Visit Milwaukee · 15 hours ago
Sports Development Manager
Milwaukee, WI
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
3+ years expVisit Milwaukee is dedicated to promoting Greater Milwaukee as a premier destination for sports-related events. The Sports Development Manager will drive sales and marketing efforts to recruit new sporting events and develop strategic initiatives to grow Sports Milwaukee’s event portfolio.
Travel
Responsibilities
Implement the department’s strategic sales goals and objectives generated by the Director of Sports Milwaukee, while providing leadership in support of the organization’s mission, vision, and annual priorities
Build and strengthen relationships with event rights holders through ongoing communication with prospective and existing clients to generate bidding and hosting opportunities
Recruit new sports events to the Greater Milwaukee area and maintain strong relationships with local, state, and national sports organizations that support sports tourism
Develop, coordinate, and execute comprehensive bid strategies, including:
Maintaining accurate account files and CRM databases
Distributing qualified sales leads to appropriate partner organizations
Preparing and delivering presentations and formal bid proposals
Coordinating and conducting site inspections and destination visits prior to or during the RFP process
Maintain working knowledge of Wisconsin Center District operating procedures to book event space and issue license agreements
Manage the full bid and event acquisition process, including contractual negotiations, budget development, venue selection, support services procurement, and housing coordination
Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with key stakeholders required to attract and host sporting events throughout Greater Milwaukee
Maintain an inventory of public and private sports facilities within the Greater Milwaukee area
Promote and educate event rights holders on Milwaukee’s sports assets, venues, and infrastructure
Organize and conduct familiarization tours, site visits, and destination reviews for sports event organizers
Represent the organization at industry conferences, trade shows, sales missions, and other professional events to engage prospective partners and clients
Develop and manage relationships with facility owners and operators, including public venues, parks and recreation departments, educational institutions, and school districts
Assist with research and analysis related to future sports facility and infrastructure development projects in Milwaukee County
Prepare and submit timely reports as requested by supervisors or the President/CEO
Perform additional duties as assigned by supervisors or the President/CEO
Collaborate effectively with Sports Milwaukee and Visit Milwaukee staff to ensure a unified and impactful destination marketing effort
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in sports management, marketing, communications, or a related field
Minimum of three to five years of experience in direct sales, sales and marketing, or a related discipline
Strong work ethic with demonstrated self-motivation to succeed in a competitive sales environment
Proven experience in athletic and sports-related sales, with a solid leadership background
Demonstrated understanding of budgeting and fiscal responsibility
Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
Excellent project management and team leadership skills
Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
Experience with contract negotiation and proposal development
Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including professional presentation experience
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and CRM databases
Ability to travel by air and personal vehicle; valid driver's license required
Willingness to attend tradeshows, industry trainings, and other events as needed, representing Sports Milwaukee at local, regional, and national events
Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required
Ability to sit or stand at desk, operate computer keyboard and view computer screen for six to eight hours per day
Must be able to hear and converse via telephone and in person
Must be able to stand and/or walk for extended periods of time
May be required to lift boxes and small equipment up to 50 pounds in weight
Preferred
Sales experience within a destination management organization, convention center, hotel, or sports facility preferred
Involvement with the Sports Events & Tourism Association (SportsETA) preferred
Company
Visit Milwaukee
VISIT Milwaukee is to market the great Milwaukee area as the destination of choice for conventions, events.
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Peggy Williams Smith
President and CEO
Meisha Bridges
Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
informaconnect.com
2025-12-18
informaconnect.com
2025-12-01
Seattle TechFlash
2025-09-01
Company data provided by crunchbase