Desired Nationals Locations

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Patrick W. Brundage — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:45:12 GMT

Since the first post asked for ideas to host in the future? Would anyone be interested in Pensacola, Florida. We can do open water too! We would like to bid if anyone will show up to the meet. If there was open water linked with pool nationals, absolutely. It's been awhile (20+ years), but I remember the water and beaches being wonderful there. Just aim for SCY ... it's too hot & humid in Florida in the summer to do anything much more than sip pretty drinks on a covered deck with fans on high.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Doug Adamavich — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:28:42 GMT

Since the first post asked for ideas to host in the future? Would anyone be interested in Pensacola, Florida. We can do open water too! We would like to bid if anyone will show up to the meet. LCM or SCY? Heck, you might as well make a bid, you could be the only one...:bolt: The Gulf Coast would not be a bad place to hold a swim meet as long as you have a good facility. Plus, airline service to P-cola would be important for some. I say go for it and see if you can win it.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:45:27 GMT

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:03:40 GMT

Since the first post asked for ideas to host in the future? Would anyone be interested in Pensacola, Florida. We can do open water too! We would like to bid if anyone will show up to the meet.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

pwolf66 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 03:21:41 GMT

Since the first post asked for ideas to host in the future? Would anyone be interested in Pensacola, Florida. We can do open water too! We would like to bid if anyone will show up to the meet. Where in P'Cola? Is there a facility that can handle ~1300 swimmers LCM or about ~1800 swimmers SCY? I don't recall one there but it has been awhile.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Muppet — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:07:55 GMT

FYI, there is now a "BIDDING RESOURCES" link on the top of the USMS Nationals page

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:51:29 GMT

At this time, I do not believe that USMS is looking to run nationals. In a recent executive committee meeting I put forth the idea that USMS should be much more proactively involved in the hosting of nationals. Currently, we sit back and wait for someone to bid for nationals. What I suggested as that we approach facilities that we would like to swim at, bring more to the table in terms of serve than we currently do and partner with local programs to put on our championship events. At this time, we have enacted none of these suggestions. Hope that clears up any confusion.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:43:58 GMT

Did I read something where USMS would run Nationals and essentially "rent" the pool from the host club and/or LMSC? This may be worth considering since there appear to be several (many?) good locations out there for Nationals that don't bid for one. Then again, how would the revenues and costs be split? Seems to me that if USMS rents the pool from the host club or LMSC, that's all the income the host/LMSC's gonna get, unless they're smart enough to negotiate a split of the rest...

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Doug Adamavich — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 04:55:38 GMT

At this time, I do not believe that USMS is looking to run nationals. In a recent executive committee meeting I put forth the idea that USMS should be much more proactively involved in the hosting of nationals. Currently, we sit back and wait for someone to bid for nationals. What I suggested as that we approach facilities that we would like to swim at, bring more to the table in terms of serve than we currently do and partner with local programs to put on our championship events. I think that is a good approach to take and would yield more potential bids than in the recent past. It would be great to have several locations for Nationals "in the can" for consideration. This would be a welcomed change for sure. Taking the initiative = leadership in action

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Doug Adamavich — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 03:10:50 GMT

LMSCs do not generally run or bid for nationals, it is clubs that host them. That being said, Oregon ran the last LCM nationals but I am not sure if was the LMSC or the club (which are one in the same, another topic of interest) that hosted the meet. Did I read something where USMS would run Nationals and essentially "rent" the pool from the host club and/or LMSC? This may be worth considering since there appear to be several (many?) good locations out there for Nationals that don't bid for one. Then again, how would the revenues and costs be split?

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Brian Stack — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:44:40 GMT

In 1983, the Stanford SCY nationals reported about 70k. '83 was at Ft. Lauderdale, Stanford was '87. Obfuscation eschewed!

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Michael Heather — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:01:47 GMT

Michael - If hosting a successful Nationals can lead to a significant five figure net income, then the wrong people are organizing bids - or perhaps USMS can assist with preparing bids. I can't imagine that many LMSCs would turn down the opportunity to earn that type of money for a meet (albeit a massive one to organize). Sign me up for the committee that soliicits/evaluates, etc bids... LMSCs do not generally run or bid for nationals, it is clubs that host them. That being said, Oregon ran the last LCM nationals but I am not sure if was the LMSC or the club (which are one in the same, another topic of interest) that hosted the meet. The USMS championship committee is ready to help the meet hosts and prospective bidders wade through the process so there should be no hindrance in that area. I think it is mostly facilities that do not want to put out the work to host the meet. There are meetings and meetings and more meetings starting 2 years before the meet, capped by 5 days of frenzied action of the meet followed by 2 days of cleanup and more days of report writing. The volunteer base can dry up quickly if there isn't something sexy to do, like hand out awards to cute guys, or hand out towels in the women's locker room. Some clubs structure the financial reports to make it look as if there were no money made at all, charging high rents for the pool time and timing system rentals, when they control all of that and more in the facility. So, yes, 5 figures net is not at all out of the question, and that doesn't even include the decimal point! In 1983, the Stanford SCY nationals reported about 70k.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:50:12 GMT

Jim: How rewarding do you want it to be? With the exception of the National sponsors, the host gets to work out how they will deal with local sponsors, snack bars and gold medal sponsors. If the meet is held in an LMSC they most likely will experience a spike in membership. It is not unheard of for a national championship host to make a significant 5 figure net profit. michael Michael - If hosting a successful Nationals can lead to a significant five figure net income, then the wrong people are organizing bids - or perhaps USMS can assist with preparing bids. I can't imagine that many LMSCs would turn down the opportunity to earn that type of money for a meet (albeit a massive one to organize). Sign me up for the committee that soliicits/evaluates, etc bids...

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:23:28 GMT

Well, first we need to get more than one bid for a given National meet... At the risk of starting an excessively political flame war (see discussions related to marketing, USMS plan, board, etc etc) I think that USMS needs to make it very rewarding for a club/LMSC to host a Nationals. This can be done by, among others, charging participants more; charging sponsors more (who will pay only if they're sure they'll benefit, too); ancillary sales (t-shirts, videos, snack bars, etc); producing an increase in local membership, and so on. Just my $0.02 - YMMV.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

chowmi — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:08:17 GMT

Parking, Parking, Parking. All I really care about is the Parking. As long as I can park CLOSE and there is always AVAILABILITY, I don't care how much it costs (up to say, $25.00 per day for in/out priveleges)!! And i'd even be a "parking sponsor" to park RIGHT UP FRONT WITH A RESERVED SPACE if that option ever became available. The pool itself - not so particular - only because any location with the facilities to accomodate that many masters is usually a pretty fast pool anyway.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

michaelmoore — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:40:05 GMT

At the risk of starting an excessively political flame war (see discussions related to marketing, USMS plan, board, etc etc) I think that USMS needs to make it very rewarding for a club/LMSC to host a Nationals. This can be done by, among others, charging participants more; charging sponsors more (who will pay only if they're sure they'll benefit, too); ancillary sales (t-shirts, videos, snack bars, etc); producing an increase in local membership, and so on. Just my $0.02 - YMMV. Jim: How rewarding do you want it to be? With the exception of the National sponsors, the host gets to work out how they will deal with local sponsors, snack bars and gold medal sponsors. If the meet is held in an LMSC they most likely will experience a spike in membership. It is not unheard of for a national championship host to make a significant 5 figure net profit. michael

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:03:30 GMT

What states would you include in NorthEast? Why do you break up the east into NorthEast and South East, yet the west with 40 % of the swimmers only have one area? michael Just to keep it simple. West coast could have Seattle metro, Portland metro, Silicon Valley, and LA region host (not to mention unmentionables like Fresno, Sac'to, etc). Also, Denver, Phoenix, Vegas, etc. Midwest could have Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, etc. Southeast could have FL, GA, AL, NC, TN. Northeast could have MD, PA, OH, etc. Just my two cents for keeping it simple, avoiding politics, and streamlining bidding, etc. YMMV.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Doug Adamavich — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:47:21 GMT

They already do this in prioritizing bids for OW national championships, though they use 3 regions. See page 152 in Appendix D in the Rule Book. Bids from the area "targeted" in a given year get priority. I don't see any reason the same areas couldn't be used for pool championships. But it doesn't mean much if you only get one bid for a given championship. Well, first we need to get more than one bid for a given National meet...

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Chris Stevenson — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:35:29 GMT

How about something along on the lines of splitting the country into 4 regions, and rotating the meet(s) between them: West Coast (included AZ, etc) Midwest (includes TX, etc) Southeast Northeast They already do this in prioritizing bids for OW national championships, though they use 3 regions. See page 152 in Appendix D in the Rule Book. Bids from the area "targeted" in a given year get priority. I don't see any reason the same areas couldn't be used for pool championships. But it doesn't mean much if you only get one bid for a given championship.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:13:35 GMT

How about something along on the lines of splitting the country into 4 regions, and rotating the meet(s) between them: West Coast (included AZ, etc) Midwest (includes TX, etc) Southeast Northeast

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Doug Adamavich — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 03:25:36 GMT

From what I read, the Swimming Festival would be during Short Course (Yards?) season. If USMS were to work with the NCAA on being a part of this proposed Festival, would that mean Long Course Nationals would be the only pool Championship up for bid? Interesting idea for sure, one which should be considered.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

BillS — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:33:40 GMT

An interesting idea from our ED's Vision and Action Plan: c) Championships Some may be aware that USA Swimming has been "selling" and is getting buy in from the NCAA to combine NCAA Swimming Championships into an annual swimming festival. The NCAA swimming festival would most likely be six or seven days. On the drawing board is the inaugural NCAA swimming festival to kick off as early as 2011. The date though will be early Spring and is still being determined, along with other business points. While some USMS host clubs could argue the "fundraising" benefits of hosting the SC Championships, it would absolutely be in USMS global best long term interest to be part of the annual event by hosting our championships at the same location before the event. Consider the benefits:  With the number of collegiate swimming programs being discontinued, demonstrates and shows USMS support of collegiate swimming  Brings USMS closer (first hand that is) to collegiate swimmers – a market we need to tap and integrate  Brings USMS close to collegiate coaches & club coaches  Would raise the enthusiasm level & buzz on our championships  The NCAA has a television contract so we ride that wave  The amount of media that covers the NCAA championships would have an overflow effect on USMS championships (something we could never buy or have gotten on our own)  Offers an opportunity for our membership to stay after and support/watch/cheer for the NCAA's Regardless of how we feel, the annual swimming festival concept is happening (much like the Trials moving from a natatorium to the Qwest Center). I have made known to Chuck Wielgus that USMS has an interest in becoming part of the NCAA Swimming Festival for which Chuck believes would be a homerun. I have likewise informed the Championship Committee that this is an avenue we'd like to pursue. I anticipate when Chuck returns from the Olympics, we will pick up the dialogue and get a better understanding of the opportunity as a whole at which time we will be able to better update the details.

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

michaelmoore — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:22:07 GMT

What states would you include in NorthEast? Why do you break up the east into NorthEast and South East, yet the west with 40 % of the swimmers only have one area? michael

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Barb Protzman — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:00:58 GMT

To the person who said maybe Phelps can get someone to host in Baltimore: I was the meet director for the 2000 LC Nationals that were held in the Baltimore area at the University of Maryland Baltimore County outdoor pool. It was the largest LC National meet ever with 1380 entrants. I now live in Florida. I did attend the IGLA meet at University of Maryland (main campus in College Park) in June, and it is a great facility that would be capable of handling either nationals. They have hosted World Cup events. I did talk to some of the Potomac Valley LMSC people while I was there, and the first problem is finding a group to run the meet and a sufficient volunteer base. While there are many great facilities around the country, the problem is finding someone to run the meet, and for it to be cost effective. The rental fees at some facilities are prohibitive and available dates are limited. I am on the Championship Committee, and we do agree that we need to change the way we solicit bids, as for the past several years we have been lucky to get one bid for each meet. If you have suggestions and are not attending the upcoming convention, feel free to send them to me. Barb Protzman, Florida Gold Coast Registrar

RE: Desired Nationals Locations

Former Member — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:47:34 GMT

There have been a few references to Worlds at Stanford in 2006. In terms of pool and deck space, that facility can't be beat for either LCM or SCY. Imagine having SCY nationals there...you could have 3 or 4 25Y courses going at once and still plenty of pool space for warm up and cool down. No 8 or 9 PM finishes!