France Tennis French Open
Spain's Rafael Nadal wipes his face in the first round match of the French Open at Roland Garros in Paris, France on September 28, 2020. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
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The Latest on Sports and COVID-19:
Fans Slowly Starting to Be Welcome Back at Games

The coronavirus outbreak has forced difficult decisions for the sports-event industry. Nearly every major sporting event has been canceled, moved or postponed. Here is a look at where things stand. How many fans will be at college football games this season? Click here for in-depth case studies on how organizations are returning to play. Click […]

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Posted On : By : Matt Traub
MLS Orlando3
Portland's Diego Valeri takes a corner kick during the MLS is Back Tournament at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. In the background are a series of massive blue screens that the league used for broadcasts to show virtual fan parties and sponsor logos during the tournament.
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Case Study: How Major League Soccer
Has Pulled Off Its 25th Season

Major League Soccer began in 1996 with 10 teams. Now in its 25th season, the league has 26 teams as Inter Miami — with world superstar David Beckham as owner — and Nashville SC debuted as the newest expansion franchises. The league was planning a season unlike any other in 2020 to celebrate its silver anniversary, […]

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Posted On : By : Matt Traub
Navy Notre Dame Football
Fans wait for Notre Dame and Navy to play on November 16, 2019, in South Bend, Indiana. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
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How Many Fans Will Be At College Football Games This Year?

Playing sports during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be tough when not in a bubble environment. It may be even more so for college football given the amount of traditional game-day experiences such as tailgating and team walks into the stadium. But the coronavirus has disrupted things significantly. While some schools are planning on […]

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Posted On : By : Matt Traub
Rose Bowl Football
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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So, What Happens to College Football’s Bowl Season?

Last year’s college football season was historic — the 150th anniversary of the sport became a season-long celebration culminating with one of the modern era’s most dominant teams ever, LSU, crushing Clemson to win the College Football Playoff championship game. This year’s season will be perhaps even more historic … and not for celebratory reasons. […]

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Posted On : By Matt Traub and Jason Gewirtz
Esports Overwatch League 2020 Plans
A new survey shows esports fans are willing to travel to live events and spend the night at a hotel. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
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Study: Esports Fans Will Travel to Live Events

As live esports events have matured into ever-more sophisticated productions, destinations have had the same question: Do these events cause participants to travel and spend the night in host cities as traditional sports have done for years? A new survey conducted by Conventions, Sports & Leisure International and the Esports Entry Advisory set out to […]

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Posted On : By : Jason Gewirtz
WestHamKissimee
Youths take a shot on goal during a pregame activation at London Stadium in 2019 before a game between hosts West Ham United and Manchester City. Experience Kissimmee is the Official Destination Partner of West Ham United. (Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images)
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How Florida Became a Presence in the Premier League

The Premier League is the most-watched sports league in the world, broadcast to over 200 countries each season. With more than $11 billion in global media rights agreements each year, its growth the past three decades is the envy of every league or sports organization in the world. Being able to partner with a Premier […]

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Posted On : By : Matt Traub
Charleston Classic – November 16, 2018
The Purdue Boilermakers face the Davidson Wildcats during the 2018 Charleston Classic. (Photo by Eric Lars Bakke / ESPN Images)
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Early-Season College Basketball Tournaments Wait for NCAA’s Decision

Last year’s college basketball season ended with a COVID-induced thud and no championship to speak of. Like every other sport on the collegiate landscape, basketball spent the summer full of uncertainty. And as its scheduled start date for practices loom, a sport that bridges both the fall and winter seasons — finishing in the spring […]

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Posted On : By : Matt Traub
LLWS Curacao Japan Baseball
Fans watch a 2019 Little League World Series tournament game in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
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Study: $45 Billion Spent in 2019 on Sports-Related Travel

A landmark new study conducted by the Sports Events and Tourism Association shows that travel to amateur and collegiate sports events in 2019 accounted for $45.1 billion in spending in the United States, an increase of over 5 percent from the previous year. In addition, that spending generated $103.3 billion in direct, indirect and induced […]

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Posted On : By : Jason Gewirtz
Jackalope_Samedi_YannRoy_2018_097
Photo: Courtesy of Jackalope
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Micro Events and Web Episodes:
How One Event Organizer Repositioned His Business

Twenty years ago, Micah Desforges launched Ripper Skateboards, a project that began as a passion play of sorts for the Montreal native who was a skateboarder and action sports enthusiast. Over the course of a decade, the brand grew in popularity, generating a social media following that still boasts nearly 70,000 followers on Facebook even though […]

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Posted On : By : Jason Gewirtz
HoustonSkyline_Dusk7
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TEAMS ’20 Virtual from Houston Will Connect
the Global Sports-Event Industry

Northstar Meetings Group has announced that the TEAMS ’20 Conference & Expo—the world’s largest gathering of sports-event organizers—will be an all-digital “Virtual from Houston” experience that connects event organizers, destinations and sports-industry thought leaders from across the United States and around the globe. Participants in the immersive online experience from October 19–22 will include the […]

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Posted On : By : Matt Traub