SPG's State Guide to Sports in Oregon

2023 Issue

If you’re an experienced event planner, you’ve read a thousand of these letters by now. Every destination thinks they’re special, and honestly, they are. They all have sparkling new venues, wonderful hotels and endless visitor attractions. Here in Oregon, we have all of that too. But that’s not what makes us special.

There’s an intense spirit of sport that flows through our entire state, from the bright lights of Portland to the windswept shores of Bandon Dunes; from the stunning Columbia River Gorge – home to the world’s best windsurfing and kiteboarding – to the high desert adventure oasis of Bend; from the world-famous Pendleton RoundUp in rugged Eastern Oregon to the nation’s undisputed epicenter of track and field in Eugene. On top of that, we have a broad coalition of experienced tourism partners across the state – ready and eager to serve events of all shapes and sizes.

So yes, we think we’re special too. After all, where else can you go surfing in the Pacific Ocean, skiing on Mt. Hood and tax-free shopping at the Nike, adidas and Columbia Sportswear stores – all in the same day? Where else can you run a half marathon through the lush vineyards of Oregon wine country in the morning and be inspired by jaw-dropping scenic wonders like Crater Lake and the Painted Hills in the afternoon?

But enough about all that. Let’s cut through the clutter. You have an endless list of options of where to hold your next event. We know your time is valuable and we know how important it is to have a fully committed local partner by your side at all times

Together with our hospitality and business partners across the state, this is exactly what we do here at Sport Oregon. We’re fully engaged with you, from the bid stage through the planning process to event execution. This is why we break attendance records for events like the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, earn unprecedented praise for staging best of class events like the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, and usher in brand-new tourism-inducing events like the inaugural IRONMAN Oregon 70.3. And this is why, in 2022, Oregon will host the IAAF World Track & Field Championships for the first time ever in North America.

But we’re not stopping there. We’re looking for every possible opportunity to bring the best in sport to our state. So, give us a shot. If you’d like to explore options for bringing your next event to Oregon, e-mail me at jim@sportoregon.org, and we’ll quickly figure out if we can make it happen. Consider this your formal invitation – please join us as we celebrate the magnificent spirit of sport in the state that we are so fortunate to call home.

Jim Etzel
CEO
Sport Oregon