Live The Life
Congratulations to Sports Marketing National Sales Manager, Dani Timm, for being named to the US Sports Congress Advisory Board. We are proud of Dani for being recognized as an sports tourism industry leader. Way to go, Dani!
Check out some of the new additions to this local-favorite annual event!
* “Ramiro Amarelle Beach Soccer Camp” – first time in the USA for such. On the Oceanfront June 4-9. Amarelle is a beach soccer legend from Spain and the Captain of the FC Barcelona beach soccer team. You can google him to see all his heroics. He will be bring over 6 Barcelona clinicians; then stay on to play with his incoming team in the U.S. OPEN and also serve as the 2016 NASSC “guest celebrity”. Chance for local soccer kids to be mentored by the best in the sport! Hails from the same FC Barcelona club as superstars Messi, Neymar and Suarez…
* USA National Beach Soccer Team tryout June 4/5 Oceanfront – first-time event here, conducted by United States Soccer Federation (USSF); will be held adjacent to Ramiro Amarelle youth camp
* New U.S. OPEN international entries – in addition to FC Barcelona (who won the 2015 OPEN over local 3-time winners HRSC Elite), we have attracted the Costa Rican National Team, a professional entry from Meta, Colombia, Team Canada from Toronto and Team Pugg consisting of top athletes from several countries. Also, the Florida Beach Soccer FC Brazilian veterans who have won the OPEN twice…
– NASSC will stage a U.S. OPEN players welcoming reception on Thursday, June 9 at Peabody’s Night Club, during which the official “draw” will occur for placement in the several competitive brackets.
– Peabody’s will also serve as the viewing site Saturday evening for a “COPA AMERICA” professional match between the USA and Paraguay.
* New Title Sponsor! Our title sponsor this year is a civic and sports-minded consortium of four organizations led by Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group and including London Bridge Trading (LBT), Il Giardino Ristorante and 37 North Restaurant. LBT is also serving as the Presenting Sponsor of the U.S. OPEN.
* New NASSC Presenting Sponsor – the City of Virginia Beach has joined the NASSC as Presenting Sponsor of the Festival itself
* New video sport – thanks to Studio Center and Perfect Event Rentals, NASSC will feature first-time live video and streaming coverage of its “U.S. OPEN” pro division
* Shannon Lane, Miss Virginia 2015, will be with us, the 3rd consecutive Miss VA to participate as a celeb. While here, she’ll be speaking to the local Special Olympics group June 11 at 4 PM on the sand
* NASSC will again present its highly popular “SideKick” beach venues including coed football, lacrosse, sand hockey, wrestling, All-volley futbol and new attractions “Spikeball”, involving 2v2 competition using a mini-trampoline, and “Knockerball” (bubble soccer) coming to the U.S. from overseas
After 23 years of operation, the mission of NASSC remains that of:
– generating revenues to support the development and maintenance of the 75-acre privately operated “Hampton Roads Soccer Complex” in Va Beach; tournament volunteers come from the HRSC-affiliated soccer clubs of Beach FC, the Virginia Rush, the men’s Over-30 Soccer League and the Southeastern Virginia Women’s Soccer Assn
– provide youth and adult athletes the opportunity to enjoy a rapidly developing sport. NASSC remains the largest amateur and pro/am beach soccer festival in existence worldwide
– sport of beach soccer growing rapidly in the USA; when NASSC began in 1994, it was only one of two such competitions in existence. Now there are about 60+
Beach compared to grass soccer:
– faster paced overall; more akin to ice hockey
– more shots on goal: typically average 60 shots per match
– less dribbling due uneven sand surface
– usually played bare-footed; sand socks optional; nice if temps get toasty
– more aerial action – headers and “bicycle” kicks
– less chance for injuries.. sand more forgiving than grass
– more festive atmosphere; termed “salsa on the sand”
– sand viewed as the “great equalizer” in skill and endurance
– and finally, what’s not to like about surf, sun and sand with your soccer?
We are proud to announce the second industry event of the 2016 Tourism Excellence in Business & Leadership Seasonal Series, “Scoring Big with Sports Marketing” will be held Thursday, June 2 at the Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club. The event will feature Jon Schmieder, Founder and CEO at Huddle Up Group LLC, who will discuss the challenges and opportunities of Sports Marketing in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. This event is open to all stakeholders within the Virginia Beach hospitality, tourism and travel industry. Happy hour will be sponsored by the Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club. Event registration is available online at www.visitvirginiabeach.com/leadershipseries.
WHO:
Our awesome Sports Marketing team!
WHAT:
2016 Tourism Excellence in Business & Leadership Seasonal Series Event: “Scoring Big with Sports Marketing”
WHEN:
Thursday, June 2, 2016
2:30-3:00pm EST Registration
3:00-3:30pm Hot Topics
3:30-5:00pm Speaker
5:00-6:00pm Happy Hour
WHERE:
Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club, 1950 Thomas Bishop Ln, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
COST:
Free
ATTIRE:
Casual Company Logowear
The Connect Sports FAM with some of our Sports Marketing Team went on a dolphin watching expedition yesterday. The weather wasn’t great, but the trip was still a great time. They saw a number of dolphins swimming around the boat at the north end. The guide even pointed out a new baby dolphin, the first she had seen this season. Thanks to Courtney Dyer for the great photo!
Check out this great write-up by the Virginia-Pilot on the 2016 USA Ultimate Beach Championships, which are this Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m!
Beginning on Tuesday and running through today, VB Sports is hosting the Connect Sports FAM. They have welcomed 20 power players from the Sports Tourism industry and are rolling out the red carpet for their trip. Great job, Team!
Our Sports Marketing team will be working with USA Ultimate next week, as they host a free Learn to Play clinic at the 2016 USA Ultimate Beach Championships on Saturday, May 14 for boys and girls, aged 8-16.
With many events in town, including USA Gymnastics Level 9 Easterns at the Convention Center among others, check out some shots of the action!
With the Sports Marketing team welcoming thousands of visitors to town for this weekend’s U.S. Finals, it is important that our guests know some of the places to have some fun when they get here. The CVB works with clients like U.S. finals to help them promote all things VB, so that no one misses out on the fun.
Check out this great video:
The Naval Academy will now be among the teams scrumming for the top prize at the 2016 ACRC7s Rugby Tournament that will be at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex, April 30-May 1. Matches take place Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday from 10am-3pm. Admission is $5 per day (kids under 12 free).
Read more about the newest addition here!