March/April 2013

There's not a lot of news that comes out about the sports tourism industry that makes me upset. At this point, however, I'm really upset about what I see as a boneheaded move on the part of the IOC. The omission of wrestling from future Olympics is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the most boneheaded moves I have ever seen. Not that I like to point fingers or anything.

But let's not let that take away from a few things I think are great. The sports industry is flourishing and growing, and that growth is fueled by not just new and trendy sports, but traditional ones as well. This issue will see a focus on one sporting event that is rising in popularity: obstacle racing. We'll also look at a sport that will be new to the 2016 summer Olympics: golf, and one whose popularity is on the cusp of a huge upswing: sand volleyball. We'll also study some of the great facilities out there for baseball and swimming/diving, and examine some important issues, including having adequate medical support and insurance for a sports event, and tips for hosting sports in an eco-conscious manner.

All sports help our industry move forward. Let's look to the future, but keep our history -- and that includes the tried and true ones like wrestling -- in mind.