Larger Events Open Up in Queensland

July 2020

Queensland Health has released its Framework for COVID Safe Events, as part of the Stage 3 easing of restrictions. The move has opened the door for Councils across the state to begin hosting events on a larger scale, with more competitors and slightly different rules.

More events can be held from Stage 3, guided under a new addition to the COVID Safe Framework, called the Industry Framework for Covid Safe Events.

The changes relate to:

• fewer than 500 people – no Queensland Health approval needed when following a COVID Safe Event Checklist

• 500 to 10,000 people – need a COVID Safe Event Plan approved by local Public Health units

• over 10,000 people – need a COVID Safe Event Plan approved by the Queensland Chief Health Officer

The framework sets out key public health principles and event-specific public health strategies that will limit the transmission of COVID-19 at events and help event organisers operate safely.

The Industry Framework for COVID Safe Events was developed by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council and has been endorsed by Queensland Health. Both the Framework and supporting documents can be found on the Queensland Government COVID-19 website at https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/government-actions/covid-safe-businesses

Many sporting events are covered by an approved COVID Safe Industry Plan, COVID Safe Professional Sporting Plan or COVID Safe Site Specific Plan (some major venues such as stadiums and convention centres have these), therefore the organisers of these events will need to follow those plans, rather than the Industry Framework for COVID Safe Events.

National Events Director, Jason Sleeman, said the Stage 3 easing of restrictions was a huge step forward. “This is fantastic news for the events industry and it is one which will ensure that all event owners in Queensland can begin to move forward with a greater sense of confidence and assurance that we have the right mechanisms in place,” he said.

To find out about large scale events which are available with professional support through SMA, call Jason on 0401 359 537.

 

Dynamic Media Opportunities on TV

July 2020

SMA is working with destinations Australia wide to gain more exposure across the domestic tourism market and curb the impact of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

SMA Business Development Manager, Amanda Millican, said the Event Placement Team was presenting dynamic media opportunities such as Roads Less Travelled and Your Golf Show, offering a fresh way of promoting local regions to the domestic tourism market as the nation approaches a cautious recovery.

SMA is partnering with LUX Media to source destinations now for “Roads Less Travelled”, a new, domestic tourism program which features iconic road trips through regional areas.

“Roads Less Travelled identifies the unique attractions of local regions,” Amanda said. “The program is a clever concept as road trip journeys offer a relaxing break and are something which can be planned at short notice, allowing an effective way for people to explore their own backyard, or beyond.”

Amanda said this particular media proposal offered a significant opportunity because 100% of the content was dedicated to showcasing the local area and all that the region can offer the domestic tourism sector.

“With the gradual lifting of restrictions, regional holidays are set to increase in popularity, with the Australian public eager to get out again and seek a fun, efficient and rewarding way of escaping the isolation lifestyle of 2020, ” she said.

With the objective of raising awareness, promoting and driving domestic tourism within your region, LUX Media will work with local Councils to establish the best elements to feature in an episode to encourage ongoing visitation.

“Roads Less Travelled” will be a 30 minute program to be aired on the Nine Network and further amplified across the significant “Travello” travel social platforms. Commencing in November 2020, the show will feature the beloved, Australian ‘road trip’ being undertaken through some beautiful regions across the country.

For an overview of other programs produced by LUX Media along similar concept lines, please see the below video links:

’Luxury Escapes’ Showreel Clip

’Australia’s Best Drives’ – NSW south coast episode – 7Plus

To get involved, talk to the SMA team now. Contact Amanda Millican on 0409 525 395 or the National Events Director, Jason Sleeman, on 0401 359 537.

2020 National Table Tennis Combined Championships to Proceed

July 2020

The 2020 National Veterans Championships and 2020 National Senior, Youth, Junior & Para Championships will take place in Latrobe Valley in November and December during a jam packed 18 days of competition, aligning multiple national championship events for the first time ever.

The 2020 National Veterans' Championships and 2020 National Senior, Youth, Junior & Para Championships will be delivered by Table Tennis Australia (TTA) with support from Latrobe City Council and Destination Gippsland.

The Event is expected to attract a total of 2,200 participants, officials and spectators across multiple competitions, generating an estimated 16,600 bed nights and a $4.63 Million economic impact for the Gippsland region. All events will be conducted at the Traralgon Sports Stadium.

The event will be subject to strict compliance with COVID-19 regulations and all necessary approvals will be obtained from VIC Health and the Victorian Government. The timing of this event will offer a great opportunity for local businesses and the wider economy in Gippsland to bounce back following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 National Veterans Championships will be held from the 28th November – 5th December and the 2020 National Senior, Youth, Junior & Para Championships will be held from the 11th -20th of December.

Mayor of Latrobe City Council, Dan Clancey, said the region was delighted to host the TTA National Championships at the upgraded Traralgon Sports Stadium.

“It will be our first opportunity to showcase the facility to a local and national audience,” he said. “We’ve built a strong reputation as a venue destination for state, national and even international sports tournaments with our top quality facilities, easy access, accommodation options and engaged audiences. Our community loves to watch athletes perform, hosting significant events in our region is inspirational for our future, young sports stars.”

Destination Gippsland CEO, Terry Robinson said this was a great event for Latrobe City and Council was to be congratulated on the state-of-the-art facilities. He said hosting such events provided the opportunity to significantly contribute to the overall visitor economy.

TTA Chief Executive Officer, Scott Houston, was very pleased to make the announcement with restrictions being eased in most states around Australia and spectators starting to be allowed back into sporting venues.

“We were very mindful of the feedback provided in the player survey, around players still intending to compete in national events this year and a desire to see the events pushed back as late as possible,” Scott said. “TTA now has time to prepare all required health and safety initiatives to ensure the events can safely proceed’.

Scott said Traralgon Sports Stadium ticked every box. The stadium was fully rebuilt and offers ample space, which is crucial from a social distancing perspective. The venue has 8 basketball courts and TTA will use all of them to fit the estimated 40 tables required for the events.

National Events Director, Jason Sleeman, said this was a great example of how a National Sporting Organisation had adapted its events to comply with COVID-19 safe guidelines to ensure the event could proceed.

To find out about events placement in recovery, talk to Jason on 0401 359 537.

Back to Life - Smart Event Owners Adapt

July 2020

Event owners across Australia are working hard and smart to get their events calendar back up and running as quickly as possible and one team, Rocky Trail Entertainment, is maxing out bookings for a variety of events including Fox Superflow in locations including Nerang, Ipswich, Mackay and Townsville.

Fox Superflow racing is described as “your mountain biking life with the volume turned up!” It is all about exploring trails at racing speed, beating time, meeting other riders and enjoying life. The 2020 season is proving hugely popular with riders and their families, driving up demand for the series in QLD and NSW.

Adapting and making changes to operational procedures is essential to getting the events industry back on track and Rocky Trail Entertainment Marketing Director, Juliane Wisata, offers a positive example of what can be achieved.

“In order to bring our members the racing that they love, as quickly as possible, we changed the original Superflow format slightly and there are new rules and regulations which make sure we all adhere to social distancing and gathering laws currently in place,” she said.

“Those laws tend to change quickly, and we will be constantly screening any developments – our racing rules will be a constant work in progress, and we will keep adapting them over the coming weeks and months.”

SMA Business Development Manager, Steffan Jurd, said Rocky Trail Entertainment was one of many promoters that SMA has relationships with, in the outdoor adventure space.

“These events provide an excellent ‘low risk’ option for Councils and Tourism Organisations to host during this uncertain time with COVID-19 restrictions,” Steffan said. “This is due to the nature of these events, and the fact that they spread participants out over a large area, with ability to distance athletes across the course.”

Speak to the team at SMA if you need advice on getting your events up and running, as we come out of COVID-19 restrictions. If you are a Council or Tourism Organisation wanting to host a new adventure based event, call Steffan Jurd on 0414 953 332.

Your Golf Show

July 2020

SMA and Global Sports Media are currently sourcing new destinations for an exciting golfing TV show which is being filmed in 2020 for Fox Sports.

‘Your Golf Show’ features high profile golfer, Paul Gow, and media personality Andrew Daddo, presenting everything which is good about golf, including beautiful course locations and a healthy lifestyle.

Business Development Manager, Steffan Jurd, said the program will feature fantastic golf courses and their surrounding regions, playing techniques, tips and tricks, advice on equipment and new technology, as well as introducing a range of special guests.

“This lifestyle program will showcase a new golf course each week, dedicating a 30 minute episode to the course and its region,” Steffan said. “The concept offers excellent branding and tourism marketing opportunities, with discussion and scenic visuals of the region, as well as segments specifically highlighting local attributes. It aims to drive repeat golf tourism to the destinations and golf courses featured.”

 

Golf Tourism is a huge sector of the tourism industry, with a value of around $480 million. As many as 1.5 million golf trips were taken in Australia in 2018, generating 7.75 million golf visitor nights. Golf tourism is listed as a key element to the Tourism Strategy of State Governments for its domestic and international tourism attraction attributes.

There is also a huge capacity to build on the potential of regional and rural areas.

For an overview of what ‘Your Golf Show’ is all about, click here for the ‘Your Golf Show’ showreel.

“These media opportunities are proving to be highly effective tourism marketing tools, able to showcase regions to potential recreational tourists for a time when travel and social distancing restrictions are lifted, and people are eager to get out and explore new regions,” Steffan added.

Spotlight your destination by calling SMA’s Business Development Manager, Steffan Jurd, on 0414 953 332 or National Events Director, Jason Sleeman, on 0401 359 537.

Community Sport Resumes

July 2020

Well on the way to recovery, the majority of State and National Sporting Organisations have released new guidelines to enable players to return safely to the sports they love.

With community sport starting back in July in many states, documents such as the Return to Play report for Netball and Triathlon’s Smart Racing Covid-19 strategy allow members to take to the field, the pool, track or stadiums and participate in the healthy lifestyle which sport encourages.

Sport Australia has also developed a Return to Sport Toolkit that includes a suite of resources to help sporting organisations get ready to recommence training, competitions and programs in a safe, responsible and low risk manner.

The Toolkit builds on the AIS Framework for Rebooting of Sport and the Australian Government’s National Principles for the Resumption of Sport and Recreation Activities and includes an easy to use templates and step-by-step checklists for organisations to follow when planning their resumption of sporting activities.

National Events Director, Jason Sleeman, said these documents were important strategies to enable the events industry to get back on its feet. He said pre-emptive, low-cost interventions such as enhanced hygiene and social distancing measures clearly helped to reduce the risks.

“In the example of Triathlon Australia, the organisation has worked really hard along with all state bodies, clubs and promoters across the country who jointly undertook significant effort to plan the resumption of triathlon across the country,” Jason said.

Triathlon Australia said that its states and territories worked tirelessly to implement processes to ensure a smooth and timely return. “We are all encouraged by the progress but we fully understand that we have a significant part to play, not only in resuming our sport, but also in ensuring safe and hygienic practices are embedded, so we continue on the path to full activity within the community,” National Manager, Events & Technical, Lukas Matys, said.

To find out what your sport can do to get events back on the calendar across Australia, talk to Jason Sleeman, on 0401 359 537.

Phoenix & Bullets Play Pre-season in City of Latrobe

September 2019

South East Melbourne Phoenix will play one of their first pre-season matches ahead of the NBL season against the Brisbane Bullets in Latrobe this week, on September 6.

The game will take place on Friday at Traralgon Sports Stadium. The Phoenix will conduct two clinics for local basketball fans on Thursday and Friday and will be involved in several other community events in the lead-up to the game.

A partner of Sports Marketing Australia, the City of Latrobe is excited to host this premier basketball event.

“The City of Latrobe is looking forward to hosting the newly formed South East Melbourne Phoenix in their first pre-season game with the National Basketball League," City of Latrobe Mayor, Cr Graeme Middlemiss, said.

The Traralgon Sports Stadium has previously hosted many basketball events such as the 2006 Commonwealth Games Group Stage and WNBL regular season games.

"Bringing the pre-season NBL competition to Latrobe reinforces the strong sporting reputation of Gippsland’s only regional city.”

Phoenix GM, Tommy Greer, said the team was excited to come to Latrobe and committed to making an impact on every community they engaged with, which holds to the club’s core values.

The Phoenix visit continues Latrobe City Council’s commitment to showcasing what the region has to offer and its strong sporting reputation for hosting world class events.

The South East Melbourne Phoenix are the NBL’s newest franchise, based in the South East of Victoria, Australian basketball’s heartland.

To host events like this and attract national media attention, contact National Events Manager, Jason Sleeman on (02) 6652 1112 or 0401 359 537.

Brisbane Hosts TRL World Cup & State of Origin

September 2019

The 2019 TRL (Touch Rugby League) Australia World Cup and State of Origin were held in Brisbane recently, attracting 53 teams representing 18 nations and regions.

TRL is one of the fastest growing sports in Australia, played from North Queensland down to Melbourne. The Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner, joined with TRL Australia ambassador, Darren Lockyer, earlier this year to announce that Brisbane would be the host city for TRL’s showcase events in 2019 and 2020.

Sports Marketing Australia’s Business Development Manager, Peta Howard, said the events brought together the best players from around Australia, showcasing the sport’s elite level of competition.

“Brisbane city provides a friendly, welcoming environment and this ensures players and officials have the very best possible experience, particularly when they are travelling from other states, or from overseas,” Peta said.

Brisbane is committed to bringing more major events to the city, which has a significant impact on the local economy and delivers flow-on economic benefits for Brisbane’s tourism, retail and hospitality sectors.

TRL Australia's General Manager of Franchises & Events, Edward Wilson, said with Brisbane being a heartland of Touch Rugby League, it served as the perfect destination to host showpiece events, both on and off the field.

"Brisbane, as Australia's new World City, resonates significantly with what we are striving to achieve, which is to be inclusive, globally driven and creating an environment that is attractive to all that play and spectate,” he said.

The TRL State of Origin was held at Wynnum Manly Seagulls Rugby League Club and the TRL World Cup was held at both Norths Cricket Club and the Valley Hockey Club.

The TRL Australian Championships will take place on 4 - 6 October, 2019 at North Brisbane Rugby Union Club and Valley Hockey Club grounds. The first TRL Cup will also be held on the Gold Coast.

TRL is growing across Australia with heightened emphasis in Sydney and NSW. Into 2020, there will be exciting hosting opportunities available for Councils, in line with TRL’s significant growth developments. For more information www.trl.com.au.

To learn more about hosting events like this, talk to Peta on 0408 582 011.

Victoria Wins Multi-Disability Lawn Bowls National Championships

September 2019

Mackay Regional Council has partnered with Disability Sports Australia (DSA) to host the 2019 Multi-Disability Lawn Bowls National Championships at Souths Suburban Bowls Club.

The Multi-Disability Lawn Bowls National Championships, otherwise known as the ‘Multibowl’, is the premier lawn bowls competition for athletes with a physical disability in Australia.

The 2019 Multibowl attracted more than forty-five athletes from across six states and territories to compete over six days of competition for national honours.Teams from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory met in Mackay to take on the challenge.

Queensland was looking to defend their 2018 Interstate Aggregate National Title in front of a home audience. Unfortunately, they were narrowly edged out by Victoria who took home the 2019 Interstate National Trophy!

Disability Sports Australia’s CEO, Jenni Cole, expressed her excitement for the Championship. She said the event was a great success attracting a large number of competitors and spectators to Mackay. The very best Australian lawn bowlers with a physical disability, she said, travelled to Mackay to compete in the Multibowl.

“For the first time ever, not only did the north QLD public have the chance to cheer on the athletes, lawn bowls fans from across Australia could support these amazing athletes during the finals through the introduction of livestream”, Jenni said.

For more information on hosting great events like this across Australia, contact Peta on 0408 582 011.

Photo: Tasmanian athlete and 2019 Clover-Lester Encouragement Award winner, Marcus Hardy. Disability Sports Australia.

Tin Can Bay Pro-Am Success in Gympie

September 2019

The Tin Can Bay Pro-Am, supported by Gympie Regional Council, made a welcome return to the Ladbrokes PGA Pro-Am Series schedule in June, following a 24-year absence.

Adding to the excitement, NSW’s Justin Warren claimed a convincing three-shot win over a highly experienced field. Finishing in a tie for second position were Jack Wilson and Chris Wood, each firing a round of 7-under 65.

Heavy conditions presented for the 33 professionals at the Tin Can Bay Country Club, after a deluge of rain hit the region prior to the tournament.

The elite Tin Can Bay Pro-Am is a national event platform for both professional and amateur golfers. The estimated economic benefit to the region for events like the Pro-Am is significant and Mayor, Mick Curran, said attracting such large-scale events not only had economic benefits but was also a great way to showcase the region and all it has to offer.

“These events give us a great opportunity to generate interest on the national stage, especially with some of these events expected to receive national media coverage,” said Mayor Curran.

Mayor Curran said high calibre event attraction was a key economic objective of Gympie Regional Council and this success could only be achieved when Council worked in partnership with other businesses.

“We make sure that all events that we support are required to market local accommodation options and holiday experiences to their members through their databases,” he said. “Often the event organisers go even further; for example, the 2019 Tin Can Bay Pro-Am ran clinics at the local golf club for both adults and juniors throughout the event.”

To host events like the Tin Can Bay Pro-Am, talk to Sports Marketing Australia and find out what your region can achieve. Call our Business Development Manager, Peta Howard from Sports Marketing Australia and see what economic benefits are available to your region.

Contact us on 02 6652 1112 or ring Peta for more information on 0408 582 011.

Photo: The elite Tin Can Bay Pro-Am is a national event attracting both professional and amateur golfers. Justin Warren showing his swing.

Mandurah & Bunbury Attract Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers

September 2019

The Perth Wildcats will play a three-game, pre-season series against the Adelaide 36ers in Perth and the South West this week.

Two of the three games will be held in Mandurah and Bunbury and will be the first hit-outs of the Wildcats pre-season. Mandurah kicked off by hosting the opening game of the series on 4 September at MARC Mandurah.

Game Two will be a Friday night blockbuster at Bunbury’s South West Sports Centre on 6 September. As part of the trip to Bunbury, the Wildcats will also host two community clinics on Saturday, 7 September which form part of the Perth Wildcats team visit to the region.

The clinics consist of skills sessions, games and giveaways. Fans must register for the clinics and are encouraged not to miss this rare opportunity to meet some of the Perth Wildcats and get involved in basketball clinics run by the players themselves.

School visits, including a skills clinic will form part of the visit for both Mandurah and Bunbury.The third and final game will be played on Sunday, 8 September.

These games will be the first and only chance for the Red Army to check out the brand new Wildcats team in action in WA! The games will bring significant media attention to these regions and promote basketball to the communities, particularly through the clinics.

Business Development Manager for Sports Marketing Australia, Peta Howard, said the games will attract big crowds with some already selling out.

“This is a great opportunity to see the Perth Wildcats in action and to cast a spotlight onto these regions, showcasing the great sports facilities and local attributes,” Peta said.

You can attract high profile events like this to your region. Our SMA Account Managers will outline how your region will benefit from strategic events placement. Call 02 6652 1112.

Photo: The Perth Wildcats are preparing now for an exciting three-game, pre-season series against the Adelaide 36ers, attracting significant media attention.

Hustle - Urban Adventure Challenge Launched

June 2019

The Hustle – Urban Adventure Challenge has been launched in Australia whipping up excitement across the events industry.

Fully Rad Adventures is an outdoor event company with a passion for getting people outside and amongst it. The founders have over 35 years of event industry experience and have been active in the adventure sports industry for the last 15 years.

An urban treasure hunt, in similar style to the popular television show, "The Amazing Race" offers a series of events across Australia in 2019/20.

Sports Marketing Australia has secured the Hustle Urban Adventure Challenges for a number of our contracted councils, including Port Stephens, Logan and Mandurah.

In teams of two, entrants explore a set precinct on foot answering questions, solving puzzles, interacting with businesses and completing unique challenges - all with the end game of completing the competition with the most points.

The Hustle is a great way to engage the community, promote spaces and create connections with businesses. The event is for all skill and fitness levels and it is family focused with a number of the activities requiring more brainpower than muscle.

There is a limited number of events per state and while some states have their events locked away, there are still spots available.

So, Hustle. Get in touch with your SMA account manager to discuss how your region can be involved. Call 02 6652 1112.

National Hockey Championships Boom Regional Economies

June 2019

Hockey Australia and Inline Hockey Australia have locked away some exciting National Events in Bathurst, Albany and Logan for 2020.

Hockey Australia and Inline Hockey Australia have approved the placement of three national championships in 2020 in SMA’s partnering Councils - Bathurst, Albany and Logan.

Hockey Australia recently confirmed that Bathurst and Albany were successful in their expressions of interest to host national events for the first time, which is great news for these regions.

Bathurst will host the 2020 Under 15 National Championships (480 competitors and officials over 7 days) and Albany with the 2020 National Country Championships (260 competitors and officials over 8 days).

Inline Hockey Australia has also confirmed that the 2020 and 2021 Inline Hockey National Championships will be held in Logan and will attract 530 competitors and officials over 8 days of competition.

SMA National Events Manager, Jason Sleeman, said the successful placement of these national events for Bathurst, Albany and Logan was a significant achievement.

He said the economic boost to these local economies was extremely valuable.

“With all three of these events having between 2,080 - 4,240 bed nights each, based on competitors and officials alone, this will deliver significant economic impacts for these regions," Jason said.

“The flow on effect is really valuable and it shows just how important events placement can be in regional Australia."

Talk to your SMA account manager to outline how your region will benefit from strategic events placement. Call 02 6652 1112.

Adrenalin Rush... Nitro Circus Live

June 2019

Nitro Circus Live is coming to Wangaratta and Port Macquarie for the first time in 2020, attracting crowds of more than 8,000 and promising an exciting display of extreme sports action and brand new world record attempts.

This is a first for both Wangaratta in VIC and Port Macquarie in NSW, as neither town has hosted a Nitro Circus Live event before.

Sports Marketing Australia is putting together a 10+ show schedule for the US based promoter of Nitro Circus Live – known as the world’s most spectacular and highest selling, extreme, action sports event.

The show has successfully staged around the globe including premium stadium locations in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Europe and South Africa but in 2020, the US team is taking the show to regional Australia to share the rush.

The 2020 Nitro Circus Live Regional Tour will be very different to other previous regional tours. Each show will have its own unique world record attempt. Building the excitement, this record attempt will be part of a special promotion for each individual town and it will give the region its own world record to hold.

Nitro Circus Live transforms MTV’s international smash hit TV series into a fully choreographed, live spectacular which blends extreme sports such as freestyle motocross, BMX, skateboarding and crazy stunts with the excitement and raw power of a stadium rock concert.

The show is expected to inject a strong economic benefit into each region (based on 2,660 spectators who will travel to the show) of more than $731,500 direct spend locally. (Average local spend of $275 per person, Tourism Research Australia – December 2019). This ensures that the communities of both Wangaratta and Port Macquarie will benefit from hosting such a popular international sporting event.

Share the buzz of extreme sports energy. Call Jason Sleeman on 0401 359 537.

On Sale Now: Jousting World Championships

February 2019

Tickets are now on sale for the 2019 World Jousting Championships and Medieval Faire in the Latrobe Valley at Lardner Park, in Warragul, Victoria.

On June 1 & 2, 2019, the Latrobe Valley Authority and Baw Baw Council will welcome the best jousting knights from around the world, all in fierce competition to become the next World Champion.

The jousting is brutal and spectacular, featuring real knights in shining armour, in what is the original “extreme sport”. The event is expected to attract more than 10,000 spectators and includes jousters from France, Germany, England, Norway, Canada, Russia and Australia, as well as featuring the current world champion, Phil Leitch.

This family friendly festival will transport people back to the Middle Ages as they wander through a historical village and witness other amazing attractions, like the trebuchet, a giant medieval catapult, swooping birds of prey, archery, a kid’s knight school, sword battles and much more.

“Spectators can see knights in full armour engaging in action-packed jousts on horseback," National Events Manager, Jason Sleeman said. "It is unique. You can watch Vikings as they storm the field in large-scale armoured battles and taste gourmet food, ales and meads.”

This event attracts global TV distribution and international media attention. Check out the action:

www.facebook.com/702337366811783/posts/772155359829983?sfns=mo

Find out more about opportunities like this. Call Jason on 0401 359 537.

Extreme Action Sport, Festivals & Destination Tourism

February 2019

Sports Marketing Australia is expanding its offerings in the free TV arena, with a variety of dynamic, entertainment events available to regional LGAs across the nation in 2019/20.

The opportunities include large scale events like Professional Bull Riding and a variety of unique music festivals including Under the Southern Stars held in locations such as Port Macquarie, Shoalhaven and Port Adelaide in January 2019. More locations will be announced for 2020.

“There are niche opportunities to secure large scale, promoter style events now through SMA,” Business Development Manager, Nick Chudzik said. “These include Triple J Backed youth music festivals, boutique food and wine pairing events and Professional Bull Riding, Texas style with a mobile 4,500 seat stadium!

“The bull riding is something really different through the 2019 PBR Monster Energy Tour. Every event offers an international pathway that includes over 300 competitions world-wide.

“The PBR events are a combination of the most extreme action sport products in the market, combined with live entertainment and a unique culinary experience with American BBQ, Brazilian, Texan and Mexican cuisine.”

Meanwhile, SMA has a number of music festival proposals currently in the market that cater for all age demographics and all styles of music. Many of these festivals have a specific quality, whether it be music and wine pairing, a boutique festival experience or a chilled, Triple J focused event.

Nick says rare opportunities still exist with destination and tourism focused, lifestyle TV programs (see our MD Message). These focus on popular outdoor adventure, leisure and exciting on-location cooking programs with celebrity chefs.

Put your region in the spotlight. Don’t miss out. Councils need to call Nick on 0434 436 260.

High Speed Start With Big Events in 2019

February 2019

SMA has hit the ground at high speed in 2019 signing up new Local Government Areas into the Events Placement Program, as well as attracting new and exciting entertainment events.

The new councils include Wanneroo and Joondalup in Western Australia, Murray River Council in NSW, Wellington Shire, Ararat and Bass Coast Councils in Victoria, as well as Onkaparinga in South Australia and Gladstone and Brisbane Marketing in Queensland.

“The impact is vast,” SMA Managing Director, Rick Sleeman said. “Since we launched the program, SMA has generated a total of $3.76 billion direct spend into the local economies of the Councils who engage us. We placed 561 events in the past calendar year alone.

“We have seen 2.1 million satisfied competitors (excluding accompanying partners) and this is a great achievement. The Events Placement Team works with 310 event owners, who combined, have created 13,700,000 bed nights across Australia.

"That is a lot of people traveling into destinations as event participants who are experiencing new tourism opportunities. Overall, this success equates to 3,481 events in total with $23.1 million invested into sporting organisations."

To secure events like these, call Jason on 0401 359 537.

2020 BMX Super Cross World Cup

November 2018

For the first time in more than 10 years Australia will host, not one, but two Rounds of the 2020 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) BMX Super Cross World Cup.

Sports Marketing Australia has been busy over the past 12 months working with Bathurst Regional Council, Greater Shepparton Council and Cycling Australia on bids to host the 2020 BMX Super Cross World Cup, which was officially announced by the UCI.

This will be the first time since April 2008, and only the second time ever, that Australia has hosted the world cup series. The last event was conducted at Adelaide Showground, South Australia in the lead up to the Beijing Olympic Games.

The UCI BMX Supercross World Cup round will be held in Shepparton on Saturday 1 and Sunday 2, February 2020 and in Bathurst the following weekend on Saturday 8 and Sunday, 9 February 2020. These will be two of the last major BMX events before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with qualifying points still occurring.

SMA National Events Manager, Jason Sleeman, said more than 200 of the world’s best male and female BMX riders, from over 30 countries, will be participating in Shepparton and Bathurst.

“Over 3,000 people are expected to attend both events with 2,000 of these expected to be coming from out of the region and staying for up to 7 days in the host regions,” Jason said. “Following on from the Australian World Cup rounds in February 2020, the series will then travel to Manchester, Great Britain for rounds five and six. From there, the next two rounds will be in Papendal, Netherlands before the final stop for the last two, of 10 rounds, in Rock Hill, South Carolina in May 2020.”

General Manager Sport for Cycling Australia, Mr Kipp Kaufmann, said this was an exciting development. “Without the vision and support of the Bathurst Regional Council and Greater Shepparton City Council, events like this wouldn't be possible,” he said. “We are excited to welcome these world class events to Australia in 2020.”

To secure events like these, call Jason on 0401 359 537.

Huge success in Events Placement

November 2018

It was a big month for SMA in October with more than 57 events hosted in venues around the country, attracting close to 12,000 competitors plus their accompanying family and friends.

The average spend of a ‘sports tourist’ whose purpose of travel is to compete in, or spectate at, a sporting event is $274 per person per day (year ending June 2018 – Tourism Research Australia). The accompanying partner number is 35,568 indicating that the economic benefit for these local communities is around $29,877,120.

Key events on the calendar included the 2018 Long Course Weekend in Shoalhaven with more than 1, 000 competitors running, swimming and cycling in the unique event format. Also on offer was the popular 2018 Yamba Yoga Festival providing a weekend of yoga, music and mindfulness.

Bendigo was the proud host of the Calisthenics State Championships as 1,200 performers took to the stage for eight days of exciting, action packed competition. While in Queensland, Commonwealth Games facilities on the Gold Coast continue to play host to wonderful events with the Volleyball Junior Schools Cup packing out Coomera and Carrara stadiums with 1,500 participants.

Account Manager, Nick Simmons, said the success of these events was further proof that SMA'S Events Placement Program was making a massive difference to local economies.

“This program has delivered more than $3.3 billion in direct spend into local economies since 2001,” said Nick. “The objective is to attract and host major events that provide economic, community and branding benefits within our partnering regions.“

“At SMA, we are uniquely positioned to bring together event owners, Local Government, venues and the community with a proven track record in securing major events.”

Does your LGA want to host a dynamic event attracting thousands of new competitors into the region, call Peta Howard on 0408 582 011.

Grapest 5K Run Wins Some “Me” Time

August 2018

Who says you can’t drink wine and exercise? SMA has teamed up with the crew at Centaur Outdoor Events to launch a unique series of activities across Australia.

The Grapest 5K combines an afternoon run through the vineyards, followed by wine tasting and live entertainment as the sun goes down. Since the concept debuted in 2017, SMA has placed new events into a number of our partnering councils including Shoalhaven, Bendigo, Margaret River, Langhorne Creek as well as new destinations like Waroona and Port Macquarie whose events are still to be conducted.

With 85 per cent of the participants female, with an average age of 40, it’s a good escape for hard-working mums (and dads) to enjoy some “me” time.

“This event is all about having a great time, not beating your best 5K time,” Peter Manning from Centaur Outdoor Events said. “Participants can take in the amazing views as they run, walk or skip their way along a 5K or 10K course through the vines.

“After the hard yards are done, participants collect their 2018 wine cup and finisher’s medal, take a breath and relax through the now-famous ‘Wine Waddle’ (four wine tasting stations), then dance the afternoon away to a mainstream Australian band.”

If you are interested in hosting one of these exciting events and attracting new visitors to your region, contact your SMA account representative to find out what SMA can do for you!

New Staff Join a Growing SMA

August 2018

Following a massive 18 months of positive growth and development, Sports Marketing Australia has welcomed three new staff to its dynamic team.

Moving from Southern Cross Austereo/9NBN TV is Nicholas Chudzik, who has joined our National Events Placement Program as a Business Development Specialist. Nick has experience as a Media Sales Executive and previously was the Sales and Marketing Executive and Office Manger General and Sales for the Nine Entertainment Co/9NBN TV. Nick is a creative business development professional, with proven ability in strategic thinking and is keen to begin his new role with SMA.

Also joining the team as a Senior Capacity and Capability Analyst is media consultant, Brad Greenshields. Previously working as an Editor for News Corp Australia (North Coast News), Brad has extensive experience in sport, having worked as a newspaper sports editor for more than a decade. Brad has also competed at representative level in a variety of sporting codes and is looking forward to the challenge of touring new terrain to identify opportunities for growth across the Events Placement Program.

Another fresh face in the SMA office is Claire Allbeury, who recently joined the Omni Sports Management Support Team as Help Desk Manager. Claire has experience in retail, sales and marketing and was previously the Store Manager for Lorna Jane (a leading women’s activewear brand). Claire has excellent people skills and a clear talent for training and professional development. Claire prides herself on her ability to create a memorable customer relations experience and her aim is to leave all parties satisfied and smiling. Her love of “amazing customer service”, uncanny knowledge of all things IT and knack for problem solving make Claire the ideal Helpdesk boss.

Talk to the team at SMA today.

Inspiring Growth in Australian Sports Tourism

May 2018

Sports tourists are spending big dollars in regional centres, according to the latest Tourism Research Australia data. The new research indicates the top three expenditure categories for overnight domestic tourists and those visitors specifically travelling to spectate or participate in sport, are:

1. Accommodation $718,852,000
2. Takeaways and restaurant meals $415,301,000
2. Domestic airfares $274,465,000

Accommodation and meals for sports tourists are up 10% and 12% respectively, while domestic airfare expenditure is down 4% on the previous 12 months. SMA works with both Councils and sporting organisations to leverage the opportunities for competitors and local businesses when events are conducted within partnering areas. For more information on the latest trends and analysis on sports tourism, Contact Us

New Councils Join Events Placement Program

May 2018

Recently joining Sports Marketing Australia, through our Events Placement Program, are Cobram Barooga Business and Tourism Inc in partnership with Berrigan and Moira Shire Councils. The Councils have united to increase the number of events coming to this great river region and to boost sports and events tourism.

The Councils are working to break down the barriers of being either side of the New South Wales and Victorian border. They are pooling their events infrastructure, tourism assets and regional branding profile for SMA to take to the market as a whole region. A Capacity and Capability Assessment Report will be delivered soon by SMA.

The region, set on either side of the Murray River, plays host to a wide range of high profile events throughout the year with music, food and wine festivals, numerous sporting events and art exhibitions.

Golf Tourism Generates $477 million Per Year

May 2018

The Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) recently launched The Community Impact of Golf in Australia Report 2017 revealing that in total, golf in Australia contributes $3.614 billion annually to the community.

The figure comprises almost $3.483 billion in economic contribution and $132 million in physical and mental health contributions. The report showed that Golf tourism generates $477 million per year through day and overnight visitation, food and beverage spending, accommodation, travel and shopping.

The Murray Bridge PGA Classic was recently a feature event on the South Australian swing of the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series. Sports Marketing Australia was integral in establishing this prestigious event in Murray Bridge while also working with many of our other 53 contracted Councils around Australia to establish new golf events.

SMA works with Golf Australia and PGA as well as a number of their state offices to place events nationally. If you are a Council and you’re interested in hosting a state, national or international golf event, please Contact Us

Next Level for Epicentre.tv Live Streaming

May 2018

We know people who love sport are always on the lookout for the next big thing and Sports Marketing Australia is now working with Epicentre.tv to provide the platform to share that sporting passion!

Epicentre.tv provides an end-to-end solution for sporting associations, specialising in broadcast production, national and international licensing and multi-platform distribution.

SMA’s National Events Manager, Jason Sleeman, said event owners and Councils would love the exposure which this new live streaming service generates. “This is an amazing opportunity for our partnering Councils and event owners,” he said.

“This is all about wider audience and stakeholder engagement, growth and development of the sport as well as access to new revenue streams. SMA understands how to best maximise the appeal of content to viewers and the opportunities that exist to target a wider demographic of sports fans." Epicentre.tv has previously live streamed events for BMX Australia, Tennis Australia, Hockey Australia, Darts Australia, PGA, Golf NSW, Rowing Australia, Cricket NSW, Australian Baseball League, to name just a few.

Contact Us to find out how you can escalate exposure for your sport and events.

Events Placement Program Broadens Scope of Target Events

May 2018

Sports Marketing Australia is now working with 53 contracted Councils and Governments around the country. Feedback in early 2017 was that Councils would like to see an increase in non-sporting event opportunities, so the team at SMA has worked hard over the past 12 months to broaden our relationship base.

SMA placed 483 events in the 2017 calendar year through our Events Placement Program, with everything from Nitro Circus Live shows to Health and Wellbeing/Yoga Festivals, Music Festivals featuring international acts, Food Programs with global TV broadcast, Film Festivals and Pop Up Cinemas.

Director, Rick Sleeman, said the growing relationship base included 497 event owners. "The increase in variety means the team at SMA can better tailor the event offerings to fit the objectives of contracted Councils," he said. "We have everything from Food Truck Carnivals, business events and conferences, as well as traditional state and national sporting championships and elite sporting events on offer."

Contact Us to find out more about the oppurtunites available through SMA's Events Placement Program.

Ultimate Frisbee Championships in Wollongong and Gold Coast

May 2018

Two of Sports Marketing Australia’s partnering Councils hosted national Australian Ultimate Championship events in April 2018 to cap off a huge month for this exciting and growing sport. Wollongong hosted the 2018 Australian Ultimate Championships Division 2 from the 13th – 15th April and Gold Coast the 2018 Australian Ultimate Championships from the 26th – 29th April.

These events had a combined economic impact of $2,697,240 direct spend (Tourism Research Australia – December 2017) and attracted competitors and their accompanying partners from across Australia.

Ultimate is a non-contact team sport played with a flying disc (Frisbee). It combines elements of netball, touch football, and gridiron into a fast-paced sporting experience. Ultimate is played in over 30 countries worldwide, it is a sport at the World Games and has a strong presence in universities and high schools.

If you are a Council and you're interested in hosting state, national and international events get in contact with SMA now.

A Message From Our Director

May 2018

Sports Marketing Australia has evolved significantly since early 2000 and we are growing and enhancing the business across multiple, dynamic, technology platforms.

SMA's Omni Sports Management provides sporting organisations with a state of the art, sports administration and database management system. This customised software increases functionality and the ability to reach current members and attract new ones in a secure environment.

In our next newsletter, we will be announcing two major additions across our innovative technology platforms - developments which deliver significant new benefits across the industry. Stay tuned for more information!

Sports Tourism Injects $2.6 Billion Into Australia's Economy

April 2018

The latest figures on Sports Tourism from Tourism Research Australia revealed there were over 2.3 million domestic, overnight sports tourists in 2017. These sports tourists travelled to compete in, or spectate at, a sporting event. The result is a combined impact of $2.6 billion to the economy!

Please contact the SMA team if you would like more information or if you want to calculate the economic benefit of one of your events.

NT Joins Events Placement Program

1 March 2018

The Northern Territory Government has joined forces with Sports Marketing Australia as part of our far reaching Events Placement Program. SMA is currently contracted by 53 LGAs and tourism associations with links to more than 270 sporting organisations as well as global promoters. SMA is now looking at national and international events which can be hosted in the Northern Territory to stimulate the economy.

A Capacity and Capability Assessment will begin soon and this report will be finalised in June highlighting the many new possibilities for the Top End.

Test Driving GC2018

April 2018

Sports Marketing Australia has played an important role in the build up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games by placing pre-Games camps for a number of sports across Australia as well as a number of lead-in events for Gold Coast City Council. The events previewed facilities, transport links, tourism and infrastructure.

More than 6,600 athletes and officials from 70 Commonwealth nations and territories will take part in 11 days of competition from the 4th to 15th of April, 2018. This is the largest sporting event to be staged in Australia this decade, comprising 18 sports and seven para-sports.

GC2018 will leave a long lasting legacy for the communities of the Gold Coast. SMA is proud to be part of the program to test drive these new venues.

GC2018 Countdown

April 2018

Bendigo enjoyed a big session of National and International Rugby over recent months. First up was the Australian and New Zealand Women’s Rugby 7’s with teams starting their preparation for the 2018 Commonwealth Games by playing a number of Gold Medal Rematches in Bendigo. This was followed by the 2017 Australian Rugby Union National Rugby 7’s Championships being hosted in Bendigo with teams travelling from across Australia to compete in the prestigious event. Both events were conducted at the pristine Epsom Huntley Reserve in Bendigo.

Mackay is another regional partner sharing the spirit of the GC2018 by hosting the Opals for a three day camp before they head off to Townsville to compete. All events were placed by Sports Marketing Australia and all were highly successful.

City of Greater Dandenong on Board

April 2018

Another exciting new partner joining Sports Marketing Australia is Greater Dandenong Council. After years of requests from NSOs to join forces with a fringe Melbourne partnering Council, SMA and Dandenong reached agreement recently.

The infrastructure and proximity to the Melbourne Airport will add another dimension to the type of events which can be delivered through SMA. Just 30km from Melbourne’s CBD, Greater Dandenong will spoil you with experiences, cuisine and culture. The area is home to people of more than 150 different nationalities making it Victoria's most culturally diverse community and showcasing the best that multicultural Melbourne has to offer.

Celebrating Australia’s Love of the Water

April 2018

Swimming Australia recently completed a massive 9 days of events in January for the inaugural year of Australia Swims. The new initiative was designed to get more Australians out, off the couch and swimming. Swimming Australia set the challenge to collectively swim a whole lap of Australia and thanks to the efforts of the Australian people, we did it! Australians swam a grand total of 39,113.08 KM, passing the lap target of 35,877KM. Sports Marketing Australia placed 11 marquee swimming events across the country, doing our bit for a healthier Australia.

2019 Oceania Masters Athletics Championships in Mackay

April 2018

A brand new, multi-million dollar athletics stadium will open in Mackay in 2019. Sports Marketing Australia has secured the Oceania Masters Athletics Championships as the first international event for this amazing new venue.

The Championships will be held at the sports precinct, which is under construction at the CQUniversity Mackay campus, from August 31 to September 7 next year. More than 500 athletes and technical officials will take part, with teams from as far away as Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji, Norfolk Island and Papua New Guinea competing.

The $24 million dollar sporting complex will provide the local community and the region with specialised sport and recreational facilities. The athletics facility will include a synthetic surface running track and field event facilities. The aquatic centre will boast a 50m outdoor pool, 25m pool and 15m program pool plus reception and amenities buildings.

Land Locked Council Builds Beach

April 2018

Clever Event Owners are thinking outside the event hosting box placing two high profile beach events in the one land locked LGA. Greater Shepparton Council is in the middle of Victoria with no beaches, but it is enjoying success after building a unique man made beach adjacent to Victoria Park Lake.

The Council has hosted a number of exciting events including the 2017 and 2018 Beach Volleyball World Tour Event in February which was internationally broadcast with teams from across the globe. The USA won the Men’s and Women’s final beating Australia in the Men’s. Included in this event was a foodie festival from Melbourne – the delicious Food Truck Carnival Co. This fun packed festival attracted 25,000 people to Victoria Park Lake across three days.

Greater Shepparton was also successful in securing a Round of the Netball Victoria Beach Netball Series to coincide with the Beach Volleyball World Tour.

Ocean6 Series on Fox Sports

April 2018

Round 3 of the Ocean6 Series (formally Summer of Surf) rolled into Wollongong in December including the flagship Nutri-Grain Iron Man and Iron Women professional competition which was broadcast on Fox Sports via a 2hr highlights package. This gruelling event was placed in Wollongong through Sports Marketing Australia’s dynamic Events Placement Program highlighting the success that can be achieved for regional centres.

A Message From Our Director

April 2018

SMA is 100% committed to creating tools and solutions that improve the way you do business. We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think about our products and services. Your feedback makes us better.

For more news articles and to keep up to date, visit our website at www.sportsmarketing.com.au

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