SPORTS Talk
Industry
Placer Valley Tourism Hires CEO
ROSEVILLE, Calif.—Greg Van Dusen has been appointed CEO of Placer Valley Tourism. Prior to joining Placer Valley Tourism, Van Dusen served 12 years as chairman for the Sacramento Sports Commission and, through his own company, Van Dusen Strategies Inc., conducted feasibility studies for Placer Valley Tourism on creating a sports complex for hosting large tournaments.
Placer Valley Tourism is a destination marketing organization serving the cities of Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln, Calif.
New Staff At Florida Sports Foundation
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion and development organization for the state of Florida, has announced several new positions at the foundation.
Michael Capers has been named event coordinator for athlete and volunteer services; he will oversee athlete registration and volunteer coordination for Florida’s Sunshine Games and the Florida Senior Games State Championships.
Ray Palmer, executive director of the Pensacola Sports Association, has been appointed to the Florida Sports Foundation board of directors.
Formerly director of grants and promotions, Christy Peacock is now director of grants, special projects and events for the Florida Sports Foundation.
Gator Bowl Announces New Title Sponsor
RAMSEY, N.J.—Konica Minolta Business Solutions is the new title sponsor of the Gator Bowl Classic, played each year on New Year’s Day at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Konica Minolta will retain title sponsorship from the 2008 through the 2010 Gator Bowl Classic games.
Terms of the sponsorship agreement were not disclosed, but the Konica Minolta logo will be featured prominently in CBS telecasts of NCAA basketball and NFL games in the weeks prior to the 2008 Gator Bowl Classic on Jan. 1 on CBS, as well as in pre-game, in-game and post-game Gator Bowl activities. At the end of the game, Konica Minolta will present the game’s outstanding player with the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl Most Valuable Player Award.
The Gator Bowl will be televised on CBS beginning at 1 p.m. EST on Jan. 1, 2008.
Buffalo Niagara CVB Hires New Sports Manager
BUFFALO, N.Y.—Pete Harvey has been hired as sports development manager for the Buffalo Niagara CVB. Harvey, a retired beach volleyball player and referee, most recently worked in golf tourism for the state of Florida.
As sports development manager, Harvey will actively develop and implement strategic plans to recruit amateur sporting events to Buffalo and to promote Buffalo as a sports destination of state, regional, national and international sports events.
Anthony Travel Tops World Travel Awards
DALLAS—Considered the “travel industry’s Oscars,” the World Travel Awards has named Anthony Travel as North America’s Leading Travel Agency. The award was based upon votes cast by travel industry professionals in more than 190 countries.
Anthony Travel provides university and sports travel management services in 14 offices across the nation. Anthony Travel recently added UCLA and UNLV to its university client roster.
Commission Launches Fitness Magazine
RICHMOND—The Sports Backers, the official, nonprofit sports commission for Richmond, debuted its 32-page, four-color, quarterly health and fitness SBQ Magazine with the premier fall 2007 issue. Regular features include a news-and-notes section, nutrition and training, and gear and gizmos.
The magazine is distributed free to 20,000 households in the Richmond community and is published in conjunction with Palari Publishing and the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Products
Fitness Testing & Evaluations Available To Athletes
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Carmichael Training Systems (CTS, www.trainright.com) is now offering fitness testing and evaluations for athletes to establish baseline markers and cardiovascular benchmarks for “superior results” in training. The testing and evaluations are performed by CTS-certified coaches and sports dieticians.
Currently, services are available in 3-D Dynamic Bike Fit, Lactate Threshold Testing, VO2 Max Testing, Resting Metabolic Rate and Body Composition Testing.
DVD Raises Awareness Of Head Injury Prevention
PENSACOLA, Fla.—Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine (www.theandrewsinstitute.com) and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association have produced a DVD aimed at preventing head injuries in youth athletes. The 14-minute video, “Heads Up—Reducing The Risk of Head and Neck Injuries in Football,” communicates how athletes, especially football players, can play safely to avoid concussions, neck sprains, paralysis and quadriplegia. NFL coaches, collegiate sports trainers and noted physicians offer tips on correct techniques for initiating contact with an opponent.
The video was distributed to high schools across the country but is available to youth and collegiate teams as well.
Relief For Joint, Muscle Pain
NORTH WALES, Pa.—A.G. Medic Marketing, a joint venture of A.G. Medic LLC and Internet Marketing Consortium, has released Powerelief (www.powerelief.com), a “clinically proven topical formulation promoting immediate, long-term relief of joint and muscle pain,” according to company officials. Applied before workouts, Powerelief is used to prevent muscles from knotting and help keep joints limber. Following workouts, it is used to prevent muscle and joint aches. Recommended preventative use is twice daily or four to five applications to affected joints and muscles.
Events
Papajohns.com Bowl Returns To Legion Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—The second-annual Papajohns.com Bowl is planned for a noon CST kickoff on Dec. 22 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. The bowl will feature competition between Conference USA and Big East teams and will be televised on ESPN2.
The Papajohns.com Bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television.
Huntsville To Host National Cheerleading Competitions
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—National Cheer Stars has selected Huntsville, Ala., as the site for its 2008 and 2009 national cheerleading competitions. The 2008 competition, featuring an expected 40 to 60 teams, will be Jan. 25-26 at Von Braun Center.
Football Championships Coming To Kissimmee
KISSIMMEE, Fla.—The 2007 American Youth Football National Championships are scheduled for Dec. 1-8 at Austin-Tindall Regional Park in Kissimmee, Fla. More than 3,500 players age 8-15 from 20 states will compete.
In conjunction with the football championships, American Youth Cheer National Championships will be Dec. 7 at the University of Central Florida Arena in Kissimmee. The two events are expected to generate a $4.2 million economic impact for the area.
Disney’s Wide World Of Sports Complex Site For Pop Warner Games
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—Pop Warner’s annual Super Bowl and National Cheer and Dance Championships are set for Dec. 2-8 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Approximately 9,000 kids will compete in cheer; dance; and Challenger, Tiny Mite, Junior Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Junior Midget and Midget football.The Super Bowl football games will be aired on ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL networks on Dec. 8.
Professional Bowling Headed To S.C.
SPARTANBURG, S.C.—The Professional Bowling Association (PBA) will make a stop in Spartanburg, S.C., with the Spartanburg Classic Dec.12-16 at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. Approximately 64 of the world’s top bowlers will compete for the $180,000 tournament purse.
A Pro-Am will be held on Dec. 12 as well.
The Classic, sponsored by Team Spartanburg and the Shamrock Lanes, is part of the Denny’s PBA Tour.
Winter Games Of Texas Set For January 2008
FRISCO, Texas—The Texas Amateur Athletic Federation will hold its third-annual Winter Games of Texas Jan. 18-20, 2008, in Frisco. The Winter Games are Olympic-styled games in a variety of sports for amateur athletes of all ages.
Organizers anticipate 5,500 to 6,000 participants for the 2008 Games, which will feature fencing, judo, rock climbing, volleyball and youth tackle football for the first time. Last year’s Winter Games, also held in Frisco, drew 4,500 athletes and had an economic impact of $1.2 million.
Sports Congress Returns To Colorado
BELOIT, Wis.—Innovations Consulting will hold the second annual US Sports Congress Dec. 6-9 at Copper Mountain Resort in Copper, Colo. The US Sports Congress, formerly the Midwest Sports Congress, is an educational conference and trade show of the sports industry’s “leading players” in branding, e-marketing, sponsorship and national governing bodies.
Guest speakers will include Linda Mastandrea, vice president of Sport Chicago 2016; Ron Seaver, president of Seaver Marketing; and John Jocke, general manager of Infuzer.com, among others.
Youth
Disney’s Kids’ Races Has Sponsor
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.—Disney’s Wide World of Sports has added Heelys as presenting sponsor of Disney’s Kids’ Races for 2008. Heelys designs the wheeled footwear that allows kids to transition from regular use for walking or running to skating.
The sponsorship agreement allows Heelys to create its own race, the Heelys Kids’ Race & Roll, as part of Disney’s eight kids’ races. The Heelys race will be held during the 2008 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, Jan.10-13. It will include a 400-yard combination race and obstacle course for children ages 8-14.
NFL’s Randy Moss New Spokesperson For American Youth Football
MIAMI—New England Patriots’ Wide Receiver Randy Moss has teamed with American Youth Football (AYF) as its official spokesperson and advocate. As AYF spokesperson, Moss will have a platform to “make a difference in the lives of youth across the country.”
AYF has 450,000 participants in all 50 states.
AYF also announced that Moss’ Grabman active wear is the new official team uniform supplier to AYF.
Venues
Infinity Park To Get Sports Center
GLENDALE, Colo.—Pre-construction plans outline a $3.8 million, 35,000-square-foot, two-story sports center and stadium at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colo. The stadium would seat 5,000 people and feature state-of-the-art turf for rugby and other sports. The sports center would include fitness, exercise and locker rooms.
Improvements Planned For Florida Citrus Bowl
ORLANDO, Fla.—Major upgrades to the Florida Citrus Bowl and a new sports arena are planned in Orlando. The new 750,000-square-foot arena at W. Church St. and Hughey Ave. in downtown Orlando will be the home of the Orlando Magic and Orlando Predators.
Renovations of the Florida Citrus Bowl will include demolition and reconstruction of the existing lower bowl; at least 70,000 spectator seats; 4,000 club seats and 10 new suites; a 40,000-square-foot Stadium Club/banquet space; new and enhanced concessions, locker rooms, restrooms, press facilities and associated utilities; and improved accessibility.
The new arena and upgrades to the existing Florida Citrus Bowl are anticipated for a 2010 completion, at an estimated $177.5 million.
Olympic-Sized Pool Planned At Former Air Force Base
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.—A renovation and expansion project has been approved for the soccer fields, Crabtree Gymnasium and other parts of Grand Park, the former Air Force Base in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The $10 million project will include an Olympic-sized natatorium, featuring an eight-lane, 50-meter pool with standard and high diving boards and grandstand seating for 2,500 people.
Yorktown Sports Complex Set For 2009
YORKTOWN, Va.—A new York County Sports Complex with seven lighted baseball and softball fields, six lighted soccer fields, a playground and a walking/bike path is already under construction and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2009. The complex will also include picnic shelters, three concession stands, restrooms and more than 900 parking spaces.