Sports Minneapolis was named the “Sports Commission of the Year” by the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) at its annual symposium in Knoxville, TN. This honor is bestowed upon the “organization that has demonstrated exceptional impact on its community through sports and visitor spending during the previous calendar year.” In recognizing the regional nature of Sports Minneapolis’ work to bid on, secure and support sports events throughout the metro area, this award category represents markets with a population size of 500,000 and greater. Sports Minneapolis is the sports marketing arm of Meet Minneapolis.

“We are extremely honored to receive this award. It’s important industry recognition for the significant work of our organization. We started 2018 by hosting the Super Bowl, followed by the X Games, WNBA All-Star Game, and NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. These phenomenal events, along with the approximately 70 additional events Sports Minneapolis booked in 2018 for future years, elevate our community as a championship-caliber host region. In addition, the strength of our regional partnerships with St. Paul and Bloomington are real assets, particularly for mega events like the Super Bowl. Large and small sporting events help support tourism and hospitality workers and bring positive economic impact to the area.”

- Sports Minneapolis Executive Director and Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant

The Sports Minneapolis nomination for Sports Commission of the Year also highlighted its work to secure another premier NCAA championship event. In 2018, the NCAA awarded Minneapolis the 2022 NCAA Women’s Final Four – a bid Sports Minneapolis presented along with the University of Minnesota and Target Center. Sports Minneapolis will serve as the local organizing committee for the women’s championship event.

While the Sports Commission of the Year award only focused on 2018, Sports Minneapolis has successfully continued to win major events and future championships for the region including:

• 2019 NCAA Men’s Final Four
• 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
• 2019 USA Taekwondo National Championships
• 2019 X Games
• 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
• 2020 USA Volleyball Open National Championship
• 2020 X Games
• 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Gymnastics Championships 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Regional
• 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four

Sports Minneapolis, as a dedicated entity within Meet Minneapolis has successfully secured major sports events going back to the 2014 Major League Baseball All Star Game. Prior to that, Meet Minneapolis had decades of success in bringing these types of events to the region (like the 1992 Super Bowl and 2001 NCAA Final Four).

Special thanks to our key regional partners: Visit Saint Paul, Bloomington CVB, Discover St. Louis Park, and Twin Cities Gateway.

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