact? Allows entree into regional, national or international events Read local sports page, research using the Internet Increase awareness of variety and scope of sporting events available

How To Be Sports Friendly And Increase Your Share of 46.2 Million Sports-Related Room Nights: 1. Know the market 2. Know what you have to offer

Ideas for Getting to Know What You Have to Offer: Determine if your CVB has done a sports venue and facility inventory for your destination If one has not been done, complete such an inventory Use local resources to determine what types of events have been successfully staged in your destination in the past

How To Be Sports Friendly And Increase Your Share of 46.2 Million Sports-Related Room Nights: 3. Communicate your offerings to appropriate prospects 1. Know the market 2. Know what you have to offer

Ideas for Communicating Your Offerings: Prepare a venue and facility guide Call on appropriate event organizers Participate in industry conventions, trade shows and conferences Position your city or hotel as “Sports Friendly”

How To Be Sports Friendly And Increase Your Share of 46.2 Million Sports-Related Room Nights: 1. Know the market 2. Know what you have to offer 3. Communicate your offerings to appropriate prospects 4. Provide service that exceeds sports event organizers’ expectations and your reputation as sports friendly will grow

Lisa Furfine/Schneider Publishing Company, Inc. Chad Starbuck / SportsTravel and TEAMS Conference & Expo Laura Dixon / Plano, TX CVB Michael Jorgensen / Westin Hotel St. Louis How The Sports Market Can Help You Grow!

Lisa Furfine/Schneider Publishing Company, Inc. Chad Starbuck / SportsTravel and TEAMS Conference & Expo Laura Dixon / Plano, TX CVB Michael Jorgensen / Westin Hotel St. Louis How The Sports Market Can Help You Grow!

Lisa Furfine/Schneider Publishing Company, Inc. Chad Starbuck / SportsTravel and TEAMS Conference & Expo Laura Dixon / Plano, TX CVB Michael Jorgensen / Westin Hotel St. Louis How The Sports Market Can Help You Grow!

What Event Organizers Want

Event Organizers Top Ten List #10 – Funding – financial support for the event –grants, rebates, site fees etc... #9 – Attention –public relations –media relations

Event Organizers Top Ten List #8 – Housing – hotel rooms –entertainment & restaurants –things to do #7 – Spectator base –participant base –merchandising –ticket sales

Event Organizers Top Ten List #6 – Destination –Location, Location, Location –transportation to and from the event #5 – Volunteer support –Volunteer Coordinator –office with local phone number

Event Organizers Top Ten List #4 – Cooperation –support from municipal agencies #3 – Community –enthusiastic local support for the event

Event Organizers Top Ten List #2 – Key Contact –one local person who can make things happen and has the authority to make decisions

Event Organizers Top Ten List #1 – Venue –logistic friendly venue for the event –site fits the sport –great weather –organization has the freedom to create and produce a great event

Ted Turner’s Secret of Success: “Early to bed, early to rise, Work like hell and advertise!”

To Contact SportsTravel: Call Toll-Free: (877) Other Contacts: Laura Dixon / Plano, TX CVB: (972) Michael Jorgensen / Westin Hotel St. Louis: (314)