Takeaways and reflections from our latest Study Tour by Advisory Board Secretary Richard Steinau

By Advisory Board Secretary Richard Steinau | Senior VP, Bellwether

Who would be crazy enough to propose building a massive pool in an NFL stadium…and then actually do it!? Aren’t there 100+ competition pools in the U.S. where this could be done without the additional expense? These were only 2 of the many questions I brought with me to the Study Tour of the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials in Indianapolis, hosted by the gracious Visit Indy.

Along with 22 other CEMA members, we spent 24 hours immersed in exclusive behind-the-scenes access and met with 3 incredible panels of leaders from the U.S. Olympic Swimming Foundation, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana Sports Corporation, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the NBA All-Star planners and the NCAA Championships panel. They shared invaluable insight and best practices for executing events at a massive scale while never losing sight of the most critical goal: expand the fan base.

Why an NFL stadium? Because it gave them the space and infrastructure to not only host 20,000+ people (a new world record!) but also elevate the overall experience for every attendee. During our VIP tours prior to the competition, we gained a sense of how impressive and complex the production would be. Then the competition began and, as we sat in a private box (thank you, Visit Indy!), we were each in awe of how incredible the experience was. But far and away, the best part was the personal connections we made with other CEMA members as we shared a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Oh yeah, and we’re now all huge U.S. Swimming fans. USA! USA! USA!