Photo by Alex Ferro/Rio 2016 via Getty Images

Top Executives list their favorite Summer ’16 Sporting Events and Cities

Summer…we usually think about the beach, backyard barbeques, and fireworks. But what if you could travel anywhere this summer to see your favorite sporting event? Where would you go? Would you hop on a plane to Rio for the summer Olympics or would you rather see Serena Williams at Wimbledon?

We asked sports industry leaders from Twitter, PepsiCo and Athletics Australia to weigh in on their favorite summer sporting events, top places to travel for sports and their personal all time greatest sporting experience. Here’s what they had to say.

Q: What are the top must attend sporting events this summer?

 

June 2, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball against Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) during the first half in game one of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Source: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Finals

“The NBA Finals is a spectacular experience for basketball fans and even the casual fan. The Warriors came out strong in the start making everyone think the series would be over in 5 games. The Cavs did not give up and believed in themselves and won the Championship! The NBA Finals had some of the best athletes in the world competing and arguably the best two players LeBron James and Stephen Curry going head to head for the championship. It goes to show that no matter what the circumstance you should never give up and always keep fighting. If you give up you will always lose! Congratulations to the city of Cleveland and the Great State of Ohio!”

–John Shumate, Director – Water Strategy & Innovation Pepsico North America

“Having seen Jordan play live for the Chicago Bulls it would be great to see the showdown between the modern greats Steph Curry vs. LeBron James. Curry is the ultimate athlete while LeBron’s athleticism and sheer power are amazing to watch. The other interesting match-up for Aussies is watching Australian star Andrew Bogut go head-to-head with compatriot Matthew Dellavedova from the Cavs.”

–Nick Holland, Manager Athletics Australia

 

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Source: Pasionalbiceleste.com.ar

Euro 2016 and Copa America

“In my humble opinion, Euro and Copa happening together will be very exciting, almost like a World Cup all over again. Imagine if the biggest soccer event had two host countries (US and France)… so please somebody make the champions of both competitions play against each other!”

–Luan Knaya, Sports Partnerships, Twitter Brazil

Novak-Djokovic--2016-Wimbledon-opener-jpg
source: digitallpost.mx

Wimbledon  

“The Wimbledon Final 2016 is a must see summer event. It is Andy Murray’s hometown Grand Slam and he will be looking to displace Novak Djokovic as the number 1 raked tennis player in the world on the grass surface at the home of tennis. The strawberries and cream and people watching aren’t too bad either!”

–Nick Holland, Manager Athletics Australia

Source: theclio.com
Source: theclio.com

NFL Hall of Fame Induction

“Football is King in the US and is spreading its brand worldwide. The Hall of Fame event is a once in a lifetime event where fans can get up close and personal with legends from the NFL. I had the honor of attending Dan Marino’s induction while I worked for the Miami Dolphins and I can say that was an experience I will never forget!”

–John Shumate, Director – Water Strategy & Innovation Pepsico North America

siobhan-marie-oconnor-200m-individual-medley-glasgow-british-swimming-champs_3450212
Source: Skysports.com

Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

“Summer Olympic Games- Why? First the games are taking place in Brazil…Need I say more? The Summer Olympics brings everyone across the world to compete and share the love of sports! This is one of the few events where people from all different cultures can come together to experience a diverse and a wide variety of sporting activities.”

–John Shumate, Director – Water Strategy & Innovation Pepsico North America

brazil-olympics
Source: ibtimes.com

“Knowing the integrity of the Athletes performance is a priority in these Games gives the spectator the opportunity to enjoy the spectacle of an athletes power, skills and/or endurance on a fair playing field. Add in the party atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro and it makes for an exciting Summer Games.”

–Nick Holland, Manager Athletics Australia

“More than 200 countries playing in the same city embracing not only competition, but the Olympic spirit. Cultural wise there is no comparison, not even the amazing World Cup. Olympics will rock!”

–Luan Knaya, Sports Partnerships, Twitter Brazil

 

Q: What is the top city to travel to view a sporting event?

Source: CNN.com
Source: CNN.com

Miami, Florida

“If I am taking into consideration nightlife, food scene, culture, stadium, transportation, fashion, fan experience and passion…I would have to say Miami is the top city to travel to view a sporting event. The vibe, energy and scenery cannot be beat! You can go from the sexy beaches, to the hottest hotel pool parties, to Ocean Avenue, to the sporting event and then hit the hottest nightclubs all in one day. If Miami had a casino no one would need to go anywhere else ever! The only downside to Miami when it comes to sports is the fact that a lot of people move to Miami from different parts of the world and the loyalty to the local teams is not as strong as cities like Chicago, NY, and Boston but like I said the beaches and nightlife can’t be beat!”

–John Shumate, Director – Water Strategy & Innovation PepsiCo North America

Source: Sportinglife.com
Melbourne Cricket Ground  – Source: Sportinglife.com

Melbourne, Australia

“My hometown of Melbourne Australia is pretty unique in relation to sports events and sporting stadiums. All the major sporting stadiums are right in the heart of the city of Melbourne, close to its cafe culture and city nightlife and the sporting stadiums and the city are all interconnected by bridges and specially designed walkways. Australians are very passionate about their sport but for Melbournians in particular sport is a religion. The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is the major stadium and hosts the AFL Grand Final, which gets 100,000 spectators to this Blockbuster (similar to the Australian Super Bowl). There is a public holiday the day preceding the AFL Grand Final because the event is so big. The MCG stadium also hosts the Boxing Day Test Cricket match, which goes for 5 days. Day 1 sees about 85,000 spectators through the turnstiles. Within walking distance of the MCG is Rod Laver Arena, which hosts the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament.  Melbourne is renown for its sports culture, its laneway cafe scene and its food scene.”

–Nick Holland, Manager Athletics Australia

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Source: anavilhanaslodge.com

Manaus, Brazil

“I would go with the more exotic one: Manaus! This Brazilian city is in the middle of the Amazon forest and has so many different aspects and my top city to visit. All the amazing food, sightseeing in nature and Manaus is small enough to be “conquered” by tourists all over the place. The locals enjoyed hosting us and the overall experience was amazing!”

–Luan Knaya, Sports Partnerships, Twitter Brazil

 

Q: What has been your all-time greatest sporting experience?

“My greatest all-time greatest sporting experience has to be the six Super Bowls I worked from 2007 to 2012! All the events leading up to the game from Media Day to the Media Center to the NFL Experience to the all of brand parties to the game on Sunday…by Monday you would of thought you played in the game! When you are attending as a partner there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes where most people would say you are only partying and having a good time. You can find time to have fun but the goal is to ensure you are taking full advantage of the highly visible event to deliver on the core objectives of the brand!”

–John Shumate, Director – Water Strategy & Innovation PepsiCo North America

“As far as all time great sporting experiences, I think every Australian would rate Cathy Freeman’s Gold medal in the 400 meters at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as one of the greatest Australian sporting moments. There was so much build up to the event as Freeman was our best gold medal prospect going into the Olympics and the entire Nations’ hopes were resting on her shoulders. Prior to the starters gun being fired, there was an eerie silence over the 120,000 people packed into the stadium and then the roar was deafening as the race began and the crowd rode every step and second with Cathy Freeman on the way to her Gold medal. The atmosphere in Sydney during the Olympics was one of happiness and friendliness and the Sydney 2000 Games have been billed as the “Friendly Games”.”

–Nick Holland, Manager Athletics Australia

“I honestly don’t think something can ever get closer to a World Cup Final. You wait 4 years and 1 month to decide the best soccer team in the World. It’s such an electric environment that you can feel the goose bumps leading up to the big game. The atmosphere is so cool starting in brand activations and ending in the final whistle. For me, what defines the experience is not just the experience itself but what you remember and talk about years later. And writing this blog post just brought back great memories!”

–Luan Knaya, Sports Partnerships, Twitter Brazil

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