Industry Press Room - Athletic Business

Monday, March 19, 2012

U.S. Olympic Committee Launches Safe Sport Program

Posted by AB Editors

Source: U.S. Olympic Committee

The U.S. Olympic Committee today announced the launch of Safe Sport, a welfare training program aimed at improving the safety of athletes. The program is the latest step taken by the USOC to implement the recommendations of its Working Group for Safe Training Environments. "Sport offers children immeasurable benefits, whether it's learning the value of teamwork and fair play, or simply gaining from a healthy and active lifestyle," said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. "As sport administrators, it's our job to provide opportunities for young athletes to compete and to ensure that they can do so in a safe and secure environment. That requires constant vigilance and the U.S. Olympic Committee is committed to provide leadership, energy and resources in the effort to safeguard children." In 2010, the USOC convened the Working Group for Safe Training Environments and charged it with the task of developing a set of recommendations concerning misconduct in sport. The diverse group, which included individuals from the Olympic family as well as external experts, focused on four primary objectives:

~Address sexual and physical misconduct in sport
~Review the guidelines across sport and sport-related organizations for responding to these issues
~Assess the needs of athletes, coaches, staff, National Governing Bodies, clubs and other sport organizations
~Develop a set of recommendations to promote athlete well-being

Based on the group's report, the USOC hired a director of safe sport in 2011 charged with developing a robust program to address misconduct in sport by providing information, training and resources. The immediate Safe Sport resource being made available is an 80-page handbook titled "Recognizing, Reducing and Responding to Misconduct in Sport: Creating Your Strategy," which aims to guide the development, implementation and internal review of effective athlete welfare and misconduct prevention strategies for local, regional and national sport organizations. The handbook, developed in consultation with the NGB Council and its Safe Sport Taskforce, has been distributed to each of the NGBs in the U.S. Olympic family and is endorsed by the full NGB Council.

"This handbook will serve as a helpful guide to all NGBs as they create policies and procedures to ensure that young athletes have every opportunity to participate in sport while ensuring that the training environment is safe and secure," said Ron Van Pool, chairman of the NGB Council's Safe Sport Task Force. "Every sport and every sport organization is different. This handbook recognizes that fact and provides for the appropriate application of different strategies for different organizations, all of which serve the goal of protecting athletes."

In addition to the handbook, a new website is in the final stages of development and will be launched later this month. It will offer downloadable material, including the handbook, best policies and procedure practices, a professionally produced video certification training program and other resources to identify the potential signs of abuse, the environments in which abuse can occur, and direction on how to raise a red flag before any inappropriate behavior occurs. Finally, recognizing that legal guidance and assistance will be required in some instances, a Safe Sport Legal Referral Network has been formed thanks to a group of generous firms and legal professionals committed to providing legal support to NGBs, free of charge, to aid them in appropriately investigating claims of athlete maltreatment.

Posted At 10:55 AM • Comments (0)

Connor Sport Court and UPS Take Men's 2012 Final Four Court on Seven-City Tour

Posted by AB Editors

Source: Connor Sport Court

Connor Sport Court International, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance sports flooring, and UPS (NYSE: UPS), an official NCAA corporate partner, today announced that Louisville will be part of a seven-city tour of the hardwood basketball court that will serve as the centerpiece of the 2012 NCAA® Men’s Final Four®.

The Connor Sport Court Final Four Floor Tour transported by UPS will bring the hardwood court to Witherspoon Street between 1st and 2nd in Louisville from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 17.

To see the court assembled in quick time go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGqymbK3p5g.

A documentary team from CBS Television is filming the tour, from construction of the court in Amasa, Michigan, to Final Four play in New Orleans.

There will be free fun for everyone:

The first 100 individuals showing up will receive an official NCAA 3”X 6” piece of the floor emblazoned with the Final Four logo.

Have your photo taken on the 8’ X 8’ Center Court replica piece

Play basketball on a genuine Sport Court® backyard court

Play the NCAA Trivia Game

Sign the Final Four Floor Tour banner.

The Final Four will take place March 31 and April 2 at the Superdome in New Orleans. The championship court, which will be transported by UPS Freight, will begin its road trip on March 16 at UPS’s hub in Columbus, Ohio. From there it will travel on March 17 to Louisville, Ky., one of the host sites for the second and third rounds of the men’s tournament.

On March 19, the court will make a stop at the UPS Freight facility in Atlanta followed by Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., on March 20; the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg on March 21, and LSU in Baton Rouge on March 22 before arriving at its final destination in New Orleans on March 23.

The court, A QuickLock™ portable system, was crafted by Connor especially for the 2012 Men’s Final Four. It was constructed of northern hardwood maple in strict accordance with NCAA specifications. Connor Sport Court is a member of the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA) and adheres to the stringent grading and quality standards of that organization.

“It’s a pleasure to partner with the eminent UPS brand on our tour,” said Ron Cerny, President and CEO of Connor Sport Court. “It’s a great pairing. We are the foremost expert in building sports surfaces and UPS is the foremost expert in logistics.”

Connor Sport Court also is supplying the court for the 2012 NCAA Women’s Final Four, which will take place April 1 and 3 at the Pepsi Center in Denver. The hardwood maple for the NCAA Final Four courts is sourced by Connor as rough lumber from about 60 different sawmills, most of which are located in Michigan and Wisconsin.

About Connor Sport Court International
More athletic events are played on Connor Sport Court surfaces than on any other sports flooring in the world. Founded in 1872, Connor Sport Court has established itself as the standard for professional and collegiate sports. Hardwood used in the courts is from a renewable resource with the U.S. growing six times more hardwood than is harvested each year. Sport Court® is a registered trade mark of Connor Sport Court International. Since 1974, it has identified the original and authentic modular sport surface, continuously improved and patented to provide the highest levels of quality and performance. Connor Sport Court is proud to be the only sports surfacing company in the world that is independently audited and certified as “Zero Waste” and fully ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 certified.

About UPS
UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

Posted At 8:54 AM • Comments (0)

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Synthetic Turf Council’s Spring Membership Meeting Breaks Attendance Records

Posted by AB Editors

Source: Synthetic Turf Council

(Atlanta, Ga.) – Held from March 5 – 7, the Synthetic Turf Council ’s Spring Membership Meeting in Las Vegas attracted a record attendance of 226 individuals representing companies located throughout the world and of all types in the synthetic turf industry, including manufacturers, suppliers, installers, landscape architects and engineers, testing labs, and maintenance equipment and service companies. The theme of the conference was “Quality: Live it, Breathe it, Achieve it.”

Enhancing the performance of synthetic turf sports fields was a major focus of the educational program. A session called “STC Guidelines for Synthetic Turf Performance” detailed the STC’s new performance guidelines and applicable test protocols for multi-purpose sports fields. Moderated by John Baize of ACT Global Sports, the panel included Erle Miles of Testing Services, Inc., Rusty Abell of ISA-Sport and Eric O’Donnell of Sports Labs. Grove Teates of Alpine Services discussed “Specifying and Constructing Stable and Lasting Bases Under Synthetic Turf Sports Fields,” and Rich Dunn of Hunter Industries presented on the “Benefits of Irrigation for Synthetic Turf Sports Fields.”

Officials from FIFA, the international governing body for soccer, delivered several updates on the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf (synthetic turf). Johannes Holzmüller and Nicolas Evans applauded the STC for creating performance guidelines and test protocols for multi-purpose sports fields, and described the importance of these guidelines and regular maintenance to assure consistent performance throughout a sports field’s useful life. Dr. Eric Harrison highlighted the exhaustive research that FIFA has conducted that has validated the safety of synthetic turf. FIFA has designated synthetic turf as the best alternative to natural grass in areas where grass cannot grow, withstand heavy usage or be easily maintained.

Environmental responsibility was another key focus of the meeting. David Nardone of Stantec Sport addressed the topic of “Sustainable Athletic Fields – A Case Study,” highlighting its design of the most sustainable playing fields in the country at Battery Park City in New York. Dr. Davis Lee of the InnovaNet Group moderated the “End-of-Life Disposal, Recycling and Repurposing Options for Synthetic Turf and Its Components and Applicable EPA Regulations” panel, whose participants included Mark Heinlein of Turf Reclamation Services, LLC, Mark Mitchell of FieldAway USA and Russ Neuman of Textile Rubber and Chemical. Other highlights of the meeting included an Exhibitor Showcase, and a special report on the STC’s growth and significant impact from STC Board Chairman, John B. Giraud of Target Technologies International, Inc. The STC’s Annual Membership Meeting will be held in Dallas, Texas from October 1 – 3, 2012.

About the Synthetic Turf Council
Based in Atlanta, the Synthetic Turf Council was founded in 2003 to promote the industry and to assist buyers and end users with the selection, use and maintenance of synthetic turf systems in sports field, golf, municipal parks, airports, landscape and residential applications. The organization is also a resource for current, credible, and independent research on the safety and environmental impact of synthetic turf. Membership includes builders, landscape architects, testing labs, maintenance providers, manufacturers, suppliers, installation contractors, infill material suppliers and other specialty service companies. For more information, visit www.syntheticturfcouncil.org.

Posted At 10:22 AM • Comments (1)

Thursday, March 08, 2012

NATA Announces Support of Advocates for Injured Athletes

Posted by AB Editors

Source: National Athletic Trainers' Association

DALLAS and SAN DIEGO, March 7, 2012—The National Athletic Trainers’ Association announced today its official support of Advocates for Injured Athletes (A4IA) and its “Athletes Saving Athletes™” program that provides high school students with training and skills to recognize signs and symptoms of life-threatening injuries. The goal of the program is to reduce the risk and incidence of injury and death among student athletes.

March is National Athletic Training Month with the theme “Athletic Trainers Save Lives.”

Advocates for Injured Athletes also announced today two new San Diego-area schools that will adopt the ASA program. Its next two schedule dates are Thursday, March 8 at Torrey Pines High School and Thursday, March 22 at Point Loma High School. Santa Fe Christian was the inaugural site of the program launch in January and additional schools in San Diego County have already committed. To see the ASA program in action please view: http://youtu.be/rX0GgOK1erQ.

“Every year, high school athletes suffer 2 million injuries, 500,000 doctor visits and 30,000 hospitalizations,” said Beth Mallon, executive director of Advocates for Injured Athletes. “While an estimated 42 percent of U.S. high schools have access to an athletic trainer, these health care professionals cannot be present at all practices and competitions of every school sport, often leaving student athletes vulnerable in the event of a serious injury. We have designed this program as a new line of defense on high school playing fields, equipping student athletes with basic knowledge and skills that empower them to play a role in reducing the risk of life-threatening situations among their teammates and friends.”

“The National Athletic Trainers’ Association is delighted to partner with Athletes Saving Athletes to promote the important message of youth sports safety at the high school level,” says NATA President Marjorie J. Albohm, MS, ATC. “With the extra eyes and ears of students, the athletic training profession thinks this program has potential to be offered in schools around the country. With about 50 percent of high school students participating in sports activities, training student athletes to recognize an emergency and call for help may help save lives and reduce the potential of catastrophic injuries. Our goal is to ensure that youth athletes have access to athletic training services, which is the standard of medical care in almost half the public secondary schools in the U.S.”

A4IA’s team of certified athletic trainers will instruct 50 selected student athlete leaders from each high school using a curriculum developed by A4IA’s panel of medical experts. A4IA’s ultimate goal is to take the program to high schools across the nation, leveraging student empowerment to help improve the culture of safety in youth sports. A4IA-trained student athletes like athletic training student aides, are trained first to call the athletic trainer on site or 911 if the school does not employ an athletic trainer. Athletic training student aides typically are enrolled in the school’s sports medicine classes. They are not allowed to act independently or make return to play decisions.

The daylong training program includes:

§ Training in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator)

§ How and who to call for help

§ Preparation in what may be required of first responders in an emergency

§ Educational videos about three student athletes who survived near-death experiences involving head/neck injury, sudden cardiac arrest and heat stroke and provided the inspiration for the ASA program

§ Instruction on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of life-threatening injuries and medical conditions, including concussion, head and neck injuries, heat illness, sudden cardiac arrest, diabetes, and asthma

Students who complete the program are certified by the American Red Cross in CPR and AED and pledge to share their new knowledge and skills with current and future teammates.

In addition to NATA’s national support, A41A has also partnered with the San Diego chapter of the American Red Cross, which is providing grant funds for the CPR/AED training portion of the program for the current 10-school program.

Mallon and her son Tommy created A4IA after Tommy suffered a catastrophic injury in the final lacrosse game of his senior year at Santa Fe Christian High School in 2009. He suffered a concussion, his neck was fractured (C1) and one of his vertebral arteries had been dissected. An athletic trainer on his school’s medical staff helped to save his life. After nine grueling months of rehabilitation he was able to return to a good quality of life though cannot play sports again. The experience inspired Beth and Tommy, who is now a sophomore at the University of San Diego, to establish the program with a mission of promoting sports safety through education.

About Advocates for Injured Athletes
Advocates for Injured Athletes (A4IA) is a nonprofit, nationwide advocacy organization dedicated to promoting sports safety and to providing essential support, education, and resources to help keep student athletes safe. A4IA works with a team of athletic trainers and medical professionals to provide advocacy, education and resources to promote sports safety. In addition A4IA hope to provide financial assistance to support the need for certified athletic trainers at every high school in the country. For more information, please visit www.injuredathletes.org.

About NATA
National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) – Health Care for Life & Sport
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and sport-related illnesses. They prevent and treat chronic musculoskeletal injuries from sports, physical and occupational activity, and provide immediate care for acute injuries. Athletic trainers offer a continuum of care that is unparalleled in health care. The National Athletic Trainers' Association represents and supports 35,000 members of the athletic training profession. Visit www.nata.org.

Posted At 3:28 PM • Comments (0)

Allstate Becomes Official Corporate Partner of the NCAA

Posted by AB Editors

Source: Allstate

NORTHBROOK, Ill. – March 5, 2012 – Allstate Insurance Company today announced it has become an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA. Through a deal with CBS Sports and Turner Sports, the partnership will expand Allstate’s extensive presence in collegiate athletics, providing opportunities for the company to activate around the NCAA’s 89 men’s and women’s championship events and support important educational and community initiatives.

The timing of the announcement will allow the company to leverage its partnership surrounding this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, which tips off March 13 in Dayton, Ohio with the First Four and concludes with the NCAA Men’s Final Four® in New Orleans March 31-April 2. To launch its NCAA partnership, Allstate will air new television commercials during coverage of the tournament on TBS, CBS, TNT, and truTV.

“Allstate is thrilled to expand its commitment of supporting collegiate athletics and student athletes by becoming an official corporate partner of the NCAA,” said Lisa Cochrane, Allstate’s senior vice president of marketing. “The excitement of the NCAA tournament has shown us that anything can and will happen – it’s March and it can be mayhem.”

“Putting a spotlight on the outstanding achievements of student-athletes in the classroom and in competition is a common goal of the NCAA and our new corporate partner Allstate,” said Greg Shaheen, NCAA interim executive vice president for championships and alliances. “Allstate has shown its dedication to intercollegiate athletics over the years. We’re pleased to welcome Allstate to the NCAA corporate family and provide the company with championship platforms that will broaden its support of student-athletes and place additional emphasis on the value of higher education.”

“Through this multi-year partnership with CBS and Turner, Allstate will have the opportunity to showcase its unique brand of creative messaging and strategic activation at NCAA Championship events throughout the year,” said Chris Simko, senior vice president, CBS Sports Sales and Marketing and director CBS Sports Properties Group. “The NCAA’s corporate marketing program is the perfect fit for a client who has displayed such a thorough corporate commitment to intercollegiate athletics and believes so strongly in the ideal of today’s student-athlete.”

“We’re excited to add another great brand to our Corporate Champion and Corporate Partner family,” said Will Funk, senior vice president of NCAA Partnerships and Branded Programming, Turner Sports. “Allstate’s creative and innovative marketing will bring a unique voice to the NCAA. We look forward to Allstate’s activation across television, digital, mobile and events at various NCAA Championships in the winter, spring and fall.”

Allstate will have presence on-site in New Orleans at the NCAA Men’s Final Four at Bracket Town™ refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero™, providing fans the chance to experience basketball mayhem first hand. Allstate will offer fans the chance to participate in basketball-themed activities and for the chance to win the ultimate college sports fan prize - a trip for two to the 2013 BCS National Championship game and the 2013 NCAA Men’s Final Four in Atlanta.

In addition to its NCAA partnership, Allstate is the title sponsor of the Allstate Sugar Bowl® and the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. The company has also contributed more than $2.4 million in general scholarship donations for successful field goal and extra point kicks as part of its Good Hands® Nets program at 71 partner colleges and universities.

As part of the 14-year multi-media agreement with the NCAA, CBS Sports and Turner Sports are licensed and collaborate on the NCAA’s corporate marketing program. For information about NCAA Corporate Champions and Corporate Partners, please visit http://bit.ly/NCAA_CCCP.

About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®. As part of Allstate’s commitment to strengthen local communities, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate employees, agency owners and the corporation provided $28 million in 2011 to thousands of nonprofit organizations and important causes across the United States.

About Turner Sports
Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in televised and online sports programming, airing championship level sporting events on TBS, TNT and truTV, and managing some of the most popular sports sites on the Internet. Turner Sports’ television line-up includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, NASCAR and professional golf. The company’s digital portfolio includes SI.com, NASCAR.COM, NCAA.com, PGATOUR.COM, GOLF.com and PGA.com, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

About CBS Sports
CBS Sports, a year-round leader in television sports, broadcasts a portfolio of events on the CBS Television Network, including the NFL's American Football Conference; THE NFL TODAY; college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship; golf, including The Masters(r) and PGA Championship; college football, including the SEC ON CBS; the U.S. Open Tennis Championships; CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR, including track & field, auto racing and gymnastics. In addition, the division directs CBS Sports Network, a 24-hour national cable network; produces INSIDE THE NFL for SHOWTIME; and partners with CBSSports.com in creating a recognized leader among sports Internet destinations.

About the NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions—AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola—and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners—Buick, Enterprise, Infiniti, LG, Lowe’s, Northwestern Mutual, Reese’s (Hershey’s), Unilever, UPS and Wheat Thins (Kraft).

Posted At 3:23 PM • Comments (1)

Technogym® and Advantage Fitness Products® Announce Strategic Partnership

Posted by AB Editors

Source: Technogym

SEATTLE—February 1, 2012—Technogym®, the global designer and manufacturer of equipment and solutions designed to help people achieve wellness in their lives through physical activity and Advantage Fitness Products (AFP), a full-service consultancy providing amenity focused fitness facility planning, design, supply, have announced a strategic partnership servicing select markets. The agreement establishes AFP’s representation of Technogym’s proprietary lineup of highly appointed, Italian designed and technology driven products, and will harness AFP’s expertise in key industry verticals including Universities, Residential Property Development, Country Clubs, and selected Hospitality venues.

“We are very pleased to formalize our relationship with Advantage Fitness Products”, said Ivo Grossi, Director of Sales for Technogym USA. “AFP’s expertise and discerning client base coupled with our highly differentiated product offering and global strength represents a special fit for us in the North American Market”. AFP will work to extend the rapid growth and exposure of Technogym in the United States and its specialized line of equipment, software, and industry leading design.

“We feel most fortunate to Partner with such an amazing global business leader. Technogym in many ways has and continues to define our industry. Their equipment designs are timeless, and the company’s commitments to quality, innovation, and attention to detail are second to none. We will insure that our clients learn about what can be done when Fitness transcends into the broader idea of Wellness”.

For a demonstration of Technogym products now available from AFP in the United States, please contact 888.895.0547 or via email at info@afproducts.com or visit www.AFProducts.com.

About Technogym
Technogym, The Wellness Company, creates, designs, and manufactures innovative solutions to cultivate a person's physical and psychological wellbeing by enhancing one's quality of life through physical activity. Technogym USA, is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Founded in Italy more than 25 years ago, the company has grown to employ over 1,600 people at 13 branches worldwide. Technogym was the Official Supplier for the 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, 2006 Torino, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the World Cup 2010 and will be the official fitness equipment supplier for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Additional information may be found by visiting the company’s website at www.technogym.com.

About Advantage Fitness Products
Advantage Fitness Products® is a leading provider of innovative fitness and wellness based solutions for amenity based facilities and private clubs. AFP offers expertise across multiple facets of the health & fitness industry, including facility design, supply and ongoing operational support. AFP’s proprietary FitnessFacility.com provides a specialized fitness facility management tool that generates efficient and cost effective support for the needs of a wellness based amenity. The company’s ADVANTAGE Line of commercial fitness accessories provide safe, stylish, and hygienic enhancement to any fitness environment. For more information visit AFProducts.com or call 888-895-0547.

Posted At 9:07 AM • Comments (1)