SportsTravel magazine has announced the list of sporting events that have been nominated for the 2006 SportsTravel Awards. Events are nominated and then voted upon by readers of SportsTravel, the sports world’s event magazine. Criteria for nomination and voting include superior organization of and attendance at the event, a superior experience for the competitors and/or spectators at the event, and how the site or venue served to enhance the event. To be eligible, nominated events had to occur between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006.
Final balloting is open through September 15, 2006. Winners will be announced at the TEAMS 2006 Conference & Expo, October 11-14, 2006, in Las Vegas.
“The events that have been nominated are prime examples of excellence in the organization and management of sporting events,” said Timothy Schneider, publisher of SportsTravel magazine, which organizes the TEAMS Conference & Expo. “SportsTravel readers are the leaders of the sports event industry and they really know what it takes to execute high-quality athletic events,” said Schneider. “The SportsTravel Awards program is an opportunity for them to honor their peers for a job well done.”
Official ballots are available in the August and September issues of SportsTravel magazine. Readers may also vote online at http://www.sportstravelmagazine.com/. The ballot includes nominees in amateur, collegiate and professional categories. Awards in those three categories will be given for best single-sport event, best multi-sport or multi-discipline event, and best sports event series or circuit. Voters will also select the best new sports event of the past year and an overall Sports Event of the Year from among the nominated events.
The TEAMS 2006 Conference & Expo, sponsored by Best Western International, is the world’s largest annual gathering for the sports event and sports-related travel industry. For further information or to register, visit http://www.teamsconference.com/.
TEAMS and SportsTravel are owned by Schneider Publishing Company, Inc., the Los Angeles-based company that also publishes Association News magazine. The group travel markets served by Schneider Publishing Company generate 105 million room nights annually. For further information, please call toll-free (877) 577-3700.
Following are the 2006 SportsTravel Award nominees:
Best amateur single-sport event
2005 AAU 16-U Girls Basketball National Championship, Lake Buena Vista, FL
2005 Pop Warner National Championships & Super Bowl, Lake Buena Vista, FL
2006 Race Across America, Various
2005 USA Field Hockey National Festival, Palm Beach County, FL
2006 U.S. Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships, Fox Cities, WI
2006 Walt Disney World Marathon, Lake Buena Vista, FL
Best amateur multi-sport or multi-discipline event
2005 AAU Junior Olympic Games, New Orleans, LA
2006 Olympic Winter Games, Turin, Italy
2005 State Games of America, Colorado Springs, CO
2005 USA Gymnastics Visa Championships, Indianapolis, IN
2005 World Masters Games, Edmonton, AB
2005 World Police & Fire Games, Quebec City, PQ
Best amateur sports event series or circuit
2005 Dizzy Dean World Series, Southaven, MS
2005 Elite Racing Musical Marathon Series, Various
2005 USA International Hockey Cup, Blaine, MN
2006 AAU Junior Beach Volleyball Tour, Various
2006 Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series, Various
Best collegiate single-sport event
2005 Army-Navy Game, Philadelphia PA
2006 Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic, Green Bay, WI
2005 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championships, Daytona Beach, FL
2006 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Oklahoma City, OK
2006 Rose Bowl (Texas vs. USC), Pasadena, CA
2005 USC vs. Notre Dame Football, South Bend, IN
Best collegiate multi-sport or multi-discipline event
2005 Summer World University Games, Izmir, Turkey
2006 CIS Indoor Track & Field Championships, Saskatoon, SK
2006 NCCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Upland, IN
2006 NJCAA Indoor Track & Championships, Manhattan, KS
2006 NJCAA Swimming & Diving National Championships, San Antonio, TX
Best collegiate sports event series or circuit
2006 NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Tournament, Sioux City, IA
2006 NAIA Men’s College World Series, Lewiston, ID
2006 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, Indianapolis, IN
2006 NCAA Men’s College World Series, Omaha, NE
2006 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, Milwaukee, WI
2006 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament, Philadelphia, PA
Best professional single-sport event
Hornets vs. Lakers Basketball on March 8, New Orleans, LA
2005 Ironman Triathlon World Championships, Kona, HI
2006 Kentucky Derby, Louisville, KY
2006 Masters Tournament, Augusta, GA
2006 Primal Quest, Utah
Super Bowl XL, Detroit, MI
Best professional multi-sport or multi-discipline event
2005 Dew Actions Sports Tour Playstation Pro, Orlando, FL
2005 ESPN Summer X Games, Los Angeles, CA
2005 Stihl Timbersports Series Championships, Virginia Beach, VA
2006 Teva Mountain Games, Vail, CO
2006 Velocity Games, Corpus Christi, TX
2005 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Las Vegas, NV
Best professional sports event series or circuit
2006 FIFA World Cup, Germany
2006 Ford Tour de Georgia, Georgia
2005 MLB World Series, Chicago, IL, and Houston, TX
2006 NASCAR Nextel Series, Various
2005 NBA Playoffs, Various
2005 Tour de France, France
Best New Sports Event
2006 Amgen Tour of California, California
2005 Esurance Icer Air, San Fransisco, CA
2006 Grand Prix of Houston, Houston, TX
2006 U.S. Pond Hockey Championships, Minneapolis, MN
2006 World Baseball Classic, Various