Rockford Native to Present at Sports Stories | Sports Destination Management

Rockford Native to Present at Sports Stories

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Sep 12, 2018

The Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (RACVB) is thrilled to announce the return of Sport Stories, featuring Nicole Briscoe, ESPN SportsCenter anchor and Roscoe native, as this year's keynote and panel discussion moderator. Briscoe returns home to headline this educational luncheon, which is set for Thursday, September 13, at the Rockford Bank & Trust Pavilion at Aldeen Golf Club (1902 Reid Farm Road, Rockford, IL 61107). 

Sport Stories is the Rockford region's platform for area sports heroes to give back by sharing their success stories-a narrative that stretches from their childhood days playing at parks and playgrounds in the Rockford area to athletics and life achievement globally. The event also serves as RACVB's annual sports tourism fundraiser, with all proceeds benefitting the RACVB Charitable Foundation. 

"We're so excited and honored to have Nicole Briscoe return home for Sport Stories-she is the perfect fit to share her success story, and how growing up in the area helped shape her global sports media career," said Nick Povalitis, RACVB's director of sports development. "Sport Stories is really the community's annual celebration of our region's most heralded athletes and sports business minds. With support from Nicole and other area sports icons, we want to continue to push that narrative forward." 

In addition to her primary SportsCenter role, Briscoe also has worked for ESPN as host of the pre-race NASCAR Countdown program from 2011-2014, and as host and reporter for the news program NASCAR Now from 2008-2014. A 1998 Hononegah High School graduate, Briscoe also has contributed to the network's Major League Baseball and X Games coverage. 

"I'm really excited and proud to come home for Sport Stories, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share my experience in front of a hometown audience," said Briscoe, who started her career at WREX in 1999. "The Rockford area is home or at least has been the foundation for so many who have gone on to accomplish great things in the sports world, and I think it is fantastic that the Rockford Area CVB is shining a light on those career achievements."

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. September 13, and lunch service for all attendees will begin at noon. After the keynote presentation, Briscoe will moderate a panel discussion featuring Rockford region natives Jody Deery (Rockford Speedway owner) and Kenny Gould (Team USA Boxing 1988 Olympic bronze medalist), culminating in an audience Q&A. 

Tickets to the luncheon cost $50 per person and are available online at www.gorockford.com/sportstories. For in-person payment, checks made payable to the RACVB Charitable Foundation may be dropped off at or mailed to the Rockford Area CVB Main Office at 102 North Main St., Rockford, IL 61101. 

As part of its Bring Your Game 2 Rockford (BYG2RKFD) campaign, RACVB launched Sport Stories in June 2017 when Corey Anderson, Rockton native and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight contender, delivered the keynote presentation before joining a panel that featured area natives Fred VanVleet (Toronto Raptors point guard and RACVB Sports Tourism Ambassador), Angel Martinez (Team USA Boxing and Golden Gloves National Champion) and Misty Opat (4-time NJCAA Women's Basketball Champion Head Coach at Rock Valley College). 

RACVB exists to drive quality of life and economic growth for the citizens of Rockford and Winnebago County through tourism marketing and destination development. www.gorockford.com 

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