SportsEvents Magazine

SEP 2015

SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.

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September 2015 20 www.sportseventsmagazine.com t SPECIAL FEATURE 1. Call On Local Expertise When it comes to bringing an event to a destination you might not know like the back of your hand, you should look to local connections, offcials said. One of the most logical local connec- tions is the convention center's event man- ager, said Marissa Skibbe Dionne, director of marketing for the MassMutual Center in Springfeld, Mass., which hosts sports events that draw about 200,000 athletes and spectators each year. These professionals can help secure equipment and other large items needed to host an event, which can save money. An event manager has local contacts with uni- versities, venues and other organizations to help acquire equipment that "could lower costs for the sports planner," Dionne said. Volunteer support from someone in your host community might also be necessary, like it is for the Pacifc Amateur Athletic Union and Jam On It basketball camps, said Matt Williams, organizer. 2. Need A Room Block? There's An Expert For That Dionne recommended that sports event planners work with the local conven- tion and visitors bureau (CVB) or sports commission to secure room blocks for an event. "Most CVBs are set up to support that time-consuming element of an event and do it at no extra cost to the planner," Dionne said. 3. Get Ideas For Free-Time Activities Because there can be a lot of down time for the athletes during tournaments, it's important for organizers to promote nearby free-time activities to participants. Your local connections at the CVB, sports com- mission or event venue can help identify them, said Ben Rose, director of market- ing and public relations for the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority in New Jersey. "That's why the Wildwoods Convention Center is such a sought-after facility with sports promoters. There is so much to see and do outside our doors," Rose said, add- ing the center is near a 38-block boardwalk with three amusement piers, three beach- front waterparks, game arcades, shops and more than 300 eateries. 4. Get A Trainer On Board Phil Campbell of the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., said tournament organizers who do not bring their own athletic trainers should also ask for help coordinating the hiring of local trainers for athletic injuries and treatments. 5. Coordinate Event Times & Keep Good Records Tammy Dunn, sports development manag- er for the Snohomish County Sport Com- mission in Washington, said coordinating the hours the facility needs to be available is critical. You don't want organizers to show up at 7 a.m. to fnd the doors still locked when the frst game starts at 8 a.m., she said. n 5 Tips To Make Your Event A Success Classic Center Arena Hosts Olympic, College Championships The Classic Center in Athens, Ga., has a tradition of hosting amateur sports at the highest levels, including the 1996 Olympic volleyball, soccer and rhythmic gymnastics competitions, as well as NCAA and SEC Championships, according to Rachel Watkins of the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Classic Center has an 8,000-square-foot atrium, an expanded 56,000-square- foot grand hall for up to 6,000, and a NHL regulation-sized arena with telescopic individual-chair seating for up to 2,000. Events held in the arena include the University of Georgia's Ice Dawgs hockey matches, Classic City Rollergirls bouts, Double Dog Dare Flyball Club Racing Tourna- ment and the Made In the USA Sports Festival - Gymnastics Invitational. n The University of Georgia Ice Dawgs call the Classic Center Arena their home rink. Athens CVB Centers That Love Sports! Working out the logistics for a large-scaled sports competition at a convention center can be a challenge. We asked convention center and tourism industry professionals for tips to help your event be successful. The Wildwoods Conven- tion Center in New Jersey hosted the Futsal Indoor Soccer Tournament.

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