Bryce Herman, sales contact for the new Tournament Capital Club Partnership Program, talks about the new opportunities for businesses to sponsor venues such as Hillside Stadium.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

The Tournament Capital of Canada is looking to stay ahead of the competition by bringing in an additional $350,000 in revenues through the renaming of several city-owned sport venues.

Henry Pejril of the Kamloops Sports Council says several other communities have already modeled tournament hosting programs after Kamloops and the new partnerships will allow the city to remain the one others look to as a leader.

“Kamloops is a leader in sports hosting. We make other cities say why didn't we think of that?”

Partnering for events will still be available but the new partnership program will allow businesses looking for more than just three or four-day events to have longer-term sponsorship opportunities through the renaming of 10 different sports venues in the city. Commitments of three to five years will be required with an estimated high-end annual sponsorship of $25,000 expected.

Numbers are still being finalized and will be part of individual negotiations with each potential sponsorship. Things such as sign size will also be part of the negotiations says program sales contact Bryce Herman.

It is expected this program could bring in additional annual revenues of $350,000 – which will help offset the major fund-raising host committees have to complete by support existing and future sport hosting opportunities through the council.

In 2012 more than 100 tournaments took place in Kamloops, bringing in 26,000 unique visitors to the city. The economic spinoff from these events last year is estimated at about $11 million.

Negotiations are already underway with several businesses and Herman expects we could see signs in place in the near future. The council is focusing on local businesses but is open to national companies interested in sponsorship as well.

Herman says he will be looking at sensitivity issues in allowing sponsorship as well – there will not be any beer or cigarette companies sponsoring fields where youth play.

The venues currently available for in-venue naming rights include two ice pads and two soccer fields at McArthur Island; Memorial, Brocklehurst and Valleyview Arenas; Hillside Stadium Field, Fieldhouse Championship and Middle Court, Wellness Centre and Athlete's Performance Centre at Tournament Capital Centre; leisure pool and waterslide at Canada Games Aquatic Centre and two fields at Tournament Capital Slo-Pitch Ranch.

Venues would retain their current names but would be referred to under the sponsorship name and additional signs with that name would be placed at entrances and around the facility. 

To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call (250) 819-3723.

Hillside Stadium will be known by a new name once sponsorship is in place. The smaller sign on the right is the proposed size of the sign that would be posted at the stadium.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)