July 20, 2018 Edition

Dear USCA Member Clubs, States and Regions,

Here is the next edition of USCA Tapas for your information and sharing with your membership. Have a good weekend.

Rick

What happened in the previous two weeks:

Grants/Sponsorship/Revenue Development

·       We have received just over $40,000 in U.S. Olympic Committee merchandise licensing royalties for the period of April 2017 – May 2018.

·       We have signed a sponsorship agreement with Twin Cities Orthopedics, which will be providing sports medicine, athletic trainer and strength and conditioning services and support to all athletes in the USA Curling High Performance Program. TCO has posted a notice for hiring a new athletic trainer specifically for this position. The partnership will also give HPP athletes access to TCO’s new Training Haus in Eagan, Minn.

·       The Q2 report for the USOC Challenge Grant has been submitted, showing that we are just under two-thirds of the way toward meeting our fundraising target ($107,000) to qualify for the $20,000 grant by the end of 2018.

·       With six months in and six to go, we have registered over 634,000 unique visitors to the USA Curling web site, housed on the U.S. Olympic Committee platform. This means we have already achieved the second tier of compensation in the digital media agreement with the USOC, netting the USCA $75,000 for the year. Reaching 750,000 unique visitors by Dec. 31 would trigger an additional $75,000 in revenue.

Events/Sport Education

·       The 2018-19 USA Curling Junior National Championship qualifier bonspielshave been announced.

·       Several USA Curling Instructor Clinics have already been announced for the coming fall, including at Ardsley, Dakota and Nashua curling clubs.

Communications/PR

·       Sarah Hirshland has been named as the new CEO for the U.S. Olympic Committee.

• I had a call with the Green Bay Packers marketing execs and we are looking at several creative ways to integrate curling into Packers game days and other special projects.
• The summer digital-only edition of the U.S. Curling News will be out soon.
• The 2018 Olympic Gold medalist men’s curlers attended the ESPYs, where the athletes had been nominated for two awards.

Inside the Curling World

• A second Budget Advisory Group meeting was held by teleconference Tuesday for final discussions. The FY19 budget proposal has now been submitted to the Board of Directors for discussion and action at the July 27 Board meeting.
• Applications are now being accepted for the inaugural men’s Can-Am Cup Tour, set for November 2019.
• Photos are still being sought for the 2019 USA Curling Club calendar.

Competitive Programs

·       2006 Olympic bronze medalist Pete Fenson is rejoining the High Performance Program coaching staff, as the women’s national program coach.

·       High Performance Program confidential athlete surveys are underway.

What’s up next week:

•         USCA Board of Directors meeting by webinar/teleconference, Thursday.

•         Midwest U.S. Junior Curling Camp, July 24-29, Blaine, Minn.

What’s coming two weeks from now (July 29 – Aug. 4, 2018):

•         NGB Council meeting, July 31.
•        Aces meeting, Aug. 1