Sports have come a long way since the ancient Greeks wrestled and raced their way to glory. We’ve seen the evolution of new disciplines among old, familiar sports (beach volleyball and synchronized swimming, for example) – and we’ve also seen the emergence of entirely new sports. From drone racing to esports to competitive marching band, we are constantly redefining sports and to finding new ways to host them. In this, our awards issue, we see both new and familiar sports, and we honor all of them. It’s because of everyone that our industry is so strong, so vibrant and so varied.
The legendary coach, Pat Summitt, said it best: “Teamwork is what makes common people capable of uncommon results.” Meet this year’s award winners, who are a testament to teamwork. With partnerships between cities, event owners and others, they leveraged more than $1 billion in economic impact. more....