Sports Organizations
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Nick Sakiewicz has been named commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. He has more than two decades of experience with Major League Soccer, most recently with the Philadelphia Union’s ownership company. Sakiewicz succeeds former NLL Commissioner George Daniel, who stepped down as head of the indoor lacrosse league to start a law firm but will still remain as counsel to the league.

Stephen Cannon, former president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, has been named CEO of AMB Group. Cannon will lead all business operations of the NFL Atlanta Falcons; Atlanta United FC of MLS; Atlanta Falcons Stadium Co., the developer of Mercedes Benz Stadium; PGA Tour Superstore; and Mountain Sky Guest Ranch.

Howard Smith has been appointed president of the Harlem Globetrotters. He most recently served as senior vicepresident of content strategy for Herschend Enterprises, the Globetrotters’ parent company. Smith will succeed Kurt Schneider, who will step down following the 2016 North American Tour in May.

Keith Ferguson has been named executive director of USA Taekwondo. He previously was senior vice-president of events for the Rural Media Group, responsible for the network’s western sports division. He was also CEO of USA Climbing and played many roles during a 15-year career at the U.S. Olympic Committee.

USA Field Hockey has named Adam Andrasko membership services director. He will manage the governing body’s communications, commercial, membership, events marketing and fundraising departments. Andrasko previously served as manager of training sites and community partnerships with the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Hosts & Suppliers

Julie Coker Graham has been appointed president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau following the retirement of Jack Ferguson. Coker Graham’s appointment makes her the only African- American woman to serve as president and CEO of a CVB in a major U.S. market. Most recently, Coker Graham was the bureau’s executive vice-president.

Brenda Newbern has been named executive director of the Cape Girardeau (Missouri) Convention & Visitors Bureau following the retirement of Chuck Martin, who served at the CVB for 13 years. Newbern previously worked as a sales manager for the MidAmerica Hotels Corp. in Cape Girardeau.

John Bisignano has resigned as president and CEO of the Central Florida Sports Commission. Bisignano joined the organization in 2012 after a long career at The Walt Disney Co., including as manager of business development at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. A search is underway for his replacement.

Leslie Dance has been appointed vice-president of marketing and product development at the Hawaii Tourism Authority. She previously was vice-president of worldwide brand strategy, management and communication for Eastman Kodak and corporate vice-president and general manager of global marketing and communication for Motorola’s mobile device business.

Sites & Venues

Under the terms of a multiyear naming rights agreement, the new Las Vegas arena currently under construction just west of the Strip will be called T-Mobile Arena. Owned by AEG and MGM Resorts International, the $375 million, 20,000-seat venue is expected to open in April.

As a result of a four-year extension, the NCAA Division I Football Championship title game will continue to be staged at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, through 2020. The stadium is scheduled to undergo a $39 million improvement project. Construction is expected to be complete by late 2017.

The Red Bull Air Race will be held October 1–2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is the first time the event will be held in Indiana.

Hard Rock International has approved plans to build the Hard Rock Hotel Hartford in Connecticut’s Downtown North neighborhood. The 170-room property, located near the city’s new minor league baseball stadium, is scheduled to open in fall 2018.

Sponsors & Licensing

MGM Resorts International has announced a partnership with the PGA Tour’s Graham DeLaet, who will don an MGM Resorts–branded hat while competing in PGA Tour events.

China’s Le Sports and Major League Baseball have announced a three-year partnership. Le Sports will hold exclusive media rights in China to broadcast 125 MLB games per season, along with Mandarin-language programming.

NCAA Division II and Sinclair Networks Group have reached a three-year deal that will televise events on the American Sports Network. The package includes at least 11 regular-season football games and at least 18 women’s and men’s basketball games.

In Memorian

Michael Cleary, who served as executive director of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics from 1965–2011 and most recently as director emeritus, passed away on December 31, 2015, at the age of 81. Up until his death, Cleary served as president for the John McLendon Minority Scholarship Foundation and the Michael J. Cleary Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation. Donations in Cleary’s name can be made to Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, the John McLendon Foundation in Westlake, Ohio, and the John Carroll University Mike Cleary Program in Sports Studies in University Heights, Ohio.

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.
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Media Contact:
Timothy Schneider
310-577-3700
Schneider Publishing Company, Inc.