TEAMS '20 Day Four Wrap-Up
2019 SportsTravel Awards: Best Amateur Sports Event
Congratulations to AAU Volleyball Junior National Championships for winning Best Amateur Sports Award at the SportsTravel Awards! It is the second time the AAU Sports event has won this award, having won in 2017. The 2019 edition drew more than 45,000 athletes to Florida.
2019 SportsTravel Awards: Best New Event
Congratulations to the SuperPower 5K at FAN EXPO Canada for winning the Best New Sports Event at the SportsTravel Awards! The event organized by GWN Events combined #cosplay, #gaming and pop culture as part of a broader celebration of sports.
Powered by HelixEsport, attendees at today’s EsportsTravel Summit were able to compete in a Rocketleague tournament to cap off a full day of entertaining sessions. Thank you to our prize sponsors United and HyperX for their support
Reno Tahoe is in a league of its own. Here, action is inevitable, so event producers can win big and lose
the stress. Let’s get the ball rolling.
Meet Northstar Meetings Group
#SportsTourism professionals need to find a media platform, not somewhere to advertise. Meet Northstar Meetings Group: your multi-platform media partner. Learn more here: bit.ly/2FMqd2z #esports
A picture perfect day at the Dew Tour in GoBreck.
eSportsTravel Summit. Luxor Hotel and Casino
CONTENT BLOCK #3: Venues, Events and Logistics
Sponsored by Visit Bloomington, Minnesota CVB
“The Esports Venue of the Future”
Esports events can be held in a wide range of venues, but the rise of the esports-specific venue is now upon us. Leading the charge is Allied Esports, which has opened eight esports-specific properties for competition and content creation—and has plans for more. Learn how this company’s approach to venues could be a sign of what’s to come.
Simon Temperley, Chief Marketing Officer, Allied ESports
“Destinations and Esports Venues”
For destinations serious about growing their event and room-night footprint, esports need to be part of the mix. While many cities are trying to figure out where to start, several have made the leap into esports and are seeing results from having done so. In this session, you’ll hear how several leaders in the travel and hospitality industry have already capitalized on the growth of esports and how they are rethinking the events and venues available to accommodate the growth ahead.
Neil Johnson, Director of Global Sales, MGM Resorts International
Lisa Motley, Director of Sports Marketing, Las Vegas CVA
Dan O’Neill, VP of Strategy and Sales, Bloomington CVB
Roy Edmondson, VP of Sports Development, Sports Anaheim
James Wood, President & CEO, Meet AC
Moderator: Jennifer Lee, Senior Editor, SportsTravel
“The Lucky Seven: Three-Minute Fast-Intro Session”
The number of event organizers in the esports is growing at a rapid rate. In this rapid-fire session, you’ll meet seven established organizers who will briefly discuss the scope of their events and what they are looking for in a host city or venue.
eSportsTravel Summit. Luxor Hotel and Casino
CONTENT BLOCK #2: The Evolution of Esports
“Owners, Franchises, Teams, Gamers and the Esports Lifestyle”
The professionalization of esports has revolutionized video gaming in a short amount of time and has brought with it the evolution of the esports lifestyle. Understanding this aspect of what’s happening in esports is tantamount to leveraging the growth of esports for marketers of all kinds, including those in the destination and hospitality industries. In this session, you’ll learn how esports pros and online content creators have become the new social media influencers and how an understanding of the esports lifestyle will factor into successfully connecting with this growing market segment.
Roger Caneda, Operations Manager, Mavs Gaming
Anthony Marquez, Founder & CEO, Impact Gaming
Alex Novosad, Founder, Gankstars
Jordan Sherman, Head of Sponsorships and Revenue, Gen.G
Moderator: Jason Gewirtz, Editor, SportsTravel
“Entering the Mainstream: Esports at the Collegiate and Olympic Levels”
As recently as a few years ago, the thought of an esports team sanctioned at the secondary school or university level may have seemed unlikely. But university athletic departments are investing in esports teams and attracting top talent as a result. In addition, international multisport events such as the Asian Games are already welcoming esports competition and the International Olympic Committee is considering a future for the Olympic and Paralympic Games with esports as well. Learn what is happening on campuses and at the international level and how that will impact traditional multisport events.
Kurt Melcher, Executive Director of Esports, Intersport
In conversation with Tim Schneider, Sports Division Chairman, Northstar Travel Group
“How Video Games Saved My Life”
While serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, Stephen Giddings was injured by sniper fire and retired from the service in 2010. He soon realized that gaming
eSportsTravel Summit. Luxor Hotel and Casino
CONTENT BLOCK #1: Laying a Foundation
Welcome to the eSportsTravel Summit
Tim Schneider, Sports Division Chairman, Northstar Travel Group
Chris Meyer, Vice-President of Sales, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Chuck Bowling, President and COO, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and Delano Las Vegas
“Let’s Get Real: Esports Beyond the Hype”
Projections for the growth of esports have been eye popping. While there is tremendous opportunity ahead for all stakeholders, how much of the hype is speculation and how much is grounded in reality? This session will set the table for the discussion of where esports is today and where it is headed tomorrow.
Jon Bukosky, Founder & CEO, Ultimate Media Ventures
Matthew Boyd, Director of Consulting, Nielsen Sports & Entertainment
In conversation with Jason Gewirtz, Editor, SportsTravel
“An Introduction to Super League Gaming”
Esports at the amateur level is growing, with opportunities for children as young as 6 to experience competitive play. One of the most successful ventures to date has been Super League Gaming, which models itself not just as a potential feeder system to the pros, but as a way to engage youth through esports. With organized teams and events in 16 cities and plans for more, Super League is succeeding as a next-generation youth-sports organization.
Matt Edelman, Chief Commerical Officer, Super League Gaming
“Engagement and Immersion: Youth and Esports”
Professional esports leagues get a lot of publicity, and with good reason given the size and scope of their events. But not all esports events are filling 20,000-seat arenas and 60,000-seat stadiums. At the youth level, esports is being seen as a way to engage youth in new ways that previous generations have not experienced. In this session, learn how several youth-serving organizations view the future of esports at the entry level.
Matt Edelman, Chief Commerical Officer, Super Leagu
Taking a quick break from the #eSportsTravelSummit for the #NBA Summer League Los Angeles Lakers Portland Trail Blazers
D-backs Cow Milk Off
Today’s cow milk off between D-backs infielder Nick Ahmed and pitchers Andrew Chafin and Zack Godley. Chafin was the winner with 6 ounces of milk. The cow’s name is Charlie. The D-backs and Shamrock Farms have teamed up once again to launch the Grand Slam Give Back program that aims to donate up to 96,000 servings of pure, fresh milk to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. The 96,000 servings (equivalent to an entire tanker truck of milk) are in celebration of Shamrock Farms’ 96 years serving Arizona. Arizona Diamondbacks
Reno Tahoe
Reno Tahoe is in a league of its own. Here, action is inevitable, so event producers can win big and lose
the stress. Let’s get the ball rolling. Reno Tahoe goo.gl/XoDA15
Reno Tahoe
Have you been to Reno Tahoe? Urban rock wall. Ski slopes. River rapids. There’s a rush around every corner. See why it’s the ultimate place for a sporting event: http://bit.ly/2zn89bl
#Skater Chris Colbourn says hi to SportsTravel and welcomes everyone to Dew Tour in Long Beach. Pro skater Jordan Maxham gives us a taste of what we'll see this weekend in the Mountain Dew Sculpture Garden, designed by artist Steven Harrington #dewtour #mountaindew
Smash Hit
Strong attendance at professional events and the opening of a new national training campus demonstrate a surge in popularity for the sport of tennis. United States Tennis Association - USTA (Official) #SportsTravelCoverStory. For more on tennis, read the April 2017 issue of SportsTravel Magazine by clicking the link bit.ly/2nmC7am. Video presented by Go To Louisville.
Inside SportsTravel: Cyclocross National Championships
In #cyclocross—a sport in which #racers pedal cross-country and carry #bikes across obstacles—competing over muddy, rutted courses in snow, ice and rain is considered an epically good time. By those standards, conditions were ideal for the 2017 USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships, held in January in Hartford, Connecticut. “We had it all—we had rain that froze, then snow, then cold,” said Bob Murdock, director of sports marketing for the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau USA Cycling. This Inside SportsTravel video is presented by Go To Louisville. bit.ly/2n1hKfy.
Open practice session at the Los Angeles International Fencing Center where more than a dozen international athletes trained in preparation for the Absolute Fencing Gear FIE grand prix Long Beach. #SportsTravelonAssignment
SportsTravel is in the house for #UFC207 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Archery Events Hit a Target Market
Thanks in large part to the popularity of “The Hunger Games” books and movies, archery has gained and enjoyed a boost in event participation and pop culture. While there are archery centers specific to the sport, convention centers and ballrooms have hosted successful archery events in recent years. The United States has also seen some success at the #Olympic and #Paralympic level, which is adding to the growth of the sport. And other creative spin-offs of bow-and-arrow competition are catching on across the country as well.
Read the full story here bit.ly/2gTBY9K USA Archery #SportsTravelSportsSpotlight #Archery #USAArchery
Olympic Insights: Meb Keflezighi on making his fourth Olympic ...
This weekend's marathon will be the final competition of the Olympic Summer Games and possibly the last for Olympic legend Meb Keflezighi. He chats with us about making his fourth Olympic team. Check it out here. Team USA Rio 2016 Running USA #OlympicInsights
Olympic Insights: How Beezie Madden Got Involved in Equestrian
As competition continues today in #equestrian, check out how Beezie Madden got her start. #OlympicInsights #Rio2016
