Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterNewsmaker Alert is on Pinterest
Back To News/PR Index
|
SportsTravel Magazine
'Press Box' Presented by SportsTravel Magazine (January 2016)
|
Los Angeles, CA – January 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / Each monthly issue of SportsTravel contains information from the Press Box. SportsTravel is the sports world’s event magazine.
|
'Press Box' Presented by SportsTravel Magazine (January 2016)Sports Organizations

John Collins has been appointed CEO of the hospitality business On Location Experiences (previously NFL On Location). Collins recently resigned as COO of the National Hockey League, where he played a key role in the Winter Classic and in television rights deals in the United States and Canada.

Michael Massik will step down from his position as CEO of USA Weightlifting to become executive director of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Massik will begin his role with the NSCA, headquartered in Colorado Springs, on January 16. Massik started his position as CEO at USA Weightlifting in 2002. He also previously served as executive director of USA Fencing.

Dan Cloppas, the longtime CEO and secretary general of USA Badminton, has announced his retirement. Cloppas will remain in his position until a replacement is found, a process that will begin with the help of an executive search committee.

Jay Frye has been named president of competition and operations for IndyCar. He previously was chief revenue officer for IndyCar parent company Hulman Motorsports. That post is now filled by Rod Davis, who previously held senior executive roles with the Indiana Sports Corp., USA Gymnastics, RCA Championships and USA Swimming.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation has changed its official website and domain name to wbsc.org from wbsc.co. The new site highlights the more than 140 national federations and members that make up the softball and baseball world.

The North American Soccer League has announced the formation of Rayo OKC, a new club in Oklahoma City that will begin play in the 2016 spring season. The name Rayo OKC reflects the partnership with La Liga’s Rayo Vallecano de Madrid, the first Spanish La Liga side to invest in a pro soccer club in North America.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the sport’s international governing body, has changed its name to World Sailing. The rebranding includes a new look, focus and motto, “A Sport for Life.”

The 2015 USA BMX Grand Nationals recently concluded in Tulsa, Oklahoma, setting a new record for participation. The four-day event included 2,947 riders, an increase of 238 from the year before.

Hosts & Suppliers

David Gibbons has been selected as executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. He has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, serving as general manager for Swissotel (now the Hyatt Regency/Boston), the Drake Hotel in New York and the Taj Boston. Gibbons has also served as chairman of the Massachusetts Lodging Association. 

Joey Jewell has been appointed director of sports sales and development at the Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission in Lane County, Oregon. Jewell most recently served as youth development specialist at the International Bowling Campus. 

Miranda Coleman has been named sports services manager of the Greater Lansing Sports Authority in Michigan, a division of the local CVB. She previously worked as the supervisor for officials at Gus Macker basketball and as program director for the Boys and Girls Club of Lansing.

Robert Enriquez has been appointed vice-president of sales and marketing at Visit Spokane (Washington). He most recently served as vice-president of sales, services and sports at the Albuquerque (New Mexico) Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Jayna Leach has been named vice-president of marketing at the Panama City Beach (Florida) Convention & Visitors Bureau. With more than 20 years of marketing and public relations experience, Leach most recently served as vice-president of marketing at Sterling Resorts.

Hard Rock International has announced plans to open the Hard Rock Hotel Atlanta next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, future home of the Atlanta Falcons. The 220-room hotel, which is expected to make its debut in spring 2018, will offer more than 10,660 square feet of event space.

Cox Business/Hospitality Network has been named the exclusive technology integration/telecommunication services provider for the new Las Vegas Arena, which is scheduled to open in April 2016. The company is a provider of broadcast and technology-related services to the commercial and gaming-resort verticals in Southern Nevada.

Sites & Venues

The NFL and the Rugby Football Union have reached an agreement to play a minimum of three regular-season NFL games at Twickenham Stadium in London over a three-year period. The deal will start in October 2016 and is the first of its kind for the RFU.

The 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Championship Series will be held August 19–23 at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the home field of the University of Alabama softball team. The most recent series took place in Hoover, Alabama, and broke both single-day and overall attendance records.

The first college football game of the 2016 season will be played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on August 17. The University of California, Berkeley and the University of Hawaii will compete in the first college football game to be played in Sydney and the first in Australia since games in Melbourne in 1985 and 1987.

U.S. Figure Skating has awarded the 2017 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships to Kansas City, Missouri. The championships will be held January 14–22, 2017, with all junior and championship level events being staged at Sprint Center. The upcoming 2016 championships will take place in Saint Paul, Minnesota, January 15–24.

The 2016 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball World League will be held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas in July. The matches will be the last domestic competition for the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Team before the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Greenville, South Carolina, will host the USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championships in 2018 and 2019. The event features running and cycling and will be organized by USA Triathlon.

U.S. Club Soccer’s National Cup XV Finals well be held at Aurora Sports Park in Colorado, July 22–25. The event is expected to attract more than 120 teams and 2,000 players. The finals will serve as the culminating event of the organization’s nationwide championship series.

The Merit Club in Gurnee, Illinois, will host the 2016 UL International Crown. The Ladies Professional Golf Association’s biennial match-play event is scheduled to take place July 21–24.

Minor League Baseball’s 2016 Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game is scheduled to be held at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tennessee on September 20, 2016. The event will feature the Pacific Coast League champions and the winner of the International League’s Governors’ Cup.

USA Hockey has selected Buffalo, New York, to host the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-20 Championship. The First Niagara Center and HarborCenter will serve as hosts. In addition, for the first time the championship will include an outdoor game, to be played at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

Ten metropolitan areas in the United States have been chosen to host matches in the Copa America Centenario, to be played June 3–26, 2016. The event is the centennial edition of Copa America—the South American championship—and will be staged outside of South America for the first time. The host metropolitan areas are: Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium), Boston (Gillette Stadium), Chicago (Soldier Field), Houston (NRG Stadium), Los Angeles (Rose Bowl), New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium), Orlando (Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field), Phoenix (University of Phoenix Stadium) and Seattle (CenturyLink Field).

The Amateur Athletic Union Boys Basketball National Championships and Super Showcase events will be held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, in 2016. The events had been held in Orlando for 17 consecutive seasons before moving to Louisville, Kentucky, for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

The United States Golf Association has selected El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California, to host the 2018 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship. This marks the first time the venue is hosting the event, which will take place April 28–May 2, 2018.

USA Hockey has selected Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, to serve as the training camp for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to take place September 17–October 1 in Toronto. The camp will begin September 5 and culminate September 9 with a game against Canada that will be played at the arena.

Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates and the Miami Marlins will play a two-game series at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 30–31, 2016. In honor of Puerto Rico native and Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, the celebration of the league-wide Roberto Clemente Day will be held on May 31 in conjunction with the game.

Sponsors & Licensing

The Toyota Motor Corp. has become a Worldwide Paralympic Partner in the mobility category through 2024 in a partnership with the International Paralympic Committee. The partnership boasts the first in Paralympic history that encompasses the IPC, all national Paralympic committees and future Paralympics Games.

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has partnered with Jacuzzi Brand, making it the official hot tub of the U.S. Ski Team. Jacuzzi hot tubs will assist in athletes’ recovery at the Center of Excellence training facility in Park City, Utah.

The United States Bowling Congress has announced a multiyear sponsorship of the Professional Bowlers Association through 2018. As a part of the agreement, USBC will run commercials showcasing its “Future for the Sport” campaign throughout the PBA Tour telecast season. The agreement will also showcase the USBC Masters as part of the PBA Tour Schedule.

Sperry, creator of the boat shoe, has announced a partnership with the 35th America’s Cup. Sperry will serve as the official footwear partner of the America’s Cup and the official footwear supplier for Oracle Team USA.

Lubell Labs has been named the official supplier of underwater sound for USA Synchro. The company, which specializes in portable and in-wall underwater speakers, will provide equipment for USA Synchro’s national teams and national championships.

Anheuser-Busch has renewed its partnership with Daytona International Speedway, which extends its status as the official beer sponsor of DIS and the Daytona 500. The multiyear partnership will also provide Anheuser-Busch with naming rights to four locations within the new motorsports stadium scheduled to open in January 2016.

ESPN and Dos Equis have announced a multiyear agreement that will make Dos Equis the official beer sponsor of the College Football Playoff. Under the terms of the partnership, Dos Equis will be integrated throughout ESPN’s coverage of the College Football Playoff and the brand will have a significant presence across ESPN’s platforms throughout the regular season.

The Fiesta Bowl and Motel 6 have announced an agreement that will make Motel 6 the title sponsor of the 2016 Cactus Bowl. The 27th annual Motel 6 Cactus Bowl will be held January 2, 2016, at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix.

In a partnership running through March 2017, Turbo will become the official competition gear supplier of USA Water Polo. A global manufacturer of water polo suits, caps and robes, Turbo will outfit the U.S. national teams at every level and will also produce custom products for the Olympic Development Program and the 2016 U.S. Olympic water polo teams.

USA Luge has announced a sponsorship with U.S. Venture Inc., a distributor of energy products, lubricants, tires and parts. The sponsorship will extend over the next four years and will include the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

And Finally…

The Sports Turf Managers Association has announced that the winner of its third annual Mowing Patterns Contest is Blake Anderson, assistant director of sports turf operations at the University of Arkansas. Anderson was given the honor for his intricate design at Baum Stadium, home to the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball team. His student assistant Tyler Carr helped craft the mowing pattern. Anderson will be featured in a future issue of SportsTurf, the association’s monthly publication, and his design will be featured at the 2016 STMA Conference & Exhibition, which will be held in San Diego, January 19–22.

This current issue of SportsTravel can be viewed in digital format online by clicking here.

###

SportsTravel, the sports world’s event magazine, is published by Los Angeles-based Schneider Publishing Company, which also publishes Association News. Founded in 1997, SportsTravel was the first magazine to identify and serve the sports-related travel and event industry. Schneider Publishing organizes the TEAMS Conference & Expo, the world’s largest gathering of sports-event organizers. TEAMS ’16 will be held September 26–29, 2016, in Atlantic City. In addition, Schneider Publishing organizes the Meetings Quest trade-show series for corporate and association meeting planners. The travel markets served by Schneider Publishing generate 106 million hotel room nights annually. For more information, visit SchneiderPublishing.com or call toll-free 877-577-3700 or 310-577-3700 if dialing from outside the United States.
|
Media Contact:
Timothy Schneider
310-577-3700
Schneider Publishing Company, Inc.

Association News, Meetings Quest, SportsTravel and TEAMS are registered trademarks of Schneider Publishing.

|
|
Publishing Dates: 01/12/16 – 03/12/16
|
Back To News/PR Index
|
Hospitality Newsmaker Alert