TEAMS Conference and Expo

Northstar Meetings Group, a division of Northstar Travel Group, has announced an exclusive, multi-year co-location agreement with The Dare to Dream Experience. Dare to Dream is a career exploration, educational and motivational program that introduces students ages 18–24 to careers behind the scenes of the sports-related travel, tourism, events and entertainment industries. As part of the agreement, The Dare to Dream Experience will be held in conjunction with both the annual TEAMS Conference and EsportsTravel Summit through 2025.

“There is a tremendous current need for The Dare to Dream Experience, especially with the difficulties facing at-risk youth and the problems the hospitality and events industries are having with staffing,” said Dare to Dream Founder Diane McGraw, a longtime leader in the sports-event industry. “We need to help students visualize their future, motivate them to finish high school and strive for advanced education and careers. There are opportunities in sports and sports-related travel but students need to understand that those opportunities are only available for them if they apply themselves and stay motivated,” said McGraw.

“Our partnership with Dare to Dream allows us to expand our long-standing commitment to develop the next generation of leaders for the sports-event industry,” said Timothy Schneider, founder and chairman of the Sports Division of Northstar Travel Group, which publishes SportsTravel magazine and organizes the annual TEAMS Conference & Expo and EsportsTravel Summit. According to Schneider, Dare to Dream will supplement the TEAMS Conference Ambassador Program, which provides real-world event experience and access to the industry professionals who attend the TEAMS Conference to a select group of undergraduate and graduate students each year. “We’re excited to provide this additional point of entry to the industries we love for high school and college students through our partnership with Dare to Dream,” said Schneider.

Dare to Dream was created by McGraw and has already reached more than 3,000 students in various parts of the country. McGraw’s professional experience includes time as president of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, president of the Orlando Sports Commission, president of the Louisville Sports Commission and executive director of the Philadelphia Sports Congress. Her knowledge of the sports-event industry and commitment to providing education and career opportunities for youth led to the development of the Dare to Dream program.

“Right now—as the events industry faces challenges with staffing—it’s more important than ever to expose young people to the career opportunities that are available in the sports and hospitality industries,” added Schneider.

Hosted by Meet AC and the Atlantic City Sports Commission, TEAMS ’21 will be held September 27–30 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. TEAMS is the exclusive home of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Sportslink and NGB Best Practices seminars. For more information, please visit TEAMSConference.com.

Hosted by SportsPITTSBURGH, the 2021 EsportsTravel Summit will be held December 14–16 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. The EsportsTravel Summit is the premier business conference focused on esports tournaments and events as well as the role of the travel industry in the continued growth of video gaming and esports. For more information, please visit EsportsTravelSummit.com.

Save the dates for these upcoming events:
TEAMS ’21: September 27-30, 2021, in Atlantic City
2021 EsportsTravel Summit: December 14-16, 2021, in Pittsburgh
2022 EsportsTravel Summit: June 21-23, 2022, in Daytona Beach
TEAMS ’22: October 10-13, 2022, in Oklahoma City
TEAMS ’23: October 2-5, 2023, in Palm Beach
TEAMS ’24: September 23-26, 2024, in Anaheim
TEAMS ’26: October 26-29, 2026, in Birmingham