The Arena Management Conference (AMC) takes place this year in Long Beach, California, September 14-16. There are several great educational sessions, including one titled “Sports Bidding/Hosting Process.” It’s a panel discussion moderated by Bredan Buckley, vice president at Columbus Area Sports & Entertainment. The panelists will be Will Hunter, vice president of operations for the PAC-12; Jeff Jarnecke, director of championships and alliances for the NCAA; Ken Kuhl, vice president of event development at the American Airlines Center; Ben Tario, assistant commissioner of football, multimedia, and legal affairs for the ACC; and Sean Saadeh, senior vice president of programming at the Barclays Center.
We spoke with Kuhl to learn more about the bidding process and the session.
How many NCAA championships does the American Airlines Center host annually?
We would hope to host a men’s or women’s event each year but with the way the bid cycles are setup and the other facilities in the region that host various men’s and women’s events as well, a venue is not likely to host an event annually. Through the bidding process, we expect to host a NCAA event every two-to-three years. In addition, we are also bidding on the Big 12 Conference Men and Women’s Championships, so we have to consider that process when we submit bids for NCAA event.
What is the No. 1 priority for the NCAA, in your experience, when it considers where to play its championships and how does AAC meet that need?
First and foremost, I believe the NCAA is looking for a city/area that has the ability to sell tickets to their championship event. Secondly, is there a host organization that has the ability to put on a first-class event and a city that can accommodate the fans? With those two items in place, you will have a successful event.
How has the bidding process changed over the last five years, and how do you see it evolving?
The use of the NCAA portal has greatly changed the way the bidding process works. It certainly cuts down on the size of the bid document that you have to submit to the NCAA for a specific event. I see the process changing dramatically with the proposed changes that are being discussed currently with the big five conferences and the NCAA.
What’s the No. 1 thing you’d like for attendees to take away from the session?
You have to have a great working relationship/partnership with your sports commission or CVB. With either of these entities looking for events to bring to the city, you have a great opportunity to increase your event bookings and garner some great national publicity for your venue.
