Knowledge is power and in the fast pace work environment that is sport tourism, the more you know, the better. As the current Director of Sports Development for Visit Greenville, North Carolina, Gray Workman knew this and wanted to elevate her knowledge to grow Greenville from a smaller destination to a high-level competitive sports destination. She enrolled in the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) program and gained invaluable information.
From being in the CSEE program, Workman saw this program as a way to further her education after college, with more focus on event planning. The classes focus on all aspects of the event, and why every single detail is important, and show how each aspect is a vital piece of sales and marketing materials. “As a destination, sometimes we forget all the minute details tournament directors have to focus on. Now I am able to be a resource to them.” Workman said.
The classes offered also gives students the chance to grow ...
The Spring 2019 edition of the NASC Playbook is available now. Download your copy.
Inside this issue:
What kind of leader do you want to be
Sports Facilities Summit
On motivating your employees
Why rebrand the NASC
That aha moment
12 questions for CVBs and Sports Commissions
Symposium education track line-up
Staying competitive on and off the sports field
We encourage members to share information with your peers. Contact Meagan Grau, Director of Member Services and Engagement, at meagan@sportscommissions.org to learn more about how you can contribute to a future edition of The NASC Playbook.
The NASC Staff
A mentor is someone that will guide you along the path you have chosen, someone that will help you overcome challenges and build your character, while being motivated to support you and being a positive influence on your journey.
Have you identified important individuals that have had a positive impact on your life? These individuals could be friends or advisers that you haven’t talked to in years, but they are still mentors to you. Reach out to them, thank them and start up that new dialogue. For me, it was a college professor at Ohio State in 2003, and I never realized how important he was to helping create who I am today and why I ended up in the sports tourism industry in 2012.
After nine years of working in a variety of roles in professional sports – from interning and working full-time for a Minor League Baseball team, to spending time selling sponsorships for a PGA golf tournament and then moving into event operations for a golf contractor, then finally landing...
Our members, pse Event Housing, take care of all the housing details for their clients. From contract & staff room negotiation, real-time room tracking & reporting, to commission & rebate processing, they do it all! Whether you’re looking to start your very first tournament or event, or you’ve been in the game for years, check out these 4 essential questions you should be asking your event housing provider:
1. Is your booking system optimized for mobile users?
In 2018, 57% of all Internet traffic came from mobile users, and that number is only expected to keep growing. With this number on the rise and customers increasingly using their mobile devices to get things done online, offering a mobile-friendly experience is no longer just a nice-to-have feature – it’s a necessity.
What to look for:
Responsive Design:
Most sites are now viewable on mobile devices, but there’s a big difference between just being viewable on mobile an...
Really? Another article or blog about leadership from someone? Yep – I know. It seems as if we are constantly exposed to blogs, articles, stories, books, podcasts, etc. about leadership. Why is this?
My guess is because everyone has an opinion or idea about what leadership should look like. In my humble opinion, there is no textbook formula, or perfect blueprint that says if you do A, B, and C you will become a “leader.” A quick search on Google provided a multitude of options to review when it comes to leadership traits; Forbes listed 10, Inc.com 9, CNN 23, Leadership toolbox 7. Wow, so many choices – which one is right?
Please do not get me wrong – there are some very good resources that each of us can take bits and pieces of information from to add to our arsenal, and implement into what we do, or how we lead – if it “fits” the person, we are. I believe you can develop leadership tr...
The Certified Sports Event Executive program offers NASC members a chance to elevate their sports tourism careers to a whole new level. With the opportunity to meet a variety of specialists from the industry and taking classes directed to give you a fresh, new look at the sports tourism industry. For graduates like Kristyn Hawkins, this program enhanced her knowledge and experience in ways she never imagined.
As the current, Sports Tourism Sales Director at the Spartanburg, South Carolina CVB, Hawkins came into the program wanting to learn more about the best practices in the industry so she could bring that back to Spartanburg CVB. She ended up getting that and so much more.
“This program allows you to learn all aspects of sports tourism by learning from the top industry professionals,” Hawkins said. Even more so, Hawkins recognizes that this program allowed her to build relationships and a support system to bounce ideas around.
...
Definition of aha moment
: a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension
I will be attending my seventh NASC Symposium this year, and with each one I have incredible “Aha Moments”. From the definition noted above, I have experienced the following:
A sudden realization that my destination can host events and play in this marketplace.
Inspired by incredible leaders within the sports tourism industry that have made me see things in a slightly different way, changing my whole perspective.
Incredible insight from my counterparts from all over the country on all the aspects of our work.
Recognition, with articles published, successful events achieved and the ability to show the impact of what we do for our communities.
Comprehending all the processes from RFP to Recap.
As we approach the next Symposium in Knoxville, I encourage you to take it all in and let yourself have those Aha Moments. I wa...
We are officially under 100 days until the NASC Symposium! Are you joining us in Knoxville, Tennessee from May 6 through the 9th? Each year, leaders from event hosts, tourism professionals and industry partners gather to exchange resources, strategies and solutions.
A few reminders for those of you coming to Knoxville:
Do you have your hotel reservation? The hotel blocks are quickly filling up. Get yours today: https://www.sportscommissions.org/symposium/hotel-travel. Event owners -- NASC will book your hotel room.
Destinations: Register by 2/15/19 to be entered to win your top 3 mutually requested appointments (10 organizations will be selected)
Vendors: Register by 2/15/19 to be entered to win a free pre-symposium eBlast (3 organizations will be selected)
Event Owners: Register by 3/22/19 to be considered for travel assistance
You can start preparing for the 2019 NASC Symposium right now. Check out which event owners are coming and which destinations wi...
How CVBs and Event Partners Can Provide a World-Class Experience to Visitors
When you think of Disney World, what comes to mind? If you’ve ever had the chance to visit Mickey’s magical land, you know that every detail of every park and resort is tailored to create an immersive, unique experience to all who enter (and they do such a great job of this that they have a whopping 70% return rate for first time guests!).
So, what does Disney World have to do with us as event partners or host communities? Well, it’s safe to say that we’re all looking to provide the best possible experience to all of our guests so they continue to come back, year after year. It’s unlikely that most of us will be able to eliminate all litter at our events by ensuring that no trash can is ever more than 30 steps away, or create an elaborate system of underground tunnels for staff to travel between locations, but there are many other ways in which we can all work togethe...
“When others in our industry see CSEE after your name, they know right away what that means.” Clay Partain, a recent grad from the Certified Sports Event Executive (CSEE) program, knew from his first NASC Symposium that earning this credential would set him aside from his competition in the sports events and tourism industry. As the current Director of Sports Market Sales for Visit Salt Lake, the CVB for the Salt Lake County, Partain knew that adding CSEE to the end of his title would show his stakeholders and employers that he means business.
Beyond the career development, Partain will forever be grateful for the network built from this experience. The program offered him a chance to talk first hand with his peers about their successes, challenges and struggles and a support group to get advice from. With sports tourism being a relatively small market that is completely relationship driven, he knows the bonds he has created will last for a very l...