The SportsTravel Award winners were nominated and voted upon by readers of SportsTravel, the sports world’s event magazine. To be eligible, events had to occur between July 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011. Criteria for nomination and voting included:

• Superior organization of and attendance at the event
• The event provided a superior experience for competitors and/or spectators
• The event’s host city or venue served to enhance the event

“We are pleased to recognize these superior sporting events. Each of the winners is a prime example of achieving excellence in organization and management for both competitors and spectators,” said Timothy Schneider, publisher of SportsTravel magazine, which organizes the annual TEAMS Conference and Expo.

“The SportsTravel Awards program is an opportunity for our readers to honor their peers for a job well done,” said Schneider. “Our readers are the leaders of the sports-event industry, and they really know what it takes to execute high-quality athletic events. These awards reflect their expert evaluation of what makes events superior.”

The ballot included nominees at the amateur, collegiate and professional levels in three categories each. Each event’s host city was also acknowledged during the awards ceremony.

The 2011 SportsTravel Award winners are:

• Sports Event of the Year

2011 Indy 500 in Indianapolis, Indiana

• Best New Sports Event

2011 PBR Last Cowboy Standing in Las Vegas, Nevada

• Best Professional Sports Event Series or Circuit

2011 NFL Playoffs in Various Cities

• Best Professional Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event

2011 Winter X Games 15 in Aspen, Colorado

• Best Professional Single-Sport Event

2011 Indy 500 in Indianapolis, Indiana

• Best Collegiate Sports Event Series or Circuit

2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in Various Cities

• Best Collegiate Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event

2011 NCAA Outdoor Track-and-Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa

• Best Collegiate Single-Sport Event

2011 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California

• Best Amateur Sports Event Series or Circuit

2011 Tough Mudder Series in Various Cities

• Best Amateur Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event

2011 National Senior Games in Houston, Texas

• Best Amateur Single-Sport Event

2011 ABA BMX Midwest Nationals in Rockford, Illinois

The TEAMS Conference & Expo is organized by Schneider Publishing, the Los Angeles-based company that publishes SportsTravel and Association News magazines. For further information on the TEAMS Conference & Expo, please visit TEAMSconference.com or call toll-free (877) 577-3700.

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TEAMS: Travel, Events And Management in Sports is the annual conference and trade show for the global sports-event and travel industries. Established in 1998, TEAMS is the world’s largest gathering of sports-event organizers. For further information on the TEAMS Conference & Expo, please call toll-free (877) 577-3700 or visit SchneiderPublishing.com.

SportsTravel is the sports world’s event magazine. Founded in 1997, SportsTravel was the first magazine to identify and serve the sports-related travel and event industry. Published 10 times a year, SportsTravel is the authoritative source of information for those responsible for deciding where sporting events are held and travel planning for sports-related groups. The readers of SportsTravel generate 47 million hotel room nights annually. For more information, visit the magazine’s website at SportsTravelMagazine.com.

SportsTravel and TEAMS are registered trademarks of Los Angeles-based Schneider Publishing Company, Inc. For further information on advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please call toll-free (877) 577-3700 or +1 (310) 577-3700 if calling from outside the U.S.A.

The SportsTravel Award winners were nominated and voted upon by readers of the magazine. To be eligible, events had to occur between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009. Criteria for nomination and voting included:

1. Superior organization of and attendance at the event.
2. The event provided a superior experience for competitors and/or spectators.
3. The event’s host city or venue served to enhance the event.

The ballot included nominees at the amateur, collegiate and professional levels in three categories each. Each event’s host city was also acknowledged during the awards ceremony.

The 2009 SportsTravel Award winners are:

Sports Event of the Year
2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Boise and Sun Valley, ID

Best New Sports Event
2008 National Youth Baseball Championships, Memphis, TN

Best Professional Sports Event Series or Circuit
2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Detroit, MI and Pittsburgh, PA

Best Professional Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2009 ESPN Winter X Games, Aspen, CO

Best Professional Single-Sport Event
Super Bowl XLIII (Pittsburgh vs. Arizona), Tampa, FL

Best Collegiate Sports Event Series or Circuit
2009 NCAA Men’s Final Four, Detroit, MI

Best Collegiate Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2009 Collegiate National Finals Rodeo, Casper, WY

Best Collegiate Single-Sport Event
2008 Texas vs. Oklahoma football game, Dallas, TX

Best Amateur Sports Event Series or Circuit
2008 Little League World Series, Williamsport, PA

Best Amateur Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Boise and Sun Valley, ID

Best Amateur Single-Sport Event
2009 USA Hockey Pond Hockey Championships, Eagle River, WI

Standing, Left to Right: Timothy Schneider, publisher of SportsTravel magazine; Roger Walters, commissioner of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association; D’Ann Keller, associate director of championships for the NCAA; Chip Fisher, chairman of the board and CEO of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games; Linda Moore, senior director of business administration for ESPN; Kevin Couture, manager of adult hockey with USA Hockey; and Lisa Furfine, associate publisher of SportsTravel magazine.

Seated, Left to Right: Frank Supovitz, senior vice-president of events for the NFL; Eddie Einhorn, founder of the National Youth Baseball Championships and vice-chairman of the Chicago White Sox; and Pat Wilson, vice-president of operations for Little League Baseball.

Not Pictured: Pete Schenkel, board member of the Texas State Fair; Don Renzulli, senior vice president of events for the NHL; and Timothy Shriver, chairman and CEO of the Special Olympics.

Best New Sports Event
2008 Ultimate Boarder, Lake Tahoe, CA & Ventura, CA

Best Professional Sports Event Series or Circuit
2007 NFL NFC Championship Playoff Series, Multiple Host Cities

Best Professional Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2008 ESPN Winter X Games, Aspen, CO

Best Professional Single-Sport Event
2008 U.S. Open Golf Championship, La Jolla, CA

Best Collegiate Sports Event Series or Circuit
2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships, San Antonio, TX

Best Collegiate Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2008 NCAA Division I Women’s Gymnastics Championships, Athens, GA

Best Collegiate Single-Sport Event
2008 BCS National Championship Game (LSU vs. Ohio State), New Orleans, LA

Best Amateur Sports Event Series or Circuit
2008 USA Softball KFC Bound 4 Beijing Tour, Multiple Host Cities

Best Amateur Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Event
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming, Omaha, NE

Best Amateur Single-Sport Event
2008 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Oklahoma City, OK

Seated, Left to Right: Chris Stiepock of ESPN X Games, Chuck Wielgus of USA Swimming, Bill McCarthy of the United States Golf Association, D’Ann Keller of the NCAA and Ron Radigonda of the Amateur Softball Association of America.

Standing, Left to Right: Timothy Schneider of SportsTravel Magazine, Tim Hoover of Ultimate Boarder, Stacey Weddington of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, Wayne Burrow of the NCAA and Lisa Furfine of SportsTravel Magazine.

In addition, sponsors receive a host of other benefits, including priority scheduling of appointment sessions with sports-event rights holders and the highest-visibility locations at the TEAMS Expo.

Find out why the TEAMS Conference & Expo has one of the highest renewal rates among sponsors of any industry exhibition. Contact Yvonne Garcia (Eastern U.S.), Ilana Edell (Western U.S.) or Lisa Furfine by e-mail or by calling toll-free at (877) 577-3700.