During this season of thanks, we want to express our gratitude for each and every one of our members. Thank you for your continued support and patronage of the SSIA!
This month, we'll share some important reminders about the 2020 Conference and the Social Star Awards, announce a new member benefit, cover the national TopGolf event, and highlight a member and sponsor.
If you have any questions or comments, or would like to be considered for a future Highlight opportunity, please contact Krissy at krissy@ssia.us.
~ Your SSIA Team
2020 Conference News & Reminders
Networking, learning, and more with your Sport & Social peers! The 10th Annual Sport & Social Industry Association is heading south of the border to the Hard Rock Cancun in Mexico from February 18th-21st, 2020. This all-inclusive experience is the premier opportunity to learn, network & collaborate with those inside your industry.
This year will again feature specific “learning tracks” for different types of employees and attendees, with 18 available 60 - 90-minute seminars geared towards Management, Sales or Operations. Keep an eye out for our weekly seminar highlights on social media leading up to the conference!
Important Reminders
If you have not registered or booked your room, get on it! We are offering $100 rebates through January 1st if you book your room on or before that date. Additional conference attendee fees are $450 for Tier 1 clubs, $405 for Tier 2 clubs and $360 for Tier 3 clubs. Visit www.ssia.us/conference to register, book your room, sign up for seminars, check out the agenda and nominate yourself or another club for a Social Star Award!
How Rebates Work
When you book your hotel by a certain date (see rebate schedule below), you get a credit back from the SSIA. This applies to registered conference attendees only (not guests, sponsors or partners).
Hotel Room Rates (per night, all inclusive of F&B):
Single $ 438.00
Double $ 496.00
Extra/person $ 160.00
See the table below for how these rebates could impact your conference costs:
Attendees in room
Room Cost (3 night rate)
**Rebate (total)
Room Cost - Rebate
Per night/person w/o Rebate
Per night/ person w rebate
1
$ 1,314.00
$ 100.00
$ 1,214.00
$ 438.00
$ 404.67
2
$ 1,488.00
$ 200.00
$ 1288.00
$ 248.00
$ 214.67
3
$ 1,968.00
$ 300.00
$ 1,668.00
$ 218.67
$ 185.33
4
$ 2,448.00
$ 400.00
$ 2,048.00
$ 204.00
$ 170.67
*Rebates to be issued within 30 days after the conference as credits towards future membership or conferences. For ACH options, please email conference@ssia.us. **Applies to the $100 rebate level
Don’t forget, this event is only open to SSIA members, sponsors and partners. Please contact Krissy Greenleaf at krissy@ssia.us if you are interested in membership or becoming a sponsor or partner.
Nominate Your Peers For A Social Star Award
It's time to nominate your peers, your team, and even your office pets (just kidding!) for recognition in the 2019 Social Star Awards!
This year, the award categories that will be voted upon are:
1) Best Industry Collaboration - To include multi-club sponsorship programs, purchasing programs, events or other collaborations that may exist
2) Best Video Campaign - In-house i.e. produced by club employees that do not have a professional background in video production
3) Best Video Campaign - Professionally produced
4) Industry Impact Award - Given to the person(s) or organization(s) that has/have contributed the most to the industry in terms of knowledge share
5) Best Marketing Innovation - Social Media, experiential marketing, grass roots or other format
6) Philanthropy Award - Nominations from the general membership are welcome; however, this award will be determined by the EC
7) Product/Program Innovation - Given to the organization with the most innovative product, league or event offering
8) Legacy Award - For owners and staff that have served the Social Sports Industry for 10+ years (Benchmarks to be recognized every 5 years after Year 10)
9) Partner of the Year - Nominations from the general membership are welcome; however, this award will be determined by the EC
Click HERE to submit your nomination today...and don't forget, you are welcome to nominate your own club!
The deadline to submit your nomination(s) is midnight EST on January 10th. Membership voting will be held Jan 15th-22nd.
Email surveys@ssia.us with questions.
Customer Service Champions Award Survey
Our annual Champions Award provides an opportunity for your club to be recognized for outstanding customer service and for the industry to establish valuable industry benchmarks that members can use to improve their services.
Similar to past years, this award category is self-nominated. Members will nominate themselves by sending out a personalized customer service survey developed by the Executive Committee's Social Star Committee to their customers from the SSIA's Survey Monkey account.
Krissy will set up the survey and provide you with a link to send the surveys to your customers. All participants in the Champions Award then receive detailed data from their specific survey. Each Member's detailed results are private while select unidentifiable scores and benchmarks will be shared with the larger membership and industry and used to determine awards recognition.
Click HERE for details about how to participate and email Krissy at krissy@ssia.us with any questions.
Introducing Monthly Coffee Chats
You've asked for more networking opportunities, so we are delivering! We will begin monthly Coffee Chats based on Tier size in December. Coffee chats are half-hour long discussions over coffee or tea, where members can get to know their peers, share ideas and discuss challenges specific to club size. To make it more fun and interactive, we'll incorporate a different theme each month.
Since December is a popular time for ugly sweaters, we're encouraging participants to show up on Zoom with their ugliest sweater, and to kick off the conversation about the good, the bad and the ugly about Ugly Sweater Pub Crawls and other holiday-themed ways to engage players.
SAVE THE DATE: Tuesday, December 10th
- Tier 1 (Clubs bringing in under $500k in annual revenue) - 3pm EST
- Tier 2 (Clubs bringing in $500k - $1.5M in annual revenue) - 3:35pm EST
- Tier 3 (Clubs bringing in more than $1.5M in annual revenue) - 4:10pm EST
Keep an eye out for a calendar invite and a Facebook event on the private SSIA group page!
Member Highlight
Krissy Greenleaf of the SSIA and Nikki Hartel from Chicago Sport & Social Club had the chance to celebrate the successful execution of Atlanta Sport & Social Club's Uncorked Atlanta Wine Festival on November 16th with the team.
Over 1300 attendees descended upon the Park Tavern in Piedmont Park, where 75+ wine and craft beer varieties were served. Wine and cheese pairings were offered to VIP attendees at select times throughout the day, and the event wrapped with a bumping dance party! Everyone absolutely loved it!
Their flagship festival, the Atlanta team has been putting on this event twice a year since 2015. Leading up to event day, three members from the team work on production / logistics, beer / wine and marketing. On the day of the event, the event staff consists of 8 people hired to help run it, 80 volunteers, venue staff who cover distribution of product, waste management, food prep and security, and distributors for the wine and cheese pairings. All in, it takes about 125 people working throughout the day to bring Uncorked to life.
According to Catie Schreiman, Atlanta SSC's Event Director, "We are always looking for new ways to create experiences and activities on a budget for this event." Keep up the great work, guys!
Partner Highlight
More than 70% of SSIA members use Jason Webb with Bell Anderson Insurance to protect their businesses!
Jason specializes in working with clients on accident medical and general liability insurance within the sports industry. With his dedication and intimate experience to this field, he has been able to control costs and design coverage specific to the Sport & Social Industry.
Contact him via email at jasonw@bell-anderson.com or by phone 425.291.5280.
Event of the Month
This month, 18 SSIA member clubs hosted events at TopGolf locations nationwide, with an average of 150 attendees. This was an element of our national sponsorship deal with "the premiere golf entertainment complex where the competition of sport meets your favorite local hangout".
Attendees across the country participated in a social media contest to take the best photo at the event using #topgolfsocialsports and tagging the Social Sports Network (@socialsportsnet). Some participating clubs added their own style by incorporating cornhole to the event, turning it into a fundraiser for local charities, using it as a team appreciation opportunity or captain reward. Others simply sent out an open invite to players, giving them the chance to experience TopGolf and understand what it's all about.
"This program was unique because in addition to branded leagues, we also incorporated promotional events that were widely successful amongst the clubs -- not just in attendance, but in the fun factor as well," said Nikki Hartel, National Sponsorship Representative for the SSIA and Sponsorship & Partnership Director of Chicago Sport & Social Club. "I am extremely proud and grateful for everyone’s positive attitude and ability to pivot to make this a TEE-rific success! Looking forward to pitching more promotional events in 2020."
Thank you to the clubs listed below for rocking your TopGolf events! If you would like to be featured in a future Member Highlight, please email krissy@ssia.us.
Atlanta Sport & Social Club, Chicago Sport & Social Club, Cincinnati Sports Leagues, Circle City Athletics, Dallas Sport & Social Club, DC Fray, Houston Sports & Social Club, SportsLink, Jax Fray, KC Crew, Orlando Sport & Social Club, PHX Fray, Pittsburgh Sports League, South Florida Club Sport, Sportsmonkey, Stay & Play Social Club, Tampa Bay Club Sport & Underdog Sports Leagues
You've asked for more networking opportunities, so we are delivering! We will begin monthly Coffee Chats based on Tier size in December. Coffee chats are half-hour long discussions over coffee or tea, where members can get to know their peers, share ideas and discuss challenges specific to club size. To make it more fun and interactive, we'll incorporate a different theme each month. 
More than 70% of SSIA members use Jason Webb with Bell Anderson Insurance to protect their businesses! 
This month, 18 SSIA member clubs hosted events at 
