Rhode Island Sports Commission’s John Gibbons Passes Away

The Providence Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced the passing of John Gibbons, executive director of the Rhode Island Sports Commission.

Gibbons, 63, joined the PWCVB in 2006. In 2010, he ascended to his role as executive director of the RISC, where he worked tirelessly to transform the sports landscape in Rhode Island. Gibbons traveled throughout the country representing Rhode Island and bringing business to the state, including the NCAA Men’s Basketball, Ice Hockey, and the Division III Wrestling and Lacrosse tournaments in 2024 and 2025.

Gibbons was known for forming strong relationships with clients that helped solidify the state as a top destination for sporting events and sports-related meetings. He was a regular at the TEAMS Conference, among other industry events. At the 2022 edition of TEAMS, Gibbons took part in a panel about the Great Race and its starting point in Rhode Island last summer.

“John was one of our staunchest supporters and a great friend for many years to SportsTravel, the TEAMS Conference and the EsportsTravel Summit,” said Jason Gewirtz, vice president of the Northstar Meetings Group Sports Division and executive editor and publisher of SportsTravel. “This is huge loss for our industry. John always had the sports-events industry at heart in any decision he made or any opinion he had. And there were few representatives who cared as much as John did for his particular destination. John advocated for Providence and his state of Rhode Island and took great pleasure in the impact generated by the events he helped attract to his community. We send our deepest condolences to his family and to the entire Rhode Island sports community.”

“John Gibbons used his immense talent, strong work ethic and boundless passion for sports and for life to build a program that brought millions of dollars into Rhode Island,” said Kristen Adamo, president and chief executive officer of the PWCVB. “But more importantly, he was a devoted family man and a wonderful friend. Many of us at the PWCVB have worked with him for more than a decade. He meant a lot to us professionally and even more personally. We are heartbroken and extend our deepest sympathies to his family.”

Gibbons, a former board member for the Sports Events & Tourism Association, was well-respected throughout the industry for his hard work and dedication and in 2022 received the Community Hospitality Ambassador of the Year Award from the Rhode Island Hospitality Association. His true passion, though, was for his family, including his wife Amy, their three children and six grandchildren. Gibbons was a friend and mentor to many, and his unmistakable Northeastern accent and enthusiasm will be missed.

“I am deeply saddened and shocked by the untimely passing of John. His departure leaves a void that can never be filled, and his memory will forever remain in our hearts,” said Farouk Rajab, general manager of the Providence Marriott Downtown and chairman of the PWCVB Board of Directors. “May we find solace in cherishing the moments we shared and draw strength from the impact he had on our lives. Rest in peace, dear friend.”

Industry colleagues said that they admired the big-picture perspective that Gibbons brought to his role, noting that he was never shy with his thoughts on ways he felt the industry could improve.

“He would always speak his mind, he was never bashful,” said Greg Fante, president and chief executive officer of the Louisville Sports Commission. “He always wanted the best for our industry. He was bigger than just the job he was in. He worked hard to make us all better and challenged us to think.”

Glen Schorr, a former Sports ETA board member and the former executive director of Orienteering USA, described Gibbons as “one of the good people” in the industry. “He was honest, he was direct, he was sincere — you always knew where you stood with him, good and bad. But any time you ever needed anything he was the first person always to help. I considered him a colleague and more importantly a dear friend.”