The Comeback Playbook: From Natural Disaster to Sports Destination

From Data to Decisions: How Active Insight is Changing Sports Tourism

Sports tourism leaders are constantly being asked to make faster, smarter, and more strategic decisions — but what happens when you finally have the data to back them up? In this episode, Sports ETA President & CEO John David sits down with John D’Orsay, CEO at EventConnect, to discuss Active Insight, powered by EventConnect — the newest data intelligence platform built specifically for the sports events & tourism industry. Together, they explore: 1. What Active Insight actually is. 2. How destinations and rights holders can use the platform. 3. The value of real traveler and booking data. 4. How members can uncover trends, answer questions, and make stronger decisions. Whether you’re focused on bidding, event strategy, advocacy, hotel demand, or understanding participant behavior, this episode will help you understand how Active Insight can become a powerful tool for your organization. Learn more about Active Insight: https://research.sportseta.org/active-insight/ [https://research.sportseta.org/active-insight/]

Designing the Destination: Architecture, Economics, and the Vision Behind Bluhawk with Bart Lowen

In this episode, we sit down with Bart Lowen, Price Brothers' VP of Development,  to explore the massive shift in sports tourism: the rise of the mixed-use district.  Using projects like Bluhawk and the North River District as blueprints, Bart explains why communities are no longer just building stadiums—they’re building entire ecosystems of hotels, retail, and entertainment.  We discuss the economic impact of "walkable" sports environments, why event organizers are now prioritizing these lifestyle hubs, and what destination leaders need to know before breaking ground on the next generation of sports-anchored developments.

The Comeback Playbook: From Natural Disaster to Sports Destination

What happens when a natural disaster threatens to wipe your destination off the map? You don’t just rebuild—you reinvent. In this episode, we sit down with the powerhouse team from North Little Rock Tourism to unpack one of the most inspiring comeback stories in the sports tourism industry.  After a devastating natural disaster shifted their entire landscape, the NLR team didn't just aim for "normal"—they aimed for "better." Join host Kathrine and special guest Shelbey Morris, North Little Rock Tourism's Senior Manager of Sales and Partnerships, as they walk us through the journey from survival mode to a competitive masterclass in resilience.  We dive deep into how they used a sports feasibility study to silence the noise and sharpen their strategy, the "unlikely allies" that fueled their recovery, and the massive revitalization of the community’s crown jewel: Burns Park.

From Confidence to Community: A WISE Arizona Roundtable

Following their impactful panel at the recent Women’s Summit, we are going behind the scenes with three powerhouse leaders from WISE Arizona.  In this episode, Yolanda Mendez, MBA, SPHR, is the Vice President of Human Resources at Desert Services, and Past President and Founding Member of WISE Arizona, Maria Mwangi, CEO of Warehouse215, and President of WISE Arizona, and Gina Phelps Thoebes, PhD, ACC, Vice President, Organizational Performance for the Arizona Cardinals Football Club, and on the Board of Directors for WISE Arizona sit down to expand on the journey from building personal confidence to fostering a thriving professional community.  We dive into the importance of advocacy in sports, the power of mentorship, and how leading with a spirit of "giving back" is transforming the landscape for women in the industry.

Inside the 2026 Sports ETA State of the Industry Report with Tourism Economics

In this episode, we’re joined by Greg Pepitone, Associate Director at Tourism Economics, to unpack the findings from the groundbreaking 2026 State of the Industry Report [https://research.sportseta.org/industry-reports/] presented by Northstar Meetings Group. For the first time ever, the report combines participatory and spectator sports tourism into one comprehensive analysis, revealing the full scale and impact of the industry — a $274.5 billion economic engine supporting communities, destinations, venues, events, and businesses across the country. Greg shares how organizations of all sizes — from small and mid-sized destinations to major markets and event organizers — can use industry data and economic impact insights to strengthen advocacy efforts, guide strategic planning, support funding conversations, attract events, and demonstrate value to stakeholders and community leaders. We also discuss key trends shaping the future of sports tourism, the growing importance of data-driven decision making, and why global moments like the FIFA World Cup represent transformational opportunities for the travel and tourism industry. Looking for quick takeaways and key stats? Download our one-sheeter HERE [https://research.sportseta.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/One-Sheeter.pdf] to explore the latest industry data and insights.