Sports Destination Management Magazine

As we tiptoe into a new school year, we’re seeing plenty of changes. This issue can help face them head-on. Our articles cover safety and security preparations and negotiations between vendors and event owners, as well as an update on bus and motorcoach travel. There are features on destinations that can host events in softball, gymnastics and water sports. Additionally, there are insights from the president of AAU and the founder of the Gran Fondo National Series, and a roundup of great sports venues. Get started on the new season right here.

In this issue, we reach midsummer and my favorite time of the year: the opening of awards season. SDM wants its readers to nominate events for the program, Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. Our industry is a force to be reckoned with, and you have played a role in it, so take a moment to enter. This industry also showcases lacrosse, running and road sports and combat sports (all three of those have ancient roots) as well as a newer sport with a North American pedigree: cheer, and sports venues made by nature. Happy reading.

There are many great things to see when studying the sports business industry: Emerging trends, the creation and growth of an alternative accommodations market, new sports and plenty more. But the one thing that never changes is that it is an industry of stories. This issue celebrates those stories, whether it’s successful facilities, innovative marketing campaigns, boosting economic impact or even collaborating with competitors. We invite you to sit back and enjoy these success stories and even to get some new ideas as you write your own.

We’re heading into the spring season, and the March/April issue has everything you need to get started on your most successful year yet. From coverage of soccer, golf, swimming and diving (and the fast-growing discipline of 3x3 basketball) to business topics like drafting a proposal, making a medical plan and evaluating lodging options, learning is packed into every page. Plus, our Industry Leadership article is a who’s who of stellar contacts in the sports tourism space. You’ll want to keep this issue around for reference as you position yourself for a win.

We’re headed into the new year – with all the best intentions. And we can safely say we’re not only back to normal but better than normal. Attendance in events and economic impact are shattering records, travel is back in a big way and hotels are starting to report sellouts for conventions and other events. That’s a great start. If one of your goals was self-improvement, this issue can help you become well-versed on industry issues like insurance, adaptive sports events and more. 2023 is off to a great start. Let’s keep the momentum and enjoy the ride.

This year, which kicked off with the Olympic Games in Beijing and wound up with the World Cup in Qatar, has been one for the books and it’s not even over yet. But wow – what a ride it has been so far. This issue includes sports that made the news in 2022 (along with great business information) but the real star is our award winners. What is our takeaway from those? That our industry is moving ahead. The economic impact for just our champions was $2.42 billion. Winners covered a wide range of sports, disciplines and abilities but they all enriched the communities that hosted them. There's a lot to learn, and a lot to celebrate. Get started here.

The great summer of 2022 is in the rear-view mirror and make no mistake, it was pretty great. Now, the road ahead of us is open for business and we’re ready to make the most of it. Football has kicked off, baseball is winding down and fall sports are in full swing. We have the World Cup in Qatar to look forward to (and then the one in the U.S., Canada and Mexico), the Olympics in Paris (and after that, the Games in L.A.) as well as plenty of other highlights. This issue covers not just sports but the business issues you’ll need to know.

If there is anything good to be said about 2020 (and parts of 2021 – although largely, there is very little good to be said), it was that people rediscovered they could head outdoors to get their exercise. We bring this up because sometimes, in the arms race to build better facilities, we lose sight of what’s around us, and what Mother Nature has built. In this issue, you’ll find plenty of focus on those venues: lakes, trails, beaches and more. We hope you’ll take the time to explore those features – as well as the other great articles in this issue.

Did you know that most of our content – ideas for articles on trending sports, industry issues and big news – comes from our readers? We keep a careful eye on the press releases we receive concerning the goings-on in our industry. In other words, we have you to thank for keeping us informed. This issue, for example, has information on hybrid events, the return of senior sports and the growth of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. We also cover destinations for fishing, track & field and baseball. Keep the good news coming and make sure we’re on your radar too.

I’m a big believer in evolution, and for proof, I simply look to our industry. Sports evolve and the public’s enthusiasm for them blows up as a result. One example is 3x3 basketball, covered in this issue. Knowledge evolves too. Don't miss our articles on topics like drawing up an effective proposal, negotiating with hotels and choosing a good medical provider for sports events. The features on golf, soccer and swimming/diving venues highlight new technologies and advancements that make for winning experiences, no matter what side of the scoreboard an athlete is on. Let’s keep the growth - and our learning - going.

What’s your New Year’s resolution? If it involves becoming a stronger, better informed, more productive member of this industry, this issue can help. There are articles on insuring your event (and not falling prey to the problems that often occur), on rebranding (and marketing a new identity) – and on how adaptive sports have evolved (there’s something every event owner can learn here). If you’ve wanted to find a host for basketball, esports or winter sports, we have some great possibilities. Plus, you can catch up with paddle and watercraft sports, as well as with ski mountaineering, a new discipline for the Winter Olympics. Let’s make it a great year together.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

As we sprint toward the end of the year, it’s a good time to reflect – not on the things we can’t do but on the things we have learned to do differently. Not all change is bad, particularly if it brings learning. This issue has examples. From merchandizing to app design, from recurring events to arranging accommodations, much has changed. This issue also helps you keep current on the changes in a variety of sports, including squash, football, rodeo, equestrian, tennis, pickleball and even volleyball. Finish the year strong and get set for 2021.

If we have learned anything over the past few months, it’s that we’re never alone. Even at a time when all the things we normally anticipate each fall, like local 5Ks, city marathons, high school sports and the sprint toward the World Series, have been knocked out of kilter, we still have each other – our colleagues in this industry, who are sharing their knowledge. And this issue is a great example. There are peer-written articles on risk management, security, transportation and business development, some of the most timely and relevant topics around. We are stronger together than we ever could be independently. Let us continue to lean on and learn from one another, as we move toward a brighter future.