John McCasey became the executive director of the Sacramento Sports Commission in 1995 and his life has been a whirlwind since.
He led the effort to bring the 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials to Sacramento. He has spearheaded such events as the Amgen Tour of California the last four years, the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships, the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments and the NCAA women’s volleyball final four.
This year he will bring the Tour of California for the fifth time in May and the World Masters Athletics Outdoor Track and Field Championships this summer.
McCasey took a breather from planning those events to do an email interview with 27×7.com. He addressed topics ranging from past events to future events in Sacramento, from Sac State’s renovations to how a new arena push affects the Commission.
1. How did you become the Executive Director of the Sacramento Sports
Commission?
A. After nearly 25 years in sports administration in the Bay Area – 49ers, Cal, Pac-10 and the start of Sports Channel (now Comcast Sports Bay Area) – I ventured out into the brave new world and started a small sports marketing business that was helping the smaller D1 schools with marketing and sponsorships. That was 1994. One of the schools was UOP and then Athletic Director Bob Lee asked if I would run the NCAA Regionals (first and second round) in Sacramento. Having done a few I said why not? They are fun. As we set up the local organizing committee I was introduced to the the President & CEO of the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau Sam Burns. Shortly after the tournament he offered me a job and asked if I could get another tournament back which of course we did.
2. How big is your staff? I’m assuming it grows with every major event.
A. Well back then it was me and today we have grown the staff to two. Actually it has grown to as big as 15 for the two Olympic Trials. But in 2006 after the second Trials our non-profit board revised our business plan and we devised a plan to retain critical individuals that we have used over the years as independent contractors for various major events. These are people with specific skill sets that can fit specific needs of our local organizing committee. Their costs are factored in the event budget and they are paid through that event budget rather than hiring full-time year around staff. We are currently doing that now for the two upcoming events in 2011.
3. You have been in charge of events here like the U.S Olympic Track Championships, the NCAA basketball tournaments and the Tour of California. What is the event you have most enjoyed producing?
A. My enjoyment comes in two forms – one is seeing how the community responds and the good feeling of pride the community has in being host to a particular event. The second is a more personal, sadistic thing of creating the biggest challenge and pulling the event off. So to answer your question – it is unquestionably the two U.S. Olympic Trials. The naysayers were off the charts in 1997 when we got the event and our supporters we dumbfounded. They are to this day considered the two greatest Olympic Track and Field Trials ever staged by all measurable means of success. They changed the way that the USOC stages its major Trials – swimming, gymnastics and track and field. Also keep in mind the second one was staged under the dark cloud of BALCO.
4. The Tour of California is coming to Sacramento for the fifth time. How long does it take to produce the local leg, from start to finish, and what are some logistical issues involved?
A. The key to the ATOC success was and remains communications. Getting the City of Sacramento’s support was easy and getting Chief Rick Braziel and his department of at the Sacramento Police Department was even easier. We are planning our fifth consecutive year and the team that comprises our local organizing committee remains intact so it gets repetitive each year and that makes it easier. Names may change but departments they represent don’t and the support of the city’s Department of Transportation, Public Works, parking, and the Downtown Partnership, the State Capitol, the CHP and many others make this a fun event to put on.
5. What are some of the other events that the Commission has on the runway?
A. Well I must admit I may have bit off more than I can chew with the XIX World Masters Athletics Championships being held this summer. This is an international adult age group (35-100 years) track and field championships. We are anticipating between 5,000-6,000 athletes from over 100 countries competing over 12 days (July 6-17). It is estimated that they will bring an average of one guest each driving that visitor number up to 10-12,000 total guests. We will conduct this event at three tracks, Sac State, Sac City and ARC. We are required to stage a cross country race, a road walk race and a marathon (in July with athletes from 35-mid 80′s – think about it). But it also brings an estimated $24 million economic impact into the city – 24,000 hotel rooms have been contracted for this time frame of July – just about as slow as things can get in Sacramento. We are also talking with US Cycling and US Triathlon on potential events in the future and the return of the IRA Rowing on a rotating basis.
6. Recently, Sacramento State renovated its football stadium with an all-purpose field. How does that affect attracting events to Sacramento?
A. Actually it does little for us and in fact it has virtually eliminated our bringing major track & field back to the A.G. Spanos Sports Complex. Neither the NCAA nor the IAAF permits synthetic infield surfaces for throwing events rendering the facility out of compliance with the bid requirements. The same will apply next fall when City College installs its new turf. But that is track, these facilities really can be used for the CIF football (which has been on-going) and it will be a very good competitive advantage for the CIF. These field improvements most certainly will enhance both institutions.
7. The NCAA said two years ago that the city cannot have the men’s basketball tournament back until a new arena is built. How has that decision affected the Commission’s strategy?
A. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it that way. The truth is the NCAA never gave a reason. They told me we need to address our arena issues which were never brought to me in the bid discussions. I know one staff person had a concern with the locker rooms but that was trivial. The reality of that bid was the NCAA awarded something like eight sites for two or three years (first and second rounds and regionals). Every bid city had a newer arena than ARCO (which we all know was built on the cheap) except Tucson which you know is vastly inferior to ARCO but the out-going Chair of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee was Jim Livengood, the athletic director at the University of Arizona – located in Tucson, Ariz.
8. What role have you or the Commission taken in getting a new arena built?
A. The Sports Commission is a city and county commission and as such has very limited ability to participate in the arena issue. We are very interested but really have none of the expertise required to adequately advise and consult with the task force beyond telling them of events we can attract to Sacramento.
9. If you could have one event come to Sacramento, what would it be?
A. I really don’t look at it that way, honestly. I would like to have several events returning on a routine basis every two to four years – ATOC, NCAA basketball, women’s volleyball, IRA Rowing, etc.
10. What is the future of sports in Sacramento? Does it depend on building new facilities?
A. That is a very wide swath you cut with this question. Sacramento really lacks in facilities. We don’t even have a 5,000-6,000-seat mid-size arena for events such as U.S. Gymnastics or volleyball. Either ARCO is too big or too small. Memorial Auditorum is too small for everything spectator wise. Field spaces are inadequate for large regional or national youth groups for baseball or soccer. No swimming complex to speak of. Sacramento will continue to be a great fan base for a wide diversity of sports both spectator and participatory. It does not solely rest on a new facility but that would make Sacramento much more attractive and vibrant with a new sports and entertainment complex and throw in a Convention Center while you’re at it. Look what Omaha (yes, Omaha) has done with the Qwest Center – now that is a nice 17,000-seat arena with a convention center facility attached. They got it right. But we all snicker at Omaha, Neb. I go back to the former Mayor Joe Serna days of attracting Major League Baseball. Eventually we convinced him that we needed to crawl before we walked. Art Savage brought that vision and made it a reality and showed everyone that Sacramento knew what is was talking about (but all it was doing was talking) and that story has been a great success. Sacramento needs to think BIG. If it does, the future is bright. If it doesn’t, well, we are what we are. We will just have to deal with it or our kids will.
Copyright 2011/Bill Bradley
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