10-7-09 SPORTSNC GEARS UP FOR BIG PRESENCE AT TEAMS 2009 IN NEW ORLEANS
Over 30 delegates from North Carolina will market the state under the brand "sportsnc" at this year’s TEAMS (Travel, Events And Management in Sports) conference in New Orleans, La. Running Oct. 13-17, TEAMS sessions, appointments and trade show offer a variety of opportunities for those with sporting event sites and destinations to meet with those who have sporting event rights holders. Delegates from North Carolina include sports commissioners, sports directors and various other sports development leaders.
North Carolina representatives attending include Lynn Minges, N.C. Dept. of Commerce; Frank Jernigan, Division of Tourism; Brian Ambuehl, Greensboro CVB; Mike Anderson, Visit Charlotte; Demp Bradford, Greensboro Sports Commission; Amanda Burgess, Burlington/Alamance County CVB; Mike Butts, Visit Charlotte; Hill Carrow, Sports Properties, Inc.; Tori Collins, Greater Raleigh CVB; Robert Cox, Burlington/Alamance County CVB; Scott Crotty, Visit Winston-Salem; Travis Dancy, Visit Lake Norman; Joel Dunn, Rocky Mount Sports Complex; Tara Hicks, Hickory Metro CVB; Chuck Hobgood, N.C. Amateur Sports; Bill McMillan, Charlotte Regional Sports Commission; Leah Mitcham, Mooresville CVB; Tim Morgan, Visit Charlotte; Jesse Newsom, Jacksonville Onslow Sports Commission; Mathew Pack, Wake Forest University; Kate Parker, Cabarrus County CVB; Jason Philbeck, Greater Raleigh CVB; Caroline Powers, Fayetteville Area CVB; Andrew Schmidt, Greenville/Pitt County CVB; Amanda Stokes, Cabarrus County CVB; Carolyn Swait, Crown Center; Mikie Wall, Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast CVB; Marva Wells, High Point CVB; and Kelvin Yarrell, Rocky Mount Sports Complex. To find out more about TEAMS, visit http://www.teamsconference.com.
10-7-09 CYCLE NORTH CAROLINA DRAWS LARGE ATTENDANCE
More than 1,150 bicyclists from over 35 states and more than 4 countries participated in the 11th Annual Cycle North Carolina "Mountains to the Coast" bicycle tour. The ride began in the mountains of Blowing Rock and ended in the coastal town of Surf City. Additional overnight towns along the route included Lenoir, Statesville, Thomasville, Sanford, Dunn and Kenansville. Participants experienced the scenic beauty of North Carolina as they traveled rural country roads at a leisurely pace. During the week, participants experienced downtown celebrations, bluegrass bands, beach music bands, outdoor movies, NASCAR show cars, police escorts through towns, beverage gardens and wine tastings. And from Statesville to Thomasville 2000 NASCAR Champion Bobby Labonte joined the race.
Cycle North Carolina is one of the largest cross-state bicycle tours in the United States, and the Division has been a key sponsor since its inception. Cycle North Carolina is designed to promote North Carolina's scenic beauty while providing substantial economic impact to small towns across the state. With a route already under development, the 2010 Cycle North Carolina "Mountains to the Coast" event will be held Sept. 27 – Oct. 3. For more information on Cycle NC, visit www.ncsports.org.
10-7-09 CHARLOTTE AMONG CITIES SEEKING WORLD CUP GAMES
Twenty-seven cities and thirty two stadiums -- including Charlotte and Bank of America Stadium -- are vying to be included in the USA bid for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup. The USA Bid Committee invites everyone to read more about each one of these cities, learn about their soccer legacy and their respective stadiums and most importantly, sign the petition to bring soccer to your hometown.
Last held in the U.S. in 1994, the World Cup games draw thousands of fans, with an anticipated economic impact of nearly $500 million. To vote for Charlotte or to read more about the U.S. bid for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cups visit http://www.gousabid.com.
9-23-09 DURHAM BULLS WIN TRIPLE-A CHAMPIONSHIP
Five nights after claiming the International League championship, the Durham Bulls earned a national title by edging the Memphis Redbirds 5-4 in the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game on Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. The Bulls, appearing on national television (ESPN2) for the first time in their 107-year history, became the first IL team to win the title. The game, in its fourth year, features the champions of the nation's two Triple-A leagues, the IL and the Pacific Coast League. To find out more, visit the Herald Sun and ESPN Sports.
9-23-09 GREENSBORO LANDS 2012 NCAA BASKETBALL REGIONALS
The Greensboro Coliseum will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championships in 2012, the NCAA announced Monday. The 2012 event will mark the 13th time that NCAA Tournament games have been held in Greensboro, including the first and second rounds earlier this year. The 2009 event provided about a $14.5 million economic impact to the city, according to the Greensboro Sports Commission. The NCAA had previously announced that Charlotte will host the first two rounds in the 2011 tournament. To find out more, visit the News-Record and Triad Bizjournals.
8-5-09 N.C. PARKS & REC STUDY PROFILES N.C.'S PADDLING COMMUNITY
The Neuse, Cape Fear and Nantahala are the most popular among North Carolina rivers for the fast-growing sport of paddling, with more kayakers and canoeists originating in the piedmont than any other region. This according to a study released by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. The study also found that the principal concerns of paddlers, who most often enjoy the sport within 50 miles of their homes, are the safety and convenience of access sites and water quality. More than 2,000 online responses were collected from paddling enthusiasts and outdoor outfitters. The piedmont was the most frequently paddled region of North Carolina, visited by 40 percent of respondents. The mountains drew 28 percent and coastal areas 27 percent while 5 percent of paddlers visited areas outside North Carolina. To find out more, visit Citizen-times.com; to view the complete report, visit www.ncparks.gov.
7-8-09 ACC MOVES BASEBALL TOURNAMENT TO DURHAM & GREENSBORO
The ACC Baseball Championship will be held in Greensboro in 2012 and in Durham for 2011 and 2013, the league announced this week. With the recent success of the 2009 ACC Baseball Championship in Durham and the announcement of the partnership with Greensboro to host the 2010 ACC Baseball Championship, the league has reached agreements for Durham to host the event in 2011 and 2013 with Greensboro hosting in 2012. To find out more, visit Wralsportsfan.com.
7-8-09 ESPN RANKS HURRICANES AS 2ND BEST SPORTS FRANCHISE
When it comes to delivering for their fans, the Carolina Hurricanes do the second best job among the 122 professional sports franchises that comprise the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball, according to ESPN the Magazine. Among NHL teams, the Hurricanes claimed the No. 1 spot. The rankings were based on fan responses to eight key areas. To find out more, visit Triangle.bizjournals.com.
7-1-09 NASCAR HALL OF FAME UNVEILS INAUGURAL CLASS
NASCAR will announce the 25 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class on Thursday. Former drivers Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip have already been named among the induction class. The Speed channel will air a one-hour special on the event at 8:00 p.m. from the hall in Charlotte. NASCAR’s governing body will oversee a 47-member panel that votes in the first members. Racing fans can participate by voting online or by text message. The fans’ top choice will earn one vote in the selection of the top five. Voting will be completed by September, with the results to be announced in October. To find out more, visit Triad.bizjournals.com and Charlotteobserver.com.
6-10-09 STATE GAMES OF N.C. IN CHARLOTTE – JUNE 19-28
The 23rd Annual State Games of North Carolina will be held in Charlotte June 19-28. More than 700 teams and over 14,000 athletes from across North and South Carolina are expected to participate in this year’s event. The Games are the largest multi-sport festival in North Carolina and Charlotte’s largest 2009 summer event. There will be more sports and athletes attending than at the most recent Olympic Games. North Carolina has one of the oldest, largest and most successful State Games programs in the United States. The Games will have an expected economic impact of over $3 million to the local area. Often referred to as North Carolina’s Olympic Games, alumni include Josh Hamilton (Texas Rangers), Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), Wendy Palmer (Seattle Storm), Julius Peppers (Carolina Panthers), Jerry Stackhouse (Dallas Mavericks) and David Fox (1996 U.S. Olympian). The Opening Ceremonies for the State Games will be held June 19 at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte. For more information, contact Frank Jernigan at (919) 733-7413 or via fjernigan@nccommerce.com.
6-3-09 ROCKY MOUNT SPORTS COMPLEX DRAWS CROWDS, REVENUE
Two and a half years after opening, the Rocky Mount Sports Complex continues to provide a major economic boost for the community. The complex, which cost $10 million to build, is injecting millions of dollars into the local economy. Area hotels were booked in early May for “The Border Wars” youth baseball tournament, which drew 109 teams and more than 7,000 players and visitors. Two years ago, it attracted 40 teams. The overall economic impact of the complex on the local economy – which includes direct expenditures and a multiplier of direct dollars being turned over in the local economy –was $3.64 million in 2007, according to a study commissioned by the then-division director Ben Layton with the help of local hotels and the Greater Raleigh Sports Council and N.C. State University. To find out more, visit Rockymounttelegram.com.
5-6-09 SPORTSNC FEATURED AT NASC IN DENVER
Sports venues and destinations from across North Carolina were featured under the marketing umbrella “sportsnc” at the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) Sports Events Symposium in Denver, April 27-29. The 15 delegates from North Carolina included sports commissioners, sports directors and various other sports development leaders. In a joint venture with the North Carolina Sports Association (NCSA), the Division has enabled these leaders to more effectively market themselves as a group through the “sportsnc” brand. The NCSA sponsored all the hotel room keys for the symposium, effectively putting the “sportsnc” brand on the keys. Over 600 sports industry leaders, including over 100 event organizers, attended the symposium. The four-day event is the sports event industry's leading education and networking gathering. It comes to Greensboro April 11-13, 2011. For more information, contact Frank Jernigan at (919) 733-7413 or via fjernigan@nccommerce.com.
4-22-09 CYCLE NORTH CAROLINA SPRING RIDE SETS ANOTHER PARTICIPATION RECORD
The 2009 Cycle North Carolina Spring Weekend event was held April 17-19 in Washington. The event set another participation record with 1,045 riders this year. Participants from Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Canada enjoyed outstanding biking throughout the Washington area. The bike routes visited many attractions including Historic Bath, Aurora Fossil Museum, Coastal Carolina Cotton Gin, Seaboard Coastline Railroad Depot, Pamlico River, Goose Creek State Park, Bayview-Aurora Ferry, North Carolina Estuarium, and more. Cyclists also enjoyed great food, shopping, activities and entertainment in Washington after cycling each day. Participants traversed over 666 miles of supported bicycle routes during the weekend and were able to choose from 5, 10, 20, 25, 40, 75 and 100 mile routes. The event was organized by N.C. Amateur Sports and hosted locally by the Washington TDA. For more information about Cycle North Carolina, visit www.ncsports.org, or call (919) 361-1133. The Division is a founding partner and sponsor of this event.
2-25-09
GREENSBORO SELECTED TO HOST 2011 U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPSThe U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) announced today (Wednesday) the selection of Greensboro as the host city for the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, to be held Jan. 22-30, 2011. The event, held annually since 1914, is the nation’s most prestigious figure skating event. The seven-day event is expected to attract approximately 1,500 figure skaters, coaches and officials. In addition to national media coverage, a great deal of the competition is televised nationally. Securing the skating championships is a coup for the city, which USFSA officials say would provide a $30 million infusion to the local economy. To find out more, visit
Usfigureskating.org and
News-record.com. Tickets go on sale March 9 this year and more details will soon be available at
www.NorthCarolina2011.com.