Oct. 24, 2005                                                                                                              www.stlsports.org

PERFECT 10: RECENT SUCCESSFUL BIDS BRING ST. LOUIS 10 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 10 YEARS

St. Louis' run as “Championship City” continues. Last month, the Sports Commission and its partners secured the 2006 NCAA Men's Soccer College Cup and the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. With the addition of these events, St. Louis will now host a remarkable 10 Division I championships this decade in five different high-profile NCAA sports.

And on top of those events, the Sports Commission and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission were able to share another dose of good news: Missouri and Illinois will take their rivalry back to the football field in St. Louis starting annually in 2007. The announcements -- all made in the span of a month -- made for an exciting time for the Sports Commission and St. Louis sports fans. Here are a few more details on the latest additions to the region's sports calendar:

Missouri-Illinois Football Series

Missouri-Illinois football is returning to St. Louis -- this time for at least a four-year stay. In August, the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission and the Sports Commission reached an agreement with the two schools to play at the Edward Jones Dome annually beginning in 2007. The games will take place on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend each year. The parties also have the option to negotiate a two-year extension following the 2008 game. So the Tigers and Illini are assured of meeting in St. Louis through 2010; through 2012 with the extension; and perhaps well beyond. The two teams last met at the Dome in 2002 and 2003, drawing more than 60,000 fans for each contest. For those games, the extended weekend and surrounding activities contributed to a bowl-like environment. Organizers have even grander visions for the series' future.

2008-2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

The NCAA announced on Sept. 22 that St. Louis will host the Division I Wrestling Championships in 2008 and 2009. The tournament will take place at Savvis Center March 20-22, 2008 and March 19-21, 2009. With the announcement, the Gateway City will now be home to five NCAA Wrestling Championships this decade. St. Louis also remains the only city to host the event in back-to-back years. It previously hosted the Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2005, setting the all-time total attendance record and boasting three of the event's top five all-time total attendance marks. Based on an economic impact survey conducted at the 2000 event, the Championships attract 15,000 visitors to St. Louis, account for 12,000 hotel room nights and generate an estimated $10 million in economic impact. As was the case in the tournament's first three years in St. Louis, the Sports Commission will partner with the University of Missouri in overseeing the local organizing committee. Mizzou will serve as the host institution.

2006 NCAA Men's College Cup

On Sept. 23, the NCAA awarded St. Louis the 2006 Men's College Cup. Saint Louis University and the Sports Commission will host the event Dec. 1 and 3, 2006 at Robert R. Hermann Stadium on SLU's campus. The venue is one of the top college soccer facilities in the country. More than 1,000 seats will be added to increase the stadium's capacity to 7,000 for the College Cup. Ticket information and other event details for the College Cup will be announced later this year. This is the eighth time the men's Division I soccer championship will take place in the St. Louis region, a testament to the area's unique link to the sport and the strength of SLU soccer -- one of the nation's premier programs. The St. Louis area last hosted the Men's College Cup in 1975 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

To read more about all three events, visit www.stlsports.org/pressbox.

SINGLE-SESSION TICKETS NOW ON SALE FOR THE 2006 STATE FARM
U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

For America's top skaters, the road to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy goes through St. Louis and the 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships -- presented locally by Schnucks. You can catch the best of the best by being at Savvis Center and the Family Arena Jan. 7-15. Single-session tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here. Sports Commission Members will have the opportunity to order tickets through the Sports Commission. Information will be sent to Members later this month. Fans can also purchase all-event tickets from a special reserved section of seats in the plaza level of Savvis Center. In addition, organizers are offering a “Free Skate 4-Pak” that includes the same plaza level seat for all four senior free skate events (Dance, Pairs, Men's and Ladies). This is the Championships' first appearance in St. Louis. The event will feature world medalist Sasha Cohen; two-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir; Olympic medalist Timothy Goebel; the two-time U.S. champion ice dancing team of Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto; and Michelle Kwan (right), who will skate for a record 10th national championship. All of the skaters will be competing for a spot on the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team. For more information on the Championships, including tickets, volunteer opportunities and merchandise, visit www.stlouis2006.com.

PHENOMENAL FEEDBACK: FINAL FOUR FANS PROVIDE ST. LOUIS HIGH MARKS (AND BIG DOLLARS) ACCORDING TO STUDY

The St. Louis Organizing Committee for the 2005 NCAA Final Four recently released the findings from an economic impact and visitor impression study it commissioned. The results echo the overwhelmingly positive comments St. Louis received from fans, media and the NCAA. According to the survey conducted by Dr. Patrick Rishe, professor of economics at Webster University, 92.6 percent of visitors rated their overall experience in St. Louis during the Final Four as “excellent” or “very good.” 68.3 percent of visitors surveyed said their attendance at the 2005 Final Four “favorably” changed their opinion of St. Louis. (28.5 percent responded “no change.”) Meanwhile, Rishe's research found that the Final Four generated an estimated total economic impact of $71.9 million for the St. Louis region, of which $47 million was direct spending. The Final Four brought an estimated 54,000 visitors to the Gateway City, according to the study. The St. Louis Organizing Committee includes the Missouri Valley Conference, Saint Louis University, the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission and the Sports Commission. Click here to read a news release about the impact study.

SLU BASKETBALL COACHES FEATURED INSTRUCTORS
AT UPCOMING COACHES CLINIC

Sports for Kids, Saint Louis University, and the Taco Bell Coaches Club are producing a fantastic free basketball coaches clinic. Youth and high school coaches have the opportunity to learn from two of the best -- Billiken men's and women's basketball head coaches Brad Soderberg and Shimmy Gray. The instructional clinic will take place from 1 – 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the West Pine Gymnasium on the SLU campus. Coaches can register by calling 314-992-0689 or visiting www.stlsports.org/kids.

YOUTH COACHES GET A KICK OUT OF SOCCER CLINIC

More than 100 youth coaches attended a free soccer coaches clinic produced by Sports for Kids, SLU and the Taco Bell Coaches Club on Aug. 28. For the fourth consecutive year, Billikens head coach Dan Donigan and his staff hosted coaches at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. This year's clinic featured a special video breakdown and analysis of the Billikens' exhibition game against Butler the night before. Instructors also showed coaches how to teach their young players proper soccer fundamentals and promote good sportsmanship. Sports for Kids has become a leader in the community in educating volunteer youth coaches and parents about the value of sportsmanship. Throughout the year, Sports for Kids organizes free coaches clinics that develop skills to help participants become better coaches, and in turn, lead to more positive experiences for young athletes on the playing field.

SPORTS FOR KIDS BENEFITS FROM U-GAS GOLF OUTING

Special thanks to U-Gas/Dirt Cheap for designating Sports for Kids as the beneficiary of its seventh annual U-Gas/Dirt Cheap Golf Classic. This year's tournament, played on Sept. 30 at Tapawingo National Golf Club, raised more than $15,000 for the Sports Commission's charitable affiliate. In its seven years, the Golf Classic has raised over $100,000 for Sports for Kids.

SPORTS COMMISSION ANNOUNCES STAFF DEVELOPMENTS

Congratulations to Kelly Roberts, who was recently promoted to event coordinator for the Sports Commission. Since starting with the organization two years ago as an event assistant, Roberts has played a key role in the success of numerous events, most notably the NCAA Wrestling Championships. In her new role, Roberts will continue to assist Chris Roseman, vice president of event acquisition & management, in preparing for and securing events. In addition, she will work with Sports Commission volunteers and serve as the volunteer chair for the 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The Sports Commission also congratulates (and misses) Becky Painter, its previous event coordinator.  In August, the organization bid her a bitter sweet farewell, as she moved on to an exciting new sales promotion position with Pepsi.  Among the highlights in her six years at the Sports Commission, Painter recruited and managed more than 2,000 volunteers for the 2005 NCAA Final Four.

ST. LOUIS SPORTS COMMISSION STAFF

(As of Oct. 15, 2005) 

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