SPORTS Talk
Industry
Bakersfield CVB Unveils Online Housing System
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—The Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has teamed up with Meetingmax Planning Inc., a Web-based housing system, to provide event planners and attendees a secure and convenient way of booking hotel rooms online for Bakersfield events.
The system allows event planners to set up room blocks with local partner hotel properties and track reservations through a user-friendly interface. The program lets users pick their hotel based on multiple factors, such as room size, price and location based on preferences set forth by the event organizer or the CVB.
NCAA Schools Increase Security Efforts With NFL’s Help
HATTIESBURG, Miss.—The National Football League (NFL) and the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Spectator Sports Security Management will conduct sports event security training for more than 1,000 schools of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) starting in April. Partnering with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, the center and the NFL will train intercollegiate personnel on such issues as responding to natural disasters, developing security plans and more.
The Department of Homeland Security is funding the workshops through a $3.5 million grant. Lou Marciani, director for the center, said the workshops will provide exposure to the NFL’s best practices on security.
CVALCO Hires Sports Services Manager
EUGENE, Ore.—The Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County, Oregon (CVALCO), has hired Kayla Krempley as sports services manager. Krempley will assist event planners in promoting, planning and implementing sporting events in Lane County and in developing bid presentations to help recruit sporting events to the area.
Youth
Future Sites Announced For AAU Junior Olympics
ORLANDO, Fla.—The Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (AAU) has announced the host cities for the 2012-2016 AAU Junior Olympic Games. The largest national, multi-sport event conducted annually for youth, the AAU Junior Olympics will be held in Houston, 2012; Detroit, 2013; Des Moines, Iowa, 2014; Hampton Roads, Va., 2015; and New Orleans, 2016.
All of the selected cities have hosted the event within the last five years, with the exception of 2012 first-time host Houston.
Events
Davis Cup Coming To Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Jeff Ryan, director of team events for the Davis Cup, has announced that Birmingham will be the site for a first-round Davis Cup match in 2009. Birmingham beat out Las Vegas, San Antonio and Greenville, S.C., for the bid.
Switzerland will take on the United States March 6-8 in the Davis Cup match, which will be held at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
Roger Federer, five-time reigning U.S. Open champion, has announced his intention to play in the first round of the Davis Cup for the first time since 2004. Stanislas Wawrinka, Federer’s partner in the gold-medal win at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, is also expected to play.
MMA Debuts In Daytona
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—Cage fighting and mixed martial arts (MMA) will debut in Daytona Beach on the eve of the Daytona 500 as Xtreme Cage Fighting presents “Rumble in Race Town.” The event, which will feature a professional fight card with MMA stars, will begin at 8 p.m., Feb. 14. Competitors will include Jeremy May and Jesse Taylor of the Spike TV reality show “The Ultimate Fighter,” Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Terry Martin and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Marcus Jones.
Organizers of the event hope it will give racing fans the opportunity to see mixed martial arts for the first time.
FIFA World Cup Qualifications Begin In February
CHICAGO—The U.S. Men’s Soccer team has been selected to compete in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches that begin in February. The U.S. men’s soccer team will take on Mexico as it tries to qualify for its sixth-consecutive World Cup finals.
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago will compete in the 10-game round-robin format from Feb. 11-Oct. 14. The top three teams will automatically advance to the World Cup in Germany. The fourth-place team will compete in a two-game playoff on Nov. 14 and Nov. 18 against the fifth-place finisher in South American qualifying.
Springfield To Host Horseshoe Championships
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—The National Horseshoe Pitchers Association (NHPA) has selected Springfield as the location of the 2009 World Horseshoe Tournament. Set for July 27-Aug. 6, the horseshoe tournament will be the first major sporting event into Springfield with the assistance of the Capital Area Sports Commission.
Fifty portable courts, made from 27 barrels of powder totaling more than 20,000 pounds, will be used to make the clay courts.
Trek Bicycle Will Sponsor Women’s Triathlon Series
NEW YORK— Trek Bicycle has signed on as title sponsor for the new Trek Women’s Triathlon Series in 2009. Organizers expect the series to travel to 12 cities, including stops in California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin, and to attract more than 25,000 participants combined.
The series is based on the sprint distance race format (half-mile swim, 12-mile bike and three-mile run). Some events also will include “youth-focused” triathlons.
U.S. Women’s Open Moves To Las Vegas
ARLINGTON, Texas—The U.S. Women’s Open, a U.S. Bowling Congress event, will return in 2009 in connection with the World Tenpin Bowling Association World Women’s Championship in Las Vegas. The event is scheduled for Aug. 3-9 at Sunset Station Hotel and Casino’s Strike Zone Bowling Center.
The Women’s Open will follow a new format in 2009. Participants will bowl three eight-game qualifying blocks over three days before the field is cut to the top 25 percent, who will bowl an additional 16 games on Aug. 7. The top 12 players will advance to the televised, single-game, match-play portion; the top four players will receive a first-round bye into the quarterfinals.
Chicago Suburb Secures USA Youth Track And Field Championships
LISLE, Ill.—The Lisle Convention and Visitors Bureau, in cooperation with Lisle-Benedictine University, has been selected to host the 2010 USA Youth Outdoor Track and Field (USATF) championships.
The USA Track and Field Illinois Association will host the USATF Championships at The Village of Lisle-University Sports Complex June 28-July 4, 2010.
Frisco Hosts Fourth-Annual TAAF Winter Games
FRISCO, Texas—TAAF Winter Games of Texas, held Jan. 17-18, expanded in its fourth year with dance and karate. More than 4,000 athletes and 15,000 spectators were expected for the multi-sport, Olympic-style event open to all ages and skills levels.
In addition to the new dance and karate competitions, the Winter Games of Texas included events in soccer, basketball, table tennis, wrestling, cheerleading, swimming, flag football, ice hockey, figure skating, fencing, Miracle League bowling, rock climbing and gymnastics.
The 2009 Winter Games of Texas were played at 14 different venues in Frisco.
Venues
Palm Beach County Sports Commission Announces Upcoming Sports Events
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla.—The Palm Beach County Sports Commission has approved financial support of more than $45,000 to eight sports events scheduled to take place from May to September in Palm Beach County. The events are projected to generate an estimated 10,900 hotel room nights and have an estimated economic impact in excess of $5 million.
The events supported by the commission are the 12th World Croquet Federation (WCF) World Championships; Lady Gator Elite Invitational; U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) Boy’s 16’s and 18’s Clay Court Nationals; USTA Summer Smash Regional Tennis Championship; Under Armour Southeast Wood Bat Tournament; USA Baseball 16U Championships; Optimist International Junior Golf Championships; and Inaugural Big Shots Palm Beach Basketball Tournament.
Professional Soccer Stadium Coming To Southwest Florida
TOWN ‘N’ COUNTRY, Fla.—Rowdies Stadium, a new 5,000-seat professional soccer stadium with 16 luxury suites and 20,000 square feet of retail space, will be completed in time for the 2010 soccer season. A later phase of the project is slated to add 5,000 more seats.
Indoor Ice Rink For Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan.—By late August, Topeka is slated to have an indoor ice rink called Topeka Ice. The facility will include a National Hockey League-sized ice sheet, spectator seating, skate rental and sharpening, locker/dressing rooms with showers and bathrooms, a pro shop and a party room with kitchen facilities. At press time, construction was pending the issuance of a permit to relocate a sewer line.
Phase Two Planned For N.C. Soccer/Lacrosse Complex
MORGANTON, N.C.—The 30-acre Catawba River Soccer Complex, constructed by the City of Morganton in 2000, has announced plans for a phase two development. Phase two will include two new soccer fields, expanded parking and other amenities. Bids were accepted through Dec. 30th of last year; the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund has granted $385,000 toward the project.
Renovations Planned For Athletic Complex
CLAREMORE, Okla.—Plans call for the renovation of Pope Athletic Complex in Claremore. The renovations would include a new track, synthetic turf, additional public restrooms, a concession stand, a locker room, a co-ed weight room, bleacher renovations, and office space. Area votes approved a $14.9 million bond issue on Dec. 9, 2008, to fund the project and three other district projects as part of the second phase in the district’s three-phase master facilities plan.
New Outdoor Athletic Complex Planned
DE PERE, Wis.—Construction of the Donald J. Schneider Outdoor Athletic Complex, a 4,000-seat spectator stadium and practice/competition venue for football, soccer, and track and field, is being considered at Saint Norbert College. In December 2008, the college announced that the family of alumnus Donald Schneider had pledged a $4 million gift to help fund the project.