TEAMS '13 Opening General Session Set to Feature Costas, Romney as Speakers

October 20, 2013

Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Bob Costas and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will headline the program at the TEAMS '13 Conference & Expo when the event runs Nov. 4-7 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Both will appear at the show’s opening general session Nov. 5. This year won’t be their first time at TEAMS, with Romney taking part in 2001 and Costas appearing for the fourth time.

In 2001, Romney was the head of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

He currently serves on the board of directors of Marriott International. Costas will be making his fourth live appearance at TEAMS.  

Costas has anchored NBC's primetime Olympics coverage for nine Olympic Games, and will be in the lead chair again for this Winter’s Olympic Games in Russia.

"The TEAMS Conference & Expo is committed to providing a platform for the leading thinkers and practitioners in the sports and travel industries," said Timothy Schneider, publisher of SportsTravel magazine, which organizes the TEAMS Conference & Expo.

He added, "The importance of long-term relationships is one of the key themes of TEAMS '13 and we’re pleased that many of our presenters are longtime friends of SportsTravel and TEAMS."

In addition to Costas and Romney, attendees at TEAMS will hear from more than two dozen high-level sports-organization executives, including Bill Marolt, president and CEO of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association; Stephen Miller, whose family owns the NBA's Utah Jazz; Mark Lewis, the NCAA's executive vice-president for championships and alliances; Mike Plant, president of U.S. Speedskating and executive vice-president of the Atlanta Braves; Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission; and Jerry Solomon, noted sports agent and CEO of StarGames.

Chris Thompson, the president and CEO of Brand USA, will provide a keynote address on how the United States' first nationally coordinated tourism marketing effort will use sports to market the U.S. to international visitors.

"It's always best to learn from proven masters," said Lisa Furfine, associate publisher of SportsTravel and manager of the TEAMS Conference & Expo. "If you want to be a leader in the sports industry, TEAMS '13 in Salt Lake City is the place to be."

TEAMS ’13 is presented by SportsTravel magazine and hosted by the Utah Sports Commission and Visit Salt Lake

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