MOLINE, Ill. – Visit Quad Cities has rebranded its sports tourism agency as Sports QC Powered by Visit Quad Cities.
The rebranding was announced during a recent youth basketball tournament in Moline, Ill. The agency was previously known as Quad Cities Sports Commission.
Founded in 1995, the agency was created to attract, host, and support the region’s amateur and professional sports events. According to a press release, it was the first such sports commission in Illinois. It remains a private, non-profit organization and a division of Visit Quad Cities.
In an interview with ourquadcities.com, Visit Quad Cities president and CEO David Herrell says sports tourism is “vital” to the region.
“We have not slowed down our sales and marketing efforts of this important vertical even through the pandemic, but it is time to reinvigorate and put some increased intentionality with this direction. We are in a competitive race against other communities in the Midwest and the entire country,” he says. “The only way to be relevant is a meaningful private/public partnership to create more opportunities and value for the Quad Cities. Sports QC will need increased investment, collaboration, and teamwork to grow and drive economic development, visibility, community programming, and improve quality of life.”
According to the ourquadcities.com article, back in 2019, the organization enlisted The Huddle Up Group to assess the region’s sports tourism market and provide consultation for a strategic plan to improve its competitive identity. Following this, a task force was established to create an “enriched sports tourism support system.”
In addition to the new branding, Visit Quad Cities has launched a new website for Sports QC. According to the news release, the new site helps sports planners and event rights holders learn about the region’s sports landscape, venues, event possibilities, and services provided.
“Vibrant images and new video content give a positive first impression of our family of communities, and an online QC Game Plan guide for a quick review and easy printing of sports information about the QC as a sports destination,” the release states.
