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The St. Louis Sports Commission
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SPORTS COMMISSION RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR BY UNVEILING ORGANIZATIONAL LONG-RANGE PLAN

EVENT TRIUMPHS, BEST SPORTS CITY AND FINANCIAL SURPLUS AMONG Y2K HIGHLIGHTS

ST. LOUIS — Jan. 10, 2001 — The St. Louis Sports Commission ushered in 2001 with a new long-range plan — a long list of New Year’s resolutions to be fulfilled in the coming year and beyond. A culmination of input from its Board and staff, the plan serves as a roadmap for the Commission, identifying strategic goals and action items the organization seeks to carry out in five to 10 years. The long-range plan is the first of its kind for the non-profit organization, which was created in 1989 to benefit the St. Louis region through sports.

"The Sports Commission sees an opportunity in the next decade to build on the region’s multi-faceted athletic success and continue to do great things for St. Louis," said Sports Commission President Frank Viverito. "The long-range plan attempts to establish a path for organizational development and results. It seeks a common understanding about what we do, how we define success, and what our respective roles can be in the process."

At the recommendation of its Board, the Sports Commission initiated a long-range planning process in January 2000. Throughout the year, Board and staff members met to share input and make recommendations. Commission staff formally presented the plan at the organization’s quarterly Board of Directors meeting this past December. Some of the plan’s initiatives include:

Being selective and seeking high-profile events that meet specific criteria. The Commission’s goal is to produce two major sporting events per year (and others, if feasible) for the St. Louis region.

Maintaining financial stability and diversity of funding sources while creating new revenue streams to generate additional funding. Additionally, the Commission hopes to build a $200,000 event bid fund to attract targeted high-profile events to the St. Louis region.
Focusing its Foundation / Sports for Kids program on specific program activities — primarily its Coach it Right! program, St. Louis Sports Career Day, facility renovation efforts, and awarding of gifts & grants.
Establishing a national effort to market St. Louis as a prime sports destination while enhancing its organizational marketing efforts locally through business-to-business activities.

PARTING SHOTS TO 2000: As the Sports Commission enters 2001 and begins implementing its long-range plan, it comes off a year filled with notable achievements for both the organization, and of course, sports in St. Louis. When the Commission presses the play button on its 2000 year-in-review, there will be images of emotion from the NCAA Wrestling Championships, drama from the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, and jubilation from the Best Sports City announcement.

And while success for the organization is very much measured by its ability to excite area sports fans and showcase the region nationally, it must also demonstrate a concern for its bottom line. So when the Sports Commission can finish in the financial black, as it did in 2000, it’s icing on the best sports city cake. Thanks in part to the success of the NCAA Wrestling Championships and its recently created Partnership Program, the Commission was able to post an operational surplus for the second consecutive year. Previously, the organization had not shown a surplus since 1994, the year it hosted the U.S. Olympic Festival.

"Like any organization, meeting our financial challenges is key to making the Sports Commission viable," Viverito said. "Because we achieved a surplus, we’re finally able to strengthen what were once dwindling reserves. As we improve and stabilize our financial picture, we’re able to expand our efforts and increase our ability to benefit the community."

Two years ago — after Civic Progress eliminated its annual $100,000 contribution — the Sports Commission began to address its revenue generation needs by establishing a Partnership Program. Local entities participate in the program by making annual cash or in-kind contributions of $5,000 or more. This past year, 46 companies and individuals (click here for complete listing…) signed on as Commission Partners.

"The Sports Commission is entirely responsible for raising its own funds, so in order for us to be successful, it’s crucial that we have a business community that believes in our mission and is willing to invest in our efforts," Viverito said. "We still have a long way to go to get to where we want to be — we need to have stable revenue streams and find additional sources of income. But overall, we’ve made great strides. We’re grateful for the support of those who have come to the table and for the way our Board has led the charge to strengthen our organization."

Another major factor behind the Commission’s positive financial picture for 2000 is the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which the organization hosted at Savvis Center in March. More than 15,000 fans and participants visited St. Louis for the three-day event. According to a study by Webster University Professor Patrick Rishe, the Wrestling Championships generated more than $7 million in economic impact for the region. When the final takedown was scored, St. Louis had set an NCAA Wrestling Championships all-time attendance record of 96,994.

Other Sports Commission highlights in 2000 included:

the John Hancock U.S. Gymnastics Championships in July at Savvis Center, which set a Championships ticket revenue record and were seen in more than 9.5 million homes nationwide. NBC’s broadcasts of the event were the top two rated national sports telecasts during the week of July 23-30.

the ongoing development of Sports for Kids. The Sports Commission established Sports for Kids as part of its affiliated St. Louis Sports Foundation. In 2000, Sports for Kids held its inaugural St. Louis Sports Career Day for high school students, organized a series of youth sports clinics and coaches clinics, and honored area youth coaches at a Victory Dinner in October.

an announcement between the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois football programs to play a two-year series in the Trans World Dome. Along with the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, the Sports Commission facilitated discussions between the two schools and helped structure an agreement that has Mizzou and Illinois opening their seasons in the Dome in 2002 and 2003.

St. Louis’ selection as North America’s Best Sports City by The Sporting News. Following the August announcement, the Sports Commission took a leadership role in spreading the "Best Sports City" message nationally, while locally encouraging residents to make the most of the designation.

In 2001, the Sports Commission is part of the Local Organizing Committee for the NCAA Women’s Final Four at Savvis Center March 30 — April 1, and will help host the State Games of America throughout the St. Louis region Aug. 9 — 12.

Incoming Sports Commission Chair Walter Lamkin said: "When its results are evaluated, the Sports Commission wants the breadth of its accomplishments to be considered — not just how many events were produced or what the financial statements say, but how much money was spent by visitors, how many St. Louis fans were entertained, how many children were helped, how much publicity was generated for the region, and how positively amateur sports were affected by the organization’s work."