CONTACT: Jeremiah Lounds
Sports Marketing Director
Kingsport Convention and Visitors Bureau
(423) 392-8831
KINGSPORT, Tenn.-Kingsport will host its first USSSA Baseball National Invitational Tournament (NIT), June 17-19, at Weyerhaeuser Park. This event is the second of three baseball tournaments in the "Summer of Baseball" series presented by Hardee's of the Tri-Cities.
"Hardee's is proud to support our great community and this new event," said Shannon Skelton, marketing coordinator for Hardee's of the Tri-Cities. "The community will get to see some great baseball action this weekend, while visitors will bring new money into our local economy."
The Kingsport Convention and Visitors Bureau (KCVB) is assisting with the event and expects approximately 20 teams to participate in the three-day tournament. With an estimated 800 athletes, coaches, parents and other supporters in town, the event is projected to have nearly a $400,000 economic impact on the city.
The KCVB has been working hard for several years to branch out into additional sporting events. "We are making an effort to expand our sports relationships into a variety of new organizations," said Jeremiah Lounds, sports marketing director, KCVB. "The USSSA event is one of three new events we have been able to recruit to Kingsport this year and we hope to continue this success into the future by attracting even more events to the city."
Travis Leming, USSSA baseball state director, is looking forward to utilizing the new baseball facilities at Weyerhaeuser Park for this event. "I have spent time traveling all over the state conducting tournaments," said Leming. "With the construction of this new complex it opens the door to many new possibilities for USSSA baseball in Kingsport, now and into the future."
Kingsport has already hosted one event in the Hardee's "Summer of Baseball" series - the NAIA Region XII Baseball Championship, held in May. The series will conclude with the USSSA Baseball 14 & Under 60'/90' AAA World Series, July 23-30. All three events in the Hardee's "Summer of Baseball" series are new sporting events for Kingsport and combined, are projected to have an economic impact of $2,267,341.
Also returning this summer is the AAU Boys Basketball 15:U/9th Grade National Championship, July 9-16. The basketball championship, which is once again presented by First Tennessee Bank, is projected to have an economic impact of $4,625,424.
These events, combined with the 2005 AAU Wrestling Elementary National Duals held in April, are projected to have an economic impact of $7,535,988 on the region.
Partners for this new event include:
Title Partner - Hardee's of the Tri-Cities.
Gold Partners include Charter Communications, Charter Media, Citadel Broadcasting (WJCW / WQUT / WKIN / WKOS / WGOC), City of Kingsport, Kingsport Parks and Recreation, Kingsport Times-News and WKPT-TV19.
Silver Partners are Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Holston Medical Group and Verizon Wireless.
Friend of USSSA is the Kingsport Civic Auditorium.
Tournament action begins at Weyerhaeuser Park on Friday, June 17 and will conclude on Sunday, June 19. Games will be played on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. Weekend passes are available for the event and prices are $12 for adults and $6 for children. Daily passes are $6 for adults and $3 for children. Children six and under will be admitted free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
The Kingsport Convention & Visitors Bureau is a partnership between the city of Kingsport and the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce.
