Sports Tourism Industry Recognizes Excellence in Event’s 30th Anniversary Year
BATON ROUGE, La. (November 28, 2017) -The 2017 National Senior Games Presented by Humana, has earned two prestigious awards in less than one month.
The Games, held this past June in Birmingham, Alabama, won the 2017 SportsTravel Award in the category of “Amateur – Best Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event.” The winners were announced on October 30 at the TEAMS 2017 Conference in Orlando.
Every year, SportsTravel Magazine polls industry professionals and the public to select the best sporting events in several categories. The National Senior Games previously won the same award in 2007, 2011 and 2013.
“There’s no better feeling than to be recognized by your peers,” National Senior Games Association (NSGA) CEO Marc T. Riker said. “The voting allowed the public to participate, and we are again grateful to our great senior athletes who also voted to express their satisfaction and pride to be a part of this great and unique event.”
Another publication, Sports Destination Management, has jointly named the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau and the 2017 National Senior Games Presented by Humana as “2017 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism” in its November-December edition. The publication has the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism industry.
The Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates that the National Senior Games generated approximately $38 million to the region’s economy. The 14-day biennial event featured more than 10,500 athletes 50 and over competing in 19 medal sports in five-year age divisions.
“This award illustrates the dedication and excellence of both organizations,” commented David Galbaugh, the bureau’s Vice President of Sports Sales & Marketing. “It is a fitting endorsement of what the National Senior Games means to the athletes that participate and to the communities that host the Games.”
Riker noted that the awards and event success required the support of many corporate and host community partners and volunteers, notably Humana, the event’s Presenting Sponsor, the Mayor’s office, the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center and The Knight Eady company.
“We’re excited that The 2017 National Senior Games Presented by Humana has been recognized as a premier sporting event,” said Humana Chief Consumer Officer Jody Bilney. “As the presenting sponsor of the Games, we’re honored to bring attention to the athletes who defy the challenges of aging and continue to live an active and healthy lifestyle.”
Riker said the awards are more special this year, as NSGA celebrated its 30th anniversary with special exhibits and presentations in Birmingham, as well as a content-rich history microsite that is archived at NSGA.com/30anniversary.
“This truly was a huge success for everyone,” Riker added. “The people of Birmingham can take great pride for the manner in which they helped stage and host this massive event. We have heard nothing but positive things from our athletes and visitors about the city and its hospitality.”
The next National Senior Games will be hosted June 14-25, 2019 by Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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About the National Senior Games Association:
The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) is a nonprofit Multi-Sports Council member of the United States Olympic Committee that promotes health and wellness for adults 50 and over through education, fitness and sport. NSGA governs the biennial National Senior Games, the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors. NSGA is comprised of 52 Member Games across the country and in Canada who conduct competitions which serve as qualifying events for the National Senior Games. For more information, please visit www.NSGA.com.
Media Contacts:
National Media:
Chandler Smith, Coyne Public Relations / (212) 938-0896 / csmith@coynepr.com
NSGA Media Inquiries:
News@NSGA.com
