One West Academy: Quarterly Edition

Welcome to the One West Academy: Quarterly Edition—your gateway to deeper learning, sharper skills, and real-world insights designed by our members, for our members.

Each quarter features a focused, immersive education track built around topics YOU told us matter most. Over three one-hour sessions (one each month), we take a deep dive into a single theme—giving you time to absorb, practice, and apply what you learn.

Whether you’re brand-new to the tourism industry or a seasoned pro with decades under your belt, these courses are built to elevate your craft, strengthen your leadership, and expand your toolkit. Expect practical takeaways, fresh ideas, and expert-led conversations that move your work forward.

Let’s learn, grow, and lead—together.

Quarter 3

Presenters - John David (President & CEO) & Jackie Reau (Game Day Communications)- Sports Events and Tourism Association

July 9th, 2026 - 11:00am PST (John David)

From Stadium Seats to City Streets: The Sports Tourism Surge

Session Description

From youth tournaments to pro championships, sports tourism is more than just a visitor driver, it’s a destination strategy. In this session, Sports Events & Tourism Association President & CEO, John David will explore how the entire spectrum of sports tourism can power economic impact, elevate destination branding, and build stronger communities.

August 13, 2026 - 11:00am PST (Jackie Reau)

Sports Tourism: Your Destination’s Best Advocacy Tool

Session Description

Sports tourism is one of the most effective advocacy tools available to destinations today because it directly impacts residents, local businesses, community pride, and elected leadership. In this session, Jackie Reau will explore how destinations can leverage sports tourism strategy, storytelling, and measurable impact to better communicate the value of their DMO to stakeholders and the broader community. The session will also highlight how destinations can utilize Sports ETA’s State of the Industry Report and additional industry resources to strengthen advocacy efforts and showcase the power of tourism through sports.

September 10, 2026 - 11:00am PST (John David)

Sports Tourism in Action: Strategies That Work for Destinations of Every Size

Session Description

In this interactive panel discussion moderated by John David, sports tourism leaders from three One West member destinations representing different market sizes will share practical strategies, lessons learned, and best practices for building successful sports tourism initiatives. From community partnerships and facility development to event recruitment and stakeholder engagement, attendees will gain actionable insights and real-world examples that can help destinations of any size strengthen their sports tourism strategy and drive measurable impact.

This three-part series creates a strong progression:

Understanding the power and opportunity of sports tourism

Leveraging sports tourism as an advocacy and community engagement tool
Learning practical destination strategies from peers in the industry

About the Sports Events & Tourism Association

As the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, Sports ETA is the most trusted resource for sports commissions, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), and sports rights holders. Sports ETA is committed to the success of more than 800 member organizations and 2,400 sports event professionals. We promise to deliver quality education, ample networking opportunities, and exceptional event management and marketing know-how to our members to protect the integrity of the sports events and tourism industry. For more information, visit SportsETA.org.