The St. Louis Sports Commission:
Delivering the Best in Sports to America’s Best Sports City

The St. Louis Sports Commission is the independent, privately funded nonprofit organization that benefits St. Louis through sports.  Its efforts focus on attracting, creating and managing major sporting events for the St. Louis region – and contributing to its quality of life.

Since its inception in 1989, the Sports Commission has fulfilled its mission by producing a diverse lineup of high-profile events that excite area sports fans, generate revenue for the region, and garner positive exposure for St. Louis.  Pursuing events that matter to the area, the organization helps make St. Louis a stronger and more vibrant community.  It supplements the excitement generated by the area’s professional and collegiate teams to make America’s best sports city even better.  The Sports Commission’s event résumé includes:

U.S. Olympic Festival (1994)
Big 12 Football Championship (1996 & 1998)
The U.S. Open – Track & Field’s Farewell to JJK (1998)
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships (2000, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 & 2012)
U.S. Gymnastics Championships (2000)
NCAA Women’s Final Four (2001 & 2009)
Illinois vs. Missouri State Farm Arch Rivalry football series (2002-2003 & 2007-2010)
U.S. Olympic Women’s Marathon Trials (2004)
U.S. Olympic Diving Trials (2004)
Athens Olympic Torch Relay & St. Louis’ Olympic Centennial Celebration (2004)
NCAA Men’s Final Four (2005)
U.S. Figure Skating Championships (2006)
NCAA Men’s Soccer College Cup (2006)
NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Frozen Four (2007)
Major League Baseball All-Star Game (2009)
NCAA Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional (2010 & 2012)
College Hockey Ice Breaker Tournament (2010 & 2011)

The Sports Commission also represents St. Louis in the NCAA’s Championship City pilot program, which features multiple host opportunities of Division I, II and III men’s and women’s championships.  St. Louis is one of six cities designated as an NCAA “Championship City.”  As part of the program, the Sports Commission and its local partners will produce the 2010 and 2011 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship; the 2011 Division I Men’s Ice Hockey West Regional; and the 2012 Division I Wrestling Championships.  These events follow a remarkable 10 Division I championships that St. Louis hosted from 2000 to 2009.

ENRICHING THE COMMUNITY

In addition to bringing the best in sports to St. Louis, the Sports Commission coordinates a series of youth programs through its affiliated St. Louis Sports Foundation.  The Foundation was established as a legacy of the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1994 to enrich the lives of area children.

Today, the Foundation’s signature initiative focuses on promoting and encouraging sportsmanship, particularly at the youth level.  The Sports Commission’s Sportsmanship Initiative seeks to make St. Louis a model community for good sportsmanship and to create more positive environments for kids to play sports so they will remain active and lead healthier, happier lives.  The organization reaches out to coaches, parents, officials, athletes and fans to make youth sports more enjoyable and to reinforce the values of respect, civility, integrity, and fair play at all levels.

Partnering with the Citizenship Through Sports Alliance, the Sports Commission produces the AT&T National Sportsmanship Awards.  The annual event celebrates all that’s right in sports – recognizing athletes and personalities from around the nation for their integrity, class, selflessness, perseverance, kindness and community service.  It is one of the most meaningful and inspiring nights in sports.

AN INDUSTRY & REGIONAL LEADER

A catalyst for civic benefit, economic development and charitable good, the Sports Commission has been recognized as a leader in its industry and in the community.  The National Association of Sports Commissions selected the St. Louis Sports Commission as its “Member of the Year” in 2002 and 2005.  Among many other awards the organization has received, the Sports Commission was named a “Top 50 Company” by the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association in 2007, and received the Levee Stone Award from The Partnership for Downtown St. Louis in 2005.

The recognition is a testament to the Sports Commission’s value to St. Louis and efforts to help make the area a better place to live, visit, work and play.
For more information on the St. Louis Sports Commission and its events, visit www.stlsports.org.