The National Sports Forum (NSF) meets each year for three days of networking, idea sharing, and listening to the industry’s top spokespeople. NSF will celebrate its 20th anniversary in the city, with high-profile events and speakers anticipated to bring more than 800 attendees and $286,000 in visitor spending to the region.
“The Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation looks forward to hosting our industry’s top sports business executives and leaders,” said Jackie Reau, CEO of Game Day Communications and Board Chair of the Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation. “It’s a tremendous honor to host one of the most prestigious national conferences in our industry. We look forward to showcasing our great sports city to the attendees of the National Sports Forum.”
The Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation, with partner Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, led the bid effort to bring this national event to Cincinnati USA for the first time with support from the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals. Event programming will take place at the Duke Energy Convention Center, and attendees will stay in the nearby Hilton Netherland Plaza and Hyatt Regency hotels.
“The National Sports Forum’s 20th anniversary gathering comes at a high point for Cincinnati sports,” said Dan Lincoln, President & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The nation’s foremost sports leadership will have the opportunity to see the incredible development of our urban core and Cincinnati’s unique culture, as well as experience the long-standing sports history that made Cincinnati the MLB’s choice for the 2015 All-Star Game.”
Local and regional sports icons will feature prominently into the Forum’s programming. The Opening Night Reception on February 8 will take place at Paul Brown Stadium and will feature a keynote panel including former Bengals Cris Collinsworth, Dave Lapham, Bob Trumpy and Solomon Wilcots. On February 10, Phillip Castellini, COO of the Cincinnati Reds, will serve as the keynote speaker for the Budweiser Gala held at Great American Ball Park.
The Forum will also feature the following speakers and workshop leaders:
- Christina Wright, Assistant Director of Human Resources, NCAA
- Jim Kahler, Executive Director of the Center for Sports Administration, Ohio University
- Kathy Schwab, Senior Director of Marketing, Milwaukee Brewers
- Amy Latimer, President, TD Garden/Boston Bruins
- Gene Smith, Athletic Director, The Ohio State University
- Steve Phelps, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, NASCAR
About the National Sports Forum
The National Sports Forum is the largest annual cross-gathering of the top team sports marketing, sales, promotions, and event entertainment executives from throughout the broad spectrum of teams and leagues in North America. The 2015 NSF Conference and Trade Show will be held on February 8-10, 2015 in Cincinnati, OH. Visit www.sports-forum.com for more information.
About Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation
The Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation (GCSC) strives to enrich the community through the acquisition of amateur and professional sporting events, by maximizing economic impact and promoting the Greater Cincinnati region as a premier sports destination. GCSC has a 25-year history of hosting more than 280 events that bring pride, visibility and positive economic impact to the region. From World and National Championships to community-based programs, GCSC is making a difference in the quality of life for Cincinnati USA. GCSC, as the region's only non-profit sports tourism and event management organization, represents the Cincinnati USA hospitality community and partners with the Cincinnati USA and Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureaus. For more information and a calendar of events, please visit www.cincysports.org.
About the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau is an aggressive sales, marketing and service organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact Hamilton County's and the City of Cincinnati's economy through convention, trade show and visitor expenditures. The travel and tourism industry traditionally has been a $4.1 billion industry in Cincinnati USA, employing 94,000 people in a variety of fields and bringing 22.7 million visitors to the region annually. For more information, click here.
###
