Familiar with finishing first.
With championship-caliber universities in our backyard, award-winning films about our storied sports teams, and athletes from two to 82 competing here, there’s no question that Durham needed a sports commission that could harness that type of potential.
We’re here now.
We’re new to Durham, but this isn’t our first rodeo; we’ve hosted local, regional and national championships and we build experiences for event owners that make an impact, encourage growth and benefit stakeholders. It doesn’t hurt that Durham is the perfect place to make a victorious debut. We’re a homerun for event planners, families and athletes, and we’re a day’s drive or an hour-long flight away from half the U.S. population. Come for the competition. Stay to play. We’re here to make sure it all goes smoothly.
The nitty gritty:
The Durham Sports Commission is a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to create economic and social impact by leading the community’s efforts to attract, support, and promote youth, amateur, collegiate, and professional sporting and recreational events. The DSC is governed by a Board of Directors that is made up of nine members appointed by the City of Durham, Durham Chamber of Commerce, and Durham County. The DSC was established in August 2016.
The DSC is funded in part by the City of Durham and Durham County Occupancy Tax funds, along with individual sponsors and corporate partnerships. These funds are used to help local events grow, as well as bid on or sponsor external events choosing Durham as their host community.
Our team at the Durham Sports Commission is constantly asking, “How can we help?” We encourage you to schedule a meeting with our staff to talk through all the ways we can assist you in planning your event.
Our vision:
The vision of the DSC is to engage the Durham community in supporting and promoting the sports spirit that exists both historically and presently, by increasing the capacity of local sporting events to host events with strong participation rates, and by working with national event owners to recruit sporting events that provide positive community impact.
Currently, the Durham Sports Commission is focused on three specific areas:
- Locally owned and operated events. Local event owners have been working hard to advance sport in Durham over the years and the DSC will work towards ensuring that they are fully supported.
- Recruitment of sporting events to the community. The more sporting events that take place in Durham, the more the local community benefits. Out-of-town competitors and fans that travel to Durham offer residents access to championship-level play in our own backyard, while supporting our local economy and creating jobs by staying in hotels, eating in restaurants, and frequenting other businesses.
- Community recognition. Working with Discover Durham, business partners, media outlets, and local advocates, the DSC will help raise awareness of sports’ important role in the Durham community.