Mission Statement
The Durham Sports Commission (DSC) is a nonprofit organization 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 seeks to maximize the potential of Durham’s sports facilities and venues, as well as provide leadership and guidance to the public and private sector on developing athletic facilities and programs to positively benefit the quality of life of the citizens of Durham.
A Note From the Chairman of the Board
It was certainly a year for the record books.
Immediately coming off hosting the 2019 USA Track & Field National Youth Outdoor Championship —the Durham Sports Commission’s first national championship in our then three-year history — no one could have forecasted the rollercoaster that was this past fiscal year. Most notably, as we all know, the emergence of COVID-19 put the world on pause, including all sports-related activities.
In true Durham fashion, I am proud that the DSC was one of the organizations that pivoted quickly and found success despite the circumstances. Staying true to our mission of creating social impact through sports, we celebrated local high school senior athletes who had their seasons cut unexpectedly short through a “Champion the Class of 2020” campaign. It was well-received, filling a gap by honoring young people for their sporting achievements while generating awareness of the DSC and our charge to support the community. The DSC also doubled down on its support of eSports through Bull City Gaming, sponsoring weekly Fortnite tournaments with hundreds competing or tuning in to watch.
The DSC has also been active in assisting the Durham Recovery & Renewal Task Force as elected officials and others in the community assess how to safely reopen Durham and its economy. It has been a great opportunity to stay in communication with our partners while convening and leading sports-specific roundtable conversations with stakeholders. To those of you that have participated, I thank you for your involvement as we work together and assess how Durham can rebound better than ever.
While the sports world hibernates, our board has also used this time for “visioning” a major sports facility for Durham: a multi-sport venue to serve the community and the sports travel market. This fall we’re assessing potential sites and conducting a feasibility study with the assistance of national experts. As the economy rebounds, we will be poised to start a community conversation about the needs this opportunity can serve.
This coming fiscal year will likely be an exciting one for the DSC as we have hired Marcus Manning as our new executive director and look forward to finding new ways to be even more resourceful for sports event planners and the community once the curve is flattened and competition is safe to return. Please also join me in congratulating Dan Hill for assuming the board chair position from me at the start of the new fiscal year.
I encourage you to keep up to date with various announcements and happenings by following the DSC on social media (@DurhamNCSports) and by exploring the beautiful new website that was unveiled earlier this year. We welcome your feedback about the state of sports in Durham currently as well as on the work of the DSC. Together, we’ll continue our work to make Durham a premier sports destination with a thriving local sports culture.
George Habel,
Durham Sports Commission Board Chair, 2019-20
Board of Directors
Our board of directors is comprised of admired leaders in the Durham community dedicated to the future of sports in our region. Members provide guidance in achieving the DSC’s mission to increase participation within the Durham community for local sporting events, and work with new event owners to bring their competition to the City of Champions.
![]() | Dan Hill – Chair Retired Insurance Broker, Former President of the Carolinas Golf Association, Former Partner of the Orange County Speedway | ![]() | Susan Scott Vice-Chair Senior Director of Advancement & Marketing UNC-TV |
![]() | Mitch Moser Secretary/Treasurer Deputy Director of Athletics/ Resource Development and Management/CFO Duke University | ![]() | Omar Beasley Self Employed |
![]() | Terrence Holt President Holt Brothers, Inc. | ![]() | George Habel VP/Special Projects Capitol Broadcasting Co. |
![]() | Tommy Hunt Retired Former ACC Referee and Supervisor of ACC Football Officials | ![]() | Bill Kalkhof Retired, former CEO of Downtown Durham Inc. (1993-2013) |
![]() | Jonathon Leach Executive Director of Administration NCCU |
Economic Impact
COVID-19 Losses
Year in Review

NCAA BID PORTAL
In September 2019, the DSC traveled with representatives from Duke Athletics to the NCAA headquarters to participate in its bid symposium. It marked the first time since the DSC’s inception that the bid portal was open for Durham to bid on hosting championships. The DSC partnered with Duke to submit three bids to host the 2023 National Collegiate Fencing Championships, 2024 and 2025 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships. We have since learned that we won the bid to host the 2023 fencing and 2025 field hockey championship events!

COVID-19 RESPONSE
Durham is known for its innovative, entrepreneurial spirit, as reflected in the DSC’s efforts to support the sports industry and community during this period. The DSC has serviced sports event planners as they shift to virtual or hybrid events, backed eSports as interest renewed, and is involved in leadership groups planning for the recovery and renewal of Durham. It is the DSC’s hope that live sporting events will safely return soon, but is prepared to remain relevant and helpful as a community partner if not.

CHAMPION THE CLASS OF 2020
High school seniors’ spring seasons were cut unexpectedly short due to the pandemic. Roughly 7% of youth athletes go on to play a varsity sport in college, and less than 2% of them will go on to play at NCAA Division I schools. This spring, the DSC rolled out a “Champion the Class of 2020” campaign highlighting Durham’s high school senior student-athletes across social channels. The campaign resulted in seniors being showcased and celebrated by the community after receiving local media attention.

BULL CITY FOOTBALL JAMBOREE
The inaugural event has been postponed to 2021, but the DSC put in important work this last fiscal year to make Durham’s first-ever high school football jamboree a reality. After listening to input and generating interest from football coaches, athletic directors and other stakeholders, it became clear that this flagship event for the DSC will champion the play and development of local youth athletes.

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEARCH
In January, Ashleigh Bachert departed to take on a new position in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The DSC is forever grateful for Ashleigh's work as the DSC's first-ever executive director. The DSC's search for its next executive director led to the hiring of Marcus Manning, the Director of Athletics and Recreation at Centenary College of Louisiana. Please join us in welcoming Marcus to Durham as he officially gets started this month.

BULL CITY GAMING
Starting in April 2020, the DSC has successfully hosted weekly Fortnite Tournaments. An additional 250 people have been participating in the Bull City Gaming page and the community has grown with regular active users recruiting others to participate, too. Twitch viewers are rising steadily with about 400 new followers and 1,000 new views. Our events even have their own caster now because they’re so popular! The participants have begged us to continue these weekly tournaments, which we intend to do.
Our New Online Home
Before the end of the fiscal year, the DSC unveiled its year-long website redesign project that resulted in a robust resource for everyone: event planners who’ll be interested in bringing their sporting events to Durham; those curious about our sports culture; and locals eager to find the next event to enjoy with family and friends.
The website brings a new collaborative calendar of events that includes every Durham sporting event, tournament, and race, from the professional ranks to Little League. Event organizers can now submit events for addition to the calendar, something the previous website did not allow. A new form allows event owners to submit grant applications more easily. There is also an interactive facilities map that is more tailored to showcase sports tourism venues in Durham. Many thanks to each venue for working with the DSC to collect images and details to ensure accurate representation. And, finally, a blog. The DSC is now able to share poignant and timely stories with the Durham community that will highlight everything from nationally recognized college rivalries to the historical figures that put our sports community on the map.
Check it out: https://www.durhamncsports.com
Financials
The following charts reflect the income and expenses of the DSC from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. With no events to create, host, or support in the last quarter of the year, the DSC has retained funds in anticipation of fueling future activity. Actual FY20 expenses were therefore more concentrated in operational areas than what was originally planned.
Social Media Year In Review
Hillside Park | Looking forward to days filled with fun, sun and DURM hoops! 🏀 pic.twitter.com/LvzKb9okPq
— Durham Sports Commission (@DurhamNCSports) May 24, 2020
If you win a @MEACSports championship (or three straight, but who’s counting) then you have to put a ring on it! @NCCU_MBB#Beyonce
📸 @NCCU_FanCentral #HBCU pic.twitter.com/G2ll6359vz
— Durham Sports Commission (@DurhamNCSports) October 29, 2019
#HappyHalloween from @WoolEBull and the #BullCity!
😈👺👽🤡📸 @DurhamBulls #Holloween pic.twitter.com/VWseUmbwPB
— Durham Sports Commission (@DurhamNCSports) October 31, 2019
#TBT Rodney Rogers is a Durham native and former star at @HillsideHS, winning the 1990 NC Player of the Year award! Rogers was drafted by the @nuggets in 1993, had a 12-year @NBA a career, and was inducted into the @NCSHOF in 2014! Read more➡️https://t.co/ED6cIoPe2X
📸@NCSHOF pic.twitter.com/S53PXYNnW4— Durham Sports Commission (@DurhamNCSports) June 25, 2020