What a long, strange trip it’s been. The Grateful Dead used that wording in 1977 and it is just as accurate today. We have been through 2020 (enough said) and now we’re ending 2021 and ready to celebrate. But we don’t just celebrate the big numbers. We celebrate our strength. Strength, we have learned, is not born out of aggression; it is a kind of peace that comes with knowing you have faced the worst and that, moving forward, you can deal with whatever life hands out. It’s time to congratulate those who were instrumental in our comeback.
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The finish line for this year is in sight. We made it through 2021 but we didn’t do it alone. All of us worked together to rebound and succeed. And when you really think about it, our industry isn’t made up of sports or events; it’s made up of people. It's those people who have helped and inspired us. Let’s continue to be there for one another. This issue showcases how much it means to have a thriving, supportive industry.
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How did you get your start in the industry? Were you a sports standout in school and wanted to stay connected to what you loved? Did you drift in from another profession, such as meeting planning or public relations? Maybe you majored in sports management in college. While we all have different entry points, we have a common denominator: mentors in the industry who guided us along. And they’re still helping us out; this issue has some great advice on issues we’re all grappling with and challenges we’re all facing. Let’s never stop learning, growing and pursuing excellence, particularly now as we emerge from the darkness into the welcome warmth of summer.
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In this issue is some of the best advice you’ll find anywhere, and it’s because of the industry experts who contributed their time, their knowledge and their insights. This industry has perhaps the most in-depth knowledge base – and the fascinating thing is that so many people relate it in stories – things that have happened during competitions, people they’ve met and what they learned as a result. As we head into summer, it is our hope that this issue will help guide you along as we move out of the darkness that was the last year and toward better, brighter days.
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In this issue, we look at golf, swimming and diving, which, along with our other featured sport, soccer, are all showcased in the Summer Olympics. This year, the Olympics will see some new sports: karate, surfing, climbing and skateboarding. And in 2024, we’ll have breakdancing. Sports will continue to evolve and change. This issue helps us move with those changes, with some great articles by incredibly knowledgeable members of our industry. As move into spring, let’s commit to learning, to growing and to helping our industry evolve. If we can do that, everyone wins.
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We just closed out a year nobody could have anticipated. As we continue into the new year, optimism is strong, with vaccines on the scene and sports beginning their rebound. The question, of course, is where we go from here. Ideally, 2021 will be the year not just when tournaments return, but also when spectators come back and confidence in travel is restored. This issue gets you off to a great start with information you can use in light of the market conditions. Let’s face 2021 together and start strong, stay resilient and work together.
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It has been said numerous times that our industry is recession proof. But no one thought to ask if it was pandemic proof. This edition of Sport Destination Management is dedicated to our industry and is designed to celebrate our achievements during this tough time, as well as embrace the future as we begin to see our industry rebound. We at SDM have been waiting over a year to feel some semblance of normalcy. We want this issue to serve as a reminder of how great the sports tourism industry is, and to bring hope to everyone involved! --Scott Swoger, Publisher
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