It’s honestly been a long time coming. Cincinnati’s peer cities—namely Indianapolis, Louisville, and Columbus—have had formal commissioning entities that bring high-profile sporting events to their regions. Now Cincinnati does as well.
A joint effort between tourism agencies on both sides of the river as well as corporate and small business leaders, the Cincinnati Regional Sports Commission seeks to bid and win sporting events that will raise the city’s profile and drive economic impact. Executive Director Ben Huffman was recruited from the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau, where he served as Director of Sports Tourism for 19 years, and says Cincinnati is ready to take sports tourism into a new era. “What really sold me on leaving a great opportunity for a better opportunity is the public and private support,” he says.
From hotels and restaurants to large corporations and small businesses, there’s a true team spirit at play in this new organization. “The more people we can get involved, the more events we will get,” Huffman says. “It’s been really refreshing over my first two months to see how many different people at different levels of our community want this to be successful.”
First on deck under Huffman’s watch is the U.S. Steinholding Championship on November 22, which will host 50-60 competitors at Moerlein Lager House downtown. Though Moerlein booked the event prior to Huffman’s arrival, the Commission and the brewery will collaborate on its execution.
On the horizon, Huffman hopes to secure larger “headline-type events” such as the 2028 NFL Draft (already initiated by the Bengals) and the 2031 Rugby World Cup. Youth and amateur events will also be a focus, he says, referencing a Sports ETA study saying the economic impact of youth sporting events is actually higher than spectator sports.
Huffman notes that while the positive economic impact of hosting such events may be fast and furious for the duration of the event, the “ripple effect” can last months and even years into the future. “It puts us on an international stage,” he says, which in turn creates a city that people want to move to and stay in and aids in recruiting efforts for regional employers. Plus, the more Cincinnati proves it can handle hosting world-class events, such as the MLB All-Star Game in 2015, the more likely it is to win future bids.
For Huffman, a father of six and a life-long sports enthusiast, the delight of sports tourism is twofold: an opportunity to benefit the community and the privilege of creating “memory events” in individual lives. It’s creating those memories that will drive Huffman, the Commission, and the city of Cincinnati to recruit and host higher-profile events.
[Illustration by Matthew Laznicka]