[Source: SportAccord] SportAccord President Raffaele Chiulli led the praise of Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 as the inaugural event drew to a close yesterday at the Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center in Florida.

Offering his closing remarks at the end of an engaging conference program, Chiulli expressed his thanks to Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sports Foundation, International Sports & Health Associates and MGO, as well as the event’s attendees, speakers and partners.

“This has been a very important occasion to meet, talk and learn,” Chiulli, who is also President of the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), said. “Fort Lauderdale is a marvellous place and we have been made to feel very much at home. My main takeaway from this event will be the atmosphere here in Fort Lauderdale. The discussions have been open and constructive and this is how friendships are built and consolidated.”

SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt joined Chiulli in thanking José Rodriguez of the Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 Local Organizing Committee, as well as the event’s Gold Partners: Florida Sports Foundation, Greater Fort Lauderdale and Panam Sports.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed towards this inaugural event,” Hatt said. “I would also like to express my sincere thanks to nearly 550 people, representing 70 nationalities, who have come from across Pan America and also from around the world to help get this event off the ground.”

Leading sports stakeholders, influencers and decision-makers also lined up to hail the impact of the inaugural event, with the conference programme focusing on the topic of ‘A United Approach to the International Sport Landscape in the Americas’.

Neven Iván Ilic Álvarez, President of Panam Sports and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member, said after his conference presentation: “I want to thank the organisers of this wonderful event and we will support the event in the future in any way we can.”

Nadia Comăneci, the legendary five-time Olympic gymnastics gold medal-winner, who also featured as a conference speaker, added: “I believe we have seen here at Regional SportAccord that doors are always open to discuss improvements in sport and I hope this is the start of an amazing opportunity for the future.”

Attention will now turn to the next event on the calendar – the highly anticipated 18^th annual SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit from 19-24 April 2020 in Beijing, China.

Registration is open for the annual Summit, which is supported by the IOC and attended by all International Sport Federations and their stakeholders.

Email sales@sportaccord.sport for more further information about becoming an official partner or exhibitor. Follow developments and updates via Twitter @sportaccord using #SA2020, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. Email media@sportaccord.sport for any media enquiries.

[Source: SportAccord] Hundreds of leading sports officials and executives are arriving in Fort Lauderdale from across the globe to explore development opportunities in the Americas with the inaugural edition of Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 set to get underway.

A welcome reception from 7pm to 9pm on 10^th December will kick off proceedings before a packed conference programme runs across Wednesday and Thursday under the theme of ‘A United Approach to the International Sport Landscape in the Americas’ at the Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center.

A bustling exhibition and additional social events will provide further opportunities for dozens of sports commissions, regions and cities from across the Americas to forge closer relationships and explore opportunities with the international sports movement.

The conference programme will feature influential speakers such as Raffaele Chiulli, President, SportAccord and GAISF; Andrew Ryan, Executive Director, ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations); Stephan Fox, President, AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport), Vice President, GAISF; Ivar Sisniega, Secretary General, Panam Sports; and Nadia Comăneci, Five-time Olympic Gymnastic Gold Medallist.

Speakers from the USA, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Chile, Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador and Peru will also be featured on the programme, which will delve into topics including esports, good governance, social responsibility, knowledge transfer, safeguarding athletes, rebranding and the role of data in transforming host cities.

One of the speakers, Willie Banks, Council Member, World Athletics, two-time Olympian and former President of the US Olympians Association, said: “I am very happy that Regional SportAccord is taking place, because it is important that we communicate with each other about the strength of our region and find ways to improve the overall coordination of sport in the Americas.”

Prestigious Partners have also lined up to support the event, which is being hosted in Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County in partnership with International Sports & Health Associates and MGO Events.

Florida Sports Foundation, Greater Fort Lauderdale and Panam Sports have signed up as Gold Partners. The Silver Partners are Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance and Sarasota - Bradenton, while the Bronze Partners are CVB Leon, FITEQ (Fédération Internationale de Teqball) and Guadalajara.

The Top Media Partner is CNN, while the Official Media Partners are AFP, Connect Sports, Host City, iSportconnect, SportBusiness Group, Sportcal, SportsPro and Yutang Sports.

Nis Hatt, Managing Director, SportAccord, said: “We are immensely grateful for the strong support of all our Partners for this highly anticipated gathering.

“We have attracted a large number of representatives from the International Sports Federation community, as well as Ministries of Sport, National Olympic Committees, cities and regions across Pan America, underlining the strong commitment in supporting this inaugural edition.”

Follow Regional SportAccord via Twitter @sportaccord using #RSA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, and for media enquiries, email: info@regionalsportaccord.sport

[Source: SportAccord] Andy Edwards, the Chief Executive Officer of Nitro Circus, the world’s biggest action sports entertainment brand, has been confirmed as a speaker at this year’s inaugural Regional SportAccord Pan America in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

Edwards will participate in a panel session on ‘Rebranding – Opportunities, Challenges and Quick Wins’ at the event on the afternoon of Thursday, 12 December.

Edwards will discuss the development of Nitro Circus from the global action sport collective’s initial focus on the creation of content to the formation of the Nitro Circus live tour and the Nitro World Games. He will be joined by fellow panellists including Michael Miller, Head of Partnerships, Humana Inc., and Jim Scherr, CEO, World Lacrosse, with the session to be moderated by Elizabeth Pérez, the Emmy-winning Television Journalist and Presenter for CNN en Español.

Edwards, who was appointed Nitro Circus’ CEO in February 2019 after two years as President and 10 years after launch of the organisation, which he co-founded, said: “Nitro Circus has undertaken an extensive development and expansion programme in recent years which has seen it become one of the world’s leading live events brands.

“In this Panel Session at Regional SportAccord Pan America I’m looking forward to sharing our experiences and discussing rebranding beyond the more traditional, simple understanding of an organisation perhaps changing its logo or color scheme. I want to talk about how we can navigate the challenges of expanding an existing brand to diversify without travelling too far away from the ethos of the core brand.”

Nitro Circus creates electrifying live events, sport competition, and original content that inspires thrill-seeking fans worldwide. Co-founded by global superstar Travis Pastrana in 2003, Nitro Circus has since grown into a multiplatform phenomenon producing hit television shows, critically acclaimed documentaries and innovative digital offerings.

In 2010, the popularity of the collective led to the formation of the Nitro Circus live tour, which has travelled the globe, playing to sold-out stadiums on five continents. The company then introduced an innovative breakthrough in 2016 with the debut of Nitro World Games, completely rebooting action sports competition in the process. With over three million tickets sold to date, television programming that has aired in over 60 countries, more than 25 million engaged fans across social media and a burgeoning consumer products business, Nitro Circus is at the forefront of sports and entertainment.

Malcolm Hardman, Business Development Manager at SportAccord, said: “Nitro Circus is one of the most original and forward-thinking brands in world sport and we are delighted that Andy will bring his experience to the Conference programme at this inaugural Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019.

“Andy’s involvement in Nitro Circus’ transformation over the last decade will be of great interest to any organisations considering how they can adapt and continue to engage with sports fans in a changing world.” 

Edwards is the latest senior figure from world sport to confirm their attendance at Regional SportAccord Pan America, which takes place at Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center from 10-12 December, 2019.

Raffaele Chiulli, President, SportAccord and GAISF will officially open the Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 conference programme on Wednesday, 11 December. The tone of the conference will be set by a Keynote Address on The Changing Landscape of the International Sports World by Francesco Ricci Bitti, President, ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations). Other confirmed high-profile speakers  include Stephan Fox, President, AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport), Vice President, GAISF; Sarah Lewis OBE, Secretary General, AIOWF (Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations); and Andrew Ryan, Executive Director, ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations).

Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 will bring together the Pan American, Olympic and non-Olympic communities in one location, with the inaugural event set to attract sports commissions, regional, national and international governing bodies, sports ministries, rights-holders, cities and regions, commercial entities and agencies.

Registration is open for the event, hosted by SportAccord in partnership with Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sports Foundation, International Sports & Health Associates and MGO.

For information about becoming an Exhibitor or Partner, request a brochure or contact the sales team via info@regionalsportaccord.sport or +1 954 204 3081.

Follow Regional SportAccord via Twitter @sportaccord using #RSA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, and for media enquiries, email: mailto:info@regionalsportaccord.sport

[Source: SportAccord] Olympic gymnastics legend Nadia Comăneci has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at this year’s inaugural Regional SportAccord Pan America in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in December.

Comăneci became an international superstar in 1976 when, aged just 14, she became the first athlete to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games on her way to a haul of three gold medals in Montreal. The Romanian would go on to win a total of five Olympic gold medals and was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1996.

Since her retirement from competition she has enjoyed a successful career in coaching and business with her husband via the Oklahoma-based Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy. She is also an inspirational speaker and philanthropist, as well as the Honorary President of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and Romanian Olympic Committee.

Comăneci, who has lived in the USA since the 1980s, will bring experiences garnered over four decades in both Europe and the Americas to a Fireside Chat that will kick off Day 3 of Regional SportAccord Pan America on Thursday, 12 December. Having forged a career in competition, coaching and administration, she will bring a unique perspective to a conference which has a theme of ‘A United Approach to the International Sport Landscape in the Americas’.

“I am tremendously excited to be taking part in the inaugural Regional SportAccord Pan America in Florida this December,” Comăneci says. “This is a golden opportunity for the sports sector from across the Americas to come together, exchange ideas and collaborate on the biggest issues affecting the events that we love.

“I am pleased to see that the protection of athletes and social responsibility are among the conference programme’s major themes and I look forward to sharing my own experiences of being a young athlete propelled on to the world stage. I want to talk about what federations and rights-holders can do to ensure the wellbeing of athletes.”

Comăneci is the latest major name from the world of sport to confirm their attendance at Regional SportAccord Pan America, which takes place at Greater Fort Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center from 10-12 December 2019.

Raffaele Chiulli, President, SportAccord and GAISF will officially open the Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 conference programme on Wednesday, 11 December. The tone of the conference will be set by a Keynote Address on The Changing Landscape of the International Sports World by Francesco Ricci Bitti, President, ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations). Other confirmed high-profile speakers  include Stephan Fox, President, AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport), Vice President, GAISF; Sarah Lewis OBE, Secretary General, AIOWF (Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations); and Andrew Ryan, Executive Director, ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations).

Reflecting on Comăneci’s appearance, Raffaele Chiulli, President, SportAccord says: “We are honoured to welcome Nadia - one of the most celebrated athletes in the history of sport – to Regional SportAccord Pan America. Her ‘perfect 10’ in Montreal remains one of the Olympic Games’ most iconic moments more than four decades on.

“With her vast experience of elite competition, coaching and sports administration, as well as her extensive charity work in the Americas and around the world, her Fireside Chat will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of a compelling conference programme.”

Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 will bring together the Pan American, Olympic and non-Olympic communities in one location, with the inaugural event set to attract sports commissions, regional, national and international governing bodies, sports ministries, rights-holders, cities and regions, commercial entities and agencies.

Registration is open for the event, hosted by SportAccord in partnership with Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sports Foundation, International Sports & Health Associates and MGO. For information about becoming an Exhibitor or Partner, request a brochure or contact the sales team via info@regionalsportaccord.sport or +1 954 204 3081.

Follow Regional SportAccord via Twitter @sportaccord using #RSA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. For media enquiries, email: info@regionalsportaccord.sport

[Source: SportAccord] The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) will support the highly anticipated Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 as a Silver Partner of the inaugural gathering from 10-12 December in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.

The CSTA – a non-governmental, member-based, capacity-building organisation dedicated to promoting sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level – will have a major presence at the event, where the Pan American, Olympic and International Sport Federation communities will congregate.

By providing services to more than 500 members across Canada, including 150 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organisations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners, the CSTA is focused on expanding Canada’s flourishing sport tourism sector, which attracts approximately $6.8 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 will serve as a launchpad for collaboration between regional, national and international governing bodies and sports commissions, sports ministries, rights-holders, cities and regions, commercial entities and agencies. More than 50 international sport federations have already signed up to attend the event at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center.

“Canada’s track record as a world-class host has been underlined by events such as the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver, the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015,” says José Rodriguez of the Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 Local Organising Committee.

“As an influential and highly effective sports organisation with roots in the Americas, the backing of the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is unquestionably significant for the profile and prestige of Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019.”

The CSTA’s support for the groundbreaking Regional SportAccord Pan America marks a significant step for an organisation that has been a consistent presence at SportAccord’s World Sport & Business Summit over the years and was a returning Bronze Partner for the 2019 edition of the established annual gathering in Gold Coast, Australia.

Rick Traer, CEO of the CSTA, adds: “Our long-term work to promote the alignment of federal, provincial and municipal hosting programmes is continuing to pay dividends, not just in terms of enhancing Canada’s reputation as an event host, but also with regard to establishing positive legacies in our host communities.

“As we look forward to building on an exciting event calendar, which includes co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Regional SportAccord Pan America 2019 will provide an ideal opportunity to connect with like-minded stakeholders from the global sports movement who have a special interest in the Americas.”

Under the theme of ‘A United Approach to the International Sport Landscape in the Americas’, speakers already confirmed for the event include Raffaele Chiulli, President, SportAccord and GAISF (Global Association of International Sports Federations); Stephan Fox, President, AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport), Vice President, GAISF; Francesco Ricci Bitti, President, ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations); Sarah Lewis OBE, Secretary General, AIOWF (Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations); Marisol Casado, President, ITU (International Triathlon Union); Marius L. Vizer, President, International Judo Federation (IJF); and Vlad Marinescu, Vice President, IESF (International Esport Federation), President, UESF (United States eSports Federation).

Click here to register for the event, hosted by SportAccord in partnership with Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sports Foundation, International Sports & Health Associates and MGO. For information about becoming an Exhibitor or Partner, request a brochure or contact the sales team via info@regionalsportaccord.sport or +1 954 204 3081.

Follow Regional SportAccord via Twitter @sportaccord using #RSA2019, or keep up-to-date via LinkedIn and Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.