September/October 2008

With the job of securing a location, finding sponsors, and running an event, the sports event organizer has a full plate of responsibilities and obligations. So many duties, in fact, that often the obvious goes unattended: the participants. David Stephens addresses this issue in his article "Event Planning Priorities," making certain the participant experience is a large part of the equation.

With media and marketing becoming an ever-important priority, we've enlisted the help of some seasoned veterans. Hill Carrow and Dean Reinke focus on the key aspects to developing a sponsorship strategy and establishing media partners. Enlisting the local sports commission or CVB also plays a vital role in the success of an event. Joni Williamson, in her Perspectives column, writes about how to work with a sports commission or CVB, and what each brings to the table.

Our feature stories, focusing on water sports, cheer and dance, and volleyball, deliver great insight into what events are occurring, where they're happening, why a particular site was chosen, and what makes these events successful.