Program

All attendees are required to visit the TEAMS ’23 Registration Center to pick up their credentials, which must be shown for all TEAMS sessions, transportation and social functions.

Need a place to meet up? Connect with business colleagues old and new in a relaxed setting at the TEAMS Welcome Center.

All Sports Events & Tourism Association members seeking their STS designation — and those not currently members of Sports ETA — can register for this special education session, which will be led by Michael Prince, the president and CEO of USPA Global Licensing. Prince will dive into the topic of branding and global licensing from the perspective of the U.S. Polo Association, which has mastered the practice.

Sports ETA members can register through their association accounts by clicking here. This session will also be open to non-members of Sports ETA, who can contact info@sportseta.org to register.

The cost of this exclusive course is $399 for Sports ETA members, and $499 for non-members.

The sports industry is not immune to the technology revolution. AI and automated systems are changing the way we organize tournaments, book hotel rooms, market destinations and conduct customer service. Technology is allowing event organizers new efficiencies to help them manage and execute the most beneficial events. It is also allowing destinations to think in creative new ways to market their locations through immersive branding. In this session, hear from specialists in the space to find out how organizations are approaching technological advances and how your organization can benefit from new forms of tech to enhance sports events of all sizes.

Are sports events truly recession proof? How is inflation impacting events? How can you prepare your events for potential economic uncertainty? In this session, hear from industry leaders about the trends they see when it comes to hotel rates and how hoteliers are working with sports groups, how the insurance market is adapting to the economic realities of parents and event organizers, and what the future may hold when it comes to the economics of hosting successful events.

If you’re new to TEAMS or are in need of a refresher, you’ll want to attend this fast-paced briefing on how to maximize the productivity and business success of your TEAMS experience. Hear from veteran attendees from both the host city and event organizer perspectives on how to make the most of your time at TEAMS.

Welcome to TEAMS ’23! In this Opening Session that serves as a kickoff for TEAMS, the USOPC’s SportsLink program and the NGB Best Practices Seminar, receive welcomes from Jason Gewirtz, vice president of the Northstar Meeting Group Sports Division, George Linley, president of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, and other dignitaries as we get the conference off to an energetic start.

The Opening Session will also take a look ahead to the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Paris, including looks into upcoming Olympic Trials, a preview of broadcast plans for the event, and discussions with Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls as they prepare for sport’s biggest stage. You'll also get the chance to be exposed to what is sure to be one of the most talked-about new sport additions to the program in Paris — breaking. Get ready for a high-octane start to your week at TEAMS!

During this fast-paced reverse trade show, meet with event organizers to fill available spots on your appointment schedule or discuss other times to meet during TEAMS. The marketplace is designed for quick check-ins so make sure you are not depriving others of their time to meet with event organizers, who will be stationed at designated tables.

Open to event organizers, exhibitors and sponsors only.

Enjoy a relaxing, unstructured hour on the TEAMS Expo Floor, getting to know key contacts in the sports-event industry whom you haven’t met and reintroducing yourself to the people you do know.

Join us for the Opening Celebration of TEAMS ’23 with a true Florida flair at a one-of-a-kind sports venue you’ll never forget. You may think you know croquet from playing casually in the backyard. But you’ve never experienced the sport like you will at the National Croquet Center — the world's largest dedicated croquet venue. You’ll be able to take advantage of the 12 lush, full-sized, championship lawns spanning four acres and try your hand at the professional version of the sport with help from the center’s croquet experts. Constructed in 2002, this is the best-kept secret in the Palm Beaches. 

Enjoy your time on the lawns or simply use the time to network with your fellow TEAMS attendees around the Florida Keys-style clubhouse while you take in music, food and entertainment straight from the Palm Beaches.

To maximize your experience, you're encouraged to wear "Croquet Whites" or "Palm Beach Brights" (pastels, etc.). Please note that flat-toed shoes are required for entry.

Start your day off right with some morning fitness to get your body prepared for the productive day ahead at TEAMS ‘23. Attendees interested in participating should meet on the Hilton Lawn for a morning session focused on yoga. There is no RSVP required but space is limited. 

All attendees are required to visit the TEAMS ’23 Registration Center to pick up their credentials, which must be shown for all TEAMS sessions, transportation and social functions.

Need a place to meet up? Connect with business colleagues old and new in a relaxed setting at the TEAMS Welcome Center.

College championships are some of the most exciting events with the biggest impacts for athletes on the field of play — as well as for destinations hosting the events. The next bid cycles for NCAA and NJCAA championships have started and with that comes a host of questions. In this session, hear from leaders of both bid efforts about how their bid cycles are unfolding, what the organizations are looking for most, and how to position your destination for success. 

Join your colleagues and fellow attendees as we announce the winners of the 2023 SportsTravel Awards in this celebration of the sports-event industry. The National Congress of State Games will also present its Athlete of the Year Awards and special lifetime achievement recognitions, and Compete Sports Diversity and the USOPC will honor recipients for their diversity efforts. 

We'll also recognize key members of the Florida Atlantic University basketball team that made a dramatic run last season all the way to the 2023 NCAA Men's Final Four. Hear what the experience was like for athletes at the Palm Beach County university as they traveled across the rounds from Columbus to New York to Houston, capturing America's attention and affection in the process.

Receive a warm welcome to SportsLink from emcee Steel Johnson, an Olympic silver medalist in diving and 14-time national champion.

SportsLink sessions are open to all TEAMS attendees.

In this rapid-fire session, you’ll hear important updates from leaders at a variety of national governing bodies about their upcoming plans. Updates will include important information about future events as well as specific NGB membership and strategic initiatives that will help position your organization with the latest information to partner with the Olympic and Paralympic Movement.

SportsLink sessions are open to all TEAMS attendees.

More and more opportunities are being presented for athletes in adaptive sports, from new competitions to potential new sports on the Paralympic program. In this session, hear from leaders in the space on what’s coming next, what your destination needs to consider when planning for adaptive sports events and the community growth mindset that is driving the next wave of competition. 

SportsLink sessions are open to all TEAMS attendees.

Continue your networking by joining us for a networking happy hour. 

This is your opportunity to enjoy an open night and discover all that the Palm Beaches has to offer! 

Complete your night out in the Palm Beaches and rejoin fellow TEAMS ’23 attendees at the TEAMS ’23 Late-Night Lounge, the extended-hours networking opportunity pioneered by the TEAMS Conference. Take in the stunning views of the region from the rooftop of the Canopy by Hilton West Palm Beach.

Start your day off right with some morning fitness to get your body prepared for the productive day ahead at TEAMS ‘23. Attendees interested in participating should meet on the Hilton Lawn for a morning session focused on Pilates. There is no RSVP required but space is limited.

All attendees are required to visit the TEAMS ’23 Registration Center to pick up their credentials, which must be shown for all TEAMS sessions, transportation and social functions.

Need a place to meet up? Connect with business colleagues old and new in a relaxed setting at the TEAMS Welcome Center.

The sports event industry has room for everyone. But there are ways your destination can attract an even wider diversity of events and participants. For event organizers, there are similar ways to be thinking about events to ensure the most diverse playing pool possible. In this session, hear from organizations that are succeeding at adding diversity to their events, the challenges that lie ahead in an increasingly divisive political landscape, and how your organization can think differently about the type of events it supports to allow a level playing field for all.

The collegiate sports ecosystem remains a key pipeline for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Without collegiate programs and the events they generate, that pipeline remains at risk. In this session, hear how the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee is working to support a robust collegiate sports system and what college campuses are doing to protect this important landscape and its events.

SportsLink sessions are open to all TEAMS attendees.

Climate change and environmental impact are becoming necessary conversations in all walks of life, and especially so when it comes to sports events in the Olympic and Paralympic movement. In this session, hear how the issue is being addressed within national governing bodies and from destinations that are factoring the climate into their event planning as a result. 

SportsLink sessions are open to all TEAMS attendees.

The Closing General Session will set the stage for next year’s TEAMS. Attendees will receive a special invitation to TEAMS ‘24, September 23–26, 2024, in Anaheim. And you'll also get an update on future plans for the Sports Events & Tourism Association.

Afterward, our concluding session will focus on youth sports, which represent the largest segment of the sports-events industry. Keeping kids safe while they are involved in those sports has become an increasingly difficult yet crucial task. Recent high-profile situations with Damar Hamlin and Bronny James have underscored the need for venues and organizations to have plans in place to keep athletes safe on the field — and the same holds true for youth sports. As National Youth Sports Week turns its attention to athlete safety, we dive into ways organizations are tackling the subject. What strategies should sports organizations, host cities and venues deploy to ensure players’ needs are being met? In this session, hear from industry leaders on what it means to keep participants safe to ensure the ultimate goal that they have fun and take away the best of what sports have to offer.

Appointments will start at 2:30 p.m.

Come celebrate the end of TEAMS ’23, courtesy of our future host cities, as we look forward to TEAMS ’24 and beyond! We’re planning a fun night of food, games and entertainment at E.R. Bradley’s Saloon, the landmark bar and restaurant on the West Palm Beach waterfront at the city’s backyard. The venue is the home of good times and named for Colonel E.R. Bradley, who built a turn-of-the-century beach club that inspired a modern-day landmark — one that is both a place of celebration and a place to relax in the spirit of the Palm Beaches.

And make sure to be on hand at 8:30 p.m. for the announcement of the winners of the Event Organizer Contest, who will take home a total of $5,000 in cash prizes!