Pitch Perfect

After five years at Nippert Stadium and more than two years of construction, FC Cincinnati plays their first match in TQL Stadium on Sunday, May 16, at 4 p.m.

FC Cincinnati hosts Inter Miami CF for the home opener, which will be nationally televised on FOX and FOX Deportes. The upcoming season will be FC Cincinnati’s third season in Major League Soccer after joining as an expansion side 2019.

Before the match begins, take a look at what has gone into building the state-of-the-art stadium.

Auxiliary Media Booth 1

Referee Locker Rooms 2

Number of Scoreboards 2
North and Southeast, plus ribbon-style boards that wrap all the way around from Northeast Corner to Southwest corner

TV Booths 3

Number of Premium Club Areas 4

Additional Team Locker Rooms 4

Radio Booths 4

Including oversize/party suites 5

Number of Entrances 6

Broadcast Truck Bays 6

Power and data cables 12 miles (19.15 km)

Stadium Footprint Acreage 12.4 acres

Distance from Touchline to Seats. 15 feet on the West

18.5 feet on the North, East
and South

Restrooms 30 (14 men, 16 women)

Number of Suites 53

Cost of Steel $53 million

Press Box Seating Capacity 75

Playing Field Dimension 110 yards x 75 yards

Furthest Seat from the Field 130 feet

Canopy Roof Coverage. 360 degrees

Control Room Size 700 sq. ft.

Capacity of The Bailey 3,170

Total Premium Club Capacity 4,500

Size of Club Store 9,000 square feet on two
floors

Tons of Steel 10,000 tons
all U.S. fabricated

Home Team Locker Room Size 10,350 sq. ft.
Includes Locker Room, Lounge, Coaches Offices, Athletic Training Suite, Warm-up Area

Soccer Capacity 26,000

Stadium Footprint 518,000 square feet

It’s Swinely Time!

Registration for the in-person Flying Pig Marathon opens Monday, May 10. This year, Queen Bee and Flying Pig events will be combined for the “Fall Pig Works” weekend, Oct. 29 to 31.

The tentative schedule includes

• Friday, Oct. 29–Fifty West Mile

• Saturday, Oct. 30–Toyota 10K, Tri-State Running Company 5K, Queen Bee Medpace 4 Miler

• Sunday, Oct. 31–Flying Pig Marathon powered by P&G, Paycor Half Marathon and Queen Bee Half Marathon empowered by P&G and Kroger (half marathons will be run concurrently on the same course)

Challenge events include the Skyline Chili 3-Way, 4-Way and 5-Way, as well as the Snout and Stinger Challenge presented by Givaudan (a Flying Pig event plus a Queen Bee event) and the Busy Bee challenge for the Queen Bee events. 

Get more information on the fall Pig Works events and register starting May 10.

For a sense of just how big a deal the Flying Pig is, take a look at the numbers from 2018

2018 Marathon weekend participants 43,127

Expo Attendees 65,000

Volunteers 8,000

Estimated Course Spectators 150,000

Post-Race Party attendees 60,000

States represented 50 (marathon and half)

Countries represented 21

Dollars raised through Marathon $1.4 million

Charity dollars raised since 1999 $16 million

Weekend economic impact $14 million

Ice 4,000 lbs.

Mylar Blankets 55,000

Fluid stations 34

Cookies 22,000

Trail Mix 41,000

Chairs 655 folding chairs

Metal Barricades 9,840 feet

Fluid station cups 600,000

Miles of course 49 miles

Golf Carts 15

Rakes 85

Recycling Boxes 150

Trash, Recycling and Compost Bags 800

Finisher’s Medals (inc. Piglets) 41,225

Portable Restrooms 594

Volunteer T-shirts 5,423

Waste diverted from landfills 58%

Food donated to local food pantries 5,960 pounds

Clothing collected and donated 2,025 pounds

Bands and entertainment zones 125

Signs/Banners 1,500

Kroger Pasta Party: Penne Pasta 125 lbs.

Kroger Pasta Party: Marinara Sauce 15 gallons

Kroger Pasta Party: Alfredo Sauce 8 gallons

Kroger Pasta Party: Pesto 7 gallons

Kroger Pasta Party: Parmesan 45 lbs.

Swedish Fish 9,450

Graham crackers 2,000

Electrolyte drink 11,472 gal

Paper towels 20,160 sheets

Theeey're (Almost) Here

Are you looking forward to the cicadas?

Are you absolutely dreading it?

Ready or not, Brood X is already starting to emerge from their underground bunker to enjoy their moment in the sun.

Courtesy CicadaMania.com

• 1 app by Mount St. Joseph University, called Cicada Safari. The app can help you identify periodical cicadas and share the location where you found them. The data will help determine exactly where periodical cicadas exist in order to create maps for future generations. Download at http://cicadasafari.org/.

• 2 pennants won by the Reds during Brood X years

• 3 to 4 weeks of chorusing (singing)
  (Cool weather or rain can prolong an emergence, so don’t think a mild summer will make things quieter around here!)

• 6 to 8 weeks is the typical emergence period

• 15 states are part of the 2021 Brood X emergence

• 20 species of cicada in all, with 14 annual and 6 periodical

• 64 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature when the cicadas begin to emerge

• 356/square yard, the highest number of cicadas measured per square yard in 2004 (In Delhi, so watch out, Westsiders!)

• 1715, the year Brood X first appeared in the region, in Clermont County

• 2025, the next periodic cicada emergence (Brood IVX)

–Information courtesy of CicadaMania.com and Dr. Gene Kritsky

An Open Book

Read any good books lately? Get a sneak peek at the night tables and travel totes of your neighbors with this list of best sellers from Joseph-Beth Booksellers for the week of April 5.

Inspired to read one of the books below? All of these and many more books are available at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road. For more information call (513) 396-8960 or visit josephbeth.com.

We Begin at the End (Hardcover)
By Chris Whitaker
$22.39

ISBN: 9781250759665
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Henry Holt and Co. – March 2, 2021

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (Hardcover)
By Charlie Mackesy
$22.99

ISBN: 9780062976581
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: HarperOne – October 22, 2019

Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1) (Paperback)
By Leigh Bardugo
$8.79

ISBN: 9781250027436
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Square Fish – May 7, 2013

The Consequences of Fear: A Maisie Dobbs Novel (Hardcover)
By Jacqueline Winspear
$22.39

ISBN: 9780062868022
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Harper – March 23, 2021

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race (Hardcover)
By Walter Isaacson
$28.00

ISBN: 9781982115852
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Simon & Schuster – March 9, 2021

Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage (Hardcover)
By Anne Lamott

ISBN: 9780593189696
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Riverhead Books – March 2, 2021

The Four Winds: A Novel (Hardcover)
By Kristin Hannah
$23.19

ISBN: 9781250178602
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: St. Martin's Press - February 2, 2021

Klara and the Sun: A novel (Hardcover)
By Kazuo Ishiguro
$22.40

ISBN: 9780593318171
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Knopf – March 2, 2021

The Midnight Library: A Novel (Hardcover)
By Matt Haig
$31.20

ISBN: 9780525559474
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Viking – September 29, 2020

Eternal (Hardcover)
By Lisa Scottoline
$22.40

ISBN: 9780525539766
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons – March 23, 2021

Safe at Home

Opening Day is just a few days away, and the Cincinnati Reds are excited to welcome fans back to Great American Ball Park this season.

The Reds are following current CDC protocols and working with government officials in partnership with TriHealth and St. Elizabeth Healthcare to ensure the ballpark fosters a safe environment for all fans.

The health and safety measures that fans should expect when visiting Great American Ball Park include:

• Masks are mandatory and should properly cover the nose and mouth unless actively eating or drinking in your ticketed seats

• Socially distanced pod-style seating for up to six per group to safely distance fans while watching the game

• Tickets will be issued digitally via the MLB Ballpark app to allow for contactless entry

• Contactless and cashless forms of payment at concessions and merchandise stands

• New bag policy prohibiting backpacks

For the full list of safety protocols and ballpark policies, please visit reds.com/Safe or reds.com/GuestGuide.

The last official Opening Day celebration—with a parade, crowded streets, a full ballpark and general merrymaking—was in 2019.

On that day, as the Reds faced the Pirates, Opening Day revelers experienced:

360 pounds of meat at Penn Station

90 gallons of chili from Skyline Chili

1,200 Opening Day T-Shirts & Pins

15,000 cubic feet of popcorn

1,200 pounds of soft pretzels

2,700 pounds of hot dogs

1,700 pounds of sausages

1,700 pounds of peanuts

8,300 gallons of beer

2,100 gallons of soda

2,800 slices of pizza

1,500 Reds caps

1,200 programs

Outside Chance

Have you ever wanted to walk from Great American Ball Park to Paul Brown Stadium, make a quick stop in from of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center while carrying a drink?

You’re in luck! Beginning Thursday, March 25 you will be able to do just that!

The new Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) at The Banks officially opens, allowing patrons of participating eateries and pubs to carry alcoholic beverages in a designated cup anywhere within the boundaries of The Banks from Heritage Bank Center to Paul Brown Stadium and from Mehring Way to Second Street.

• The DORA at The Banks will opens 3/25/21 at 11 a.m. 

• The DORA includes 18 establishments at The Banks and the public plazas

• The DORA District is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days per week.

• The Dora District is 85-acres, rom Paul Brown Stadium to Heritage Bank Center and to the south sidewalk of Second Street and the north sidewalk of Mehring Way. It is designed to foster social distancing for patrons.

• Beverages must be 16 ounces or smaller, in official DORA cups.

• Pre-COVID, 4.5 million people visited The Banks each year

A Taste of Success for Struggling Restaurants

Cincinnati businesses have all felt the impact of COVID-19. Katie Eagan, vice president of government affairs at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, talks about the role the Chamber took to helping small and large business during the crisis. From the hard-hit hospitality industry to logistics and manufacturing, Eagan shares how the region is poised for a strong comeback and future success.

Taste of Cincinnati All Winter Long by the #s

By Rich Walburg

The City of Cincinnati, in partnership with the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Foundation, funded grants for the Taste of Cincinnati All Winter Long program. The initiative and the grants were designed to stimulate and sustain the City’s restaurant economy and retain jobs in the service industry through the early months of 2021.

• 4 million – the amount the City of Cincinnati supplied for Taste of Cincinnati All Winter Long grants.

• 272 – number of restaurants and bars in the City that received Taste of Cincinnati All Winter Long grants.

• 17,000 – the dollar amount received by full-service restaurants.

• 8,500 – the dollar amount received by bars and limited-service restaurants

• 240 billion – the dollar amount, estimated by the National Restaurant Association, that industry sales fell by in 2020

• 110,000 – the number of restaurants and bars the National Restaurant Association estimates closed temporarily or for good in 2020.

• 16 – the average number of years in business of those restaurants that closed for good in 2020.

• 32 – the average number of employees of those restaurants that closed for good in 2020.

• 2.5 million – the number of jobs the restaurant and bar sector lost in 2020, according to the National Restaurant Association.

• 40 – the percentage of Black-owned businesses that have closed since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

• 60 – the percentage of adults who say restaurants are an essential part of their lifestyle.

All Taste of Cincinnati All Winter Long participants are offering special dishes or discounts on food, drinks, and gift cards. Visit TasteofCincinnati.com and support our local restaurants and bars.

ArtsWave Grants by the #s

By Jackie Reau, Publisher

Over the past year, ArtsWave, the engine for the arts in our region, has been a major catalyst for grant making to support the regional artistic community, including Black and Brown artists, LGBTQIA-focused projects and young professional programming. All in all, ArtsWave and its community partners have distributed $834,638 in grants to 338 artists during the COVID-19 crisis.

This weekend, ArtsWave begins its 2021 annual community campaign, to support hundreds of arts organizations and artists from some 40,000 donors. To learn more about ArtsWave or make a donation, visit ArtsWave.org.

Here is a breakdown of ArtsWave grants made during the pandemic to support the regional arts community:

ArtsWave awards $15,000 in Pride grants

ArtsWave has awarded its annual set of grants for arts projects of interest to LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies. A total of $15,000 from the 2020 ArtsWave Campaign were allocated to four different nonprofit arts organizations representing a wide variety of arts, including choral, theater, dance, visual arts and classes. 

Here is the list:

In total, $43,000 in grant requests were made by nine different nonprofit organizations. ArtsWave Pride Grant Panel Chair, Ford Clark mentions, “this was a very competitive grant process, and the committee selected the highest impact programs which we believe will be executed effectively, given the state of the pandemic.” ArtsWave President & CEO Alecia Kintner is pleased that the Pride networking and affinity group continues to grow, adding “Cincinnati’s arts organizations shine even more brightly when they innovate with new programming that intentionally includes and celebrates diverse audiences.”

ArtsWave Pride is ArtsWave’s networking and communications group that welcomes and connects LGBTQIA individuals and allies that support the arts through donations to ArtsWave. This networking and communications group has been the fastest-forming networking and communications group that ArtsWave has ever created, with over 1,700 sign-ups during the 2020 ArtsWave Community Campaign. Thanks to PNC Bank, ArtsWave Pride members who make a gift of $75+ receive invitations to ArtsWave Pride events as well as opportunities to become involved in various arts performances that accompany these events.

ArtsWave announces 27 winning projects proposed by Black and Brown artists on the theme of truth and reconciliation

In a series of grants meant to uplift the artistry and experiences of people of color, ArtsWave announced last month a cohort of 27 Black and Brown artists who will receive a total of $271,638 for their projects on the theme of “truth and reconciliation.” Funding for these grants, which average $10,000 each, comes from the City of Cincinnati, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Duke Energy Fifth Third Bank, and ArtsWave’s Arts Vibrancy Recovery Fund.

Twenty-two grant recipients were selected from a competitive applicant pool of 49 artists from across the region. In addition, five master artists, whose work has been supported by ArtsWave over the last decade or longer, were awarded funding for their projects on the same theme. The collection of 27 funded projects reflect a variety of artistic disciplines and approaches to the complexities of ”truth” and “reconciliation” after a year marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and stark displays of systemic racism, racial injustice and inequities that confront Black and Brown individuals.

Each of the projects has an aspect of public performance, display or showcase, with plans for an exhibition in partnership with the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in summer 2021. Many artists are planning for both live and digital dissemination of the work, a reflection of both the potential for wider reach through technology and the ongoing health risks of the pandemic.

Artists are also asked to involve some aspect of collaboration with community members and other partners in their projects, so that the larger public can participate in reconciling the moment and imagining a more just and equitable future for the Cincinnati region through the arts. As a group, the projects advance ArtsWave’s Blueprint for Collective Action and the powerful goals of bridging cultural divides, promoting understanding and empathy, deepening the roots of residents, and improving neighborhoods.

Building on the momentum created by Cincinnati’s Black Lives Matter mural and Cincinnati Music Festival’s Outdoor Museum, ArtsWave announced the Black & Brown Artist Project Grants in fall 2020. A review panel of 16 individuals representing a cross-section of cultural organizations, civic organizations, and businesses was chaired by Toilynn O’Neal, founder of the Robert O’Neal Multi Cultural Arts Center (“The ROMAC”).

“The arts are one of our most effective tools for illuminating even the most challenging moments and encouraging dialogue that can lead to positive change and greater understanding,” says ArtsWave President & CEO Alecia Kintner. “Knowing that we have much to learn from the artists in our community, ArtsWave is pleased to support the creation of 27 thoughtful and provocative works by local Black and Brown visionaries this spring.”

City of Cincinnati Council Member Greg Landsman, who championed the city’s funding of this grants program with ArtsWave, notes, “Cincinnati has incredible artists, though too many of them – especially many local Black and Brown artists – don’t get the support they need to be successful. This happens, despite the fact that the art they create brings real beauty and meaning to our lives. They enrich our communities, and I was honored to help lead what I hope will be an annual effort to invest, alongside our amazing private-sector partners, in these very talented local artists.”

$100,000+ in Artist Relief Available for 100 Artists in 15 Cincinnati Counties

Last month ArtsWave announced that $100,000+ was made available in new relief funds for artists whose livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Regional Artist Relief Fund will provide grants of $1,000 each to as many as 100 performing and visual artists who live within the 15-county Greater Cincinnati MSA.

This funding opportunity mirrors the December distribution of $200,000 in CARES Act dollars by ArtsWave on behalf of the City of Cincinnati, to 107 city-based artists. Thanks to new private sources, including ArtsWave’s Arts Vibrancy Recovery Fund, this next relief program expands assistance to artists who live beyond the city limits.

“We can’t expect our region to restore its cultural vibrancy if our resident artists don’t survive the prolonged loss of work due to COVID-19,” said Alecia Kintner, ArtsWave President & CEO. “Whether they are musicians who perform in clubs or pit orchestras, actors or crew in our regional theaters, visual artists who depend on galleries and art fairs to sell their work, or arts educators whose contracts with schools have been suspended, these highly skilled creative workers are under grave threat as the pandemic wears on.”

Grant awards will be based on clear demonstration of lost work and financial hardship due to the coronavirus. Awards will reflect the broadest possible range of diversity based on the applicant pool. To be eligible, artists must earn 25% or more of their income through their art and must not have received funding in the prior round.

The 2021 Regional Artist Relief Fund includes $50,000 from the Kent and Martha Savage Family Charitable Fund at Greater Cincinnati Foundation, matched by ArtsWave’s Arts Vibrancy Recovery Fund. In addition, proceeds from Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park’s last day (January 3) of Journey BOREALIS was donated, as are exhibition revenues from Cincinnati Art Museum’s community engagement days in December 2020 and January 2021.

ArtsWave Announces $48,000 in YP Grants

In December, ArtsWave’s announced $48,000 in grant awards from the 2020 ArtsWave Campaign to support programming from seven arts organizations that will attract and engage Young Professionals (YPs) to the arts. 

The projects were chosen to reinforce “Arts Deepen Roots,” one of ArtsWave’s five objectives for the region’s arts sector framed in its Blueprint for Collective Action. “Involvement in the arts is a great way to become more connected to the community,” explains ArtsWave President & CEO Alecia Kintner. “Keeping talented young people in our region and actively engaged in civic life is important to the success and vibrancy of our businesses and institutions.”

Below is a list of the organizations and projects selected:

Funding for the YP grant program is made possible by donations from the 2020 ArtsWave Campaign, given by ArtsWave Young Professionals. Ten percent of all donations given by these YPs are designated for these grants. Projects were chosen through a cross-section of YPs throughout the region who evaluated the submissions and made recommendations.

$400,000 in Artist Relief, Grants and Commissions Announced by ArtsWave, City of Cincinnati and Duke Energy

In November, ArtsWave, working in partnership with the City of Cincinnati and Duke Energy, announced two opportunities which provided $400,000 in total to local artists in the form of pandemic relief and creative project support.

The Cincinnati Arts Access Fund (CAAF) was established by the City of Cincinnati with $200,000 in CARES Act funding. Two-hundred eligible artists of all types (visual artists, performers, actors, musicians, singers, etc.), who are city residents and who earn 25% or more of their income through their art, can receive COVID-related relief grants of $1,000 each.

“The coronavirus pandemic is causing extreme hardship for large numbers of out-of-work artists in Cincinnati,” said City Council member Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, who proposed the CAAF. “These grants can be used to reimburse living expenses or to find new ways to generate income.”

A second, separate $200,000 program for projects addressing the theme of “truth and reconciliation” was announced by Cincinnati Council member Greg Landsman. Black and Brown artists are eligible to apply for up to $10,000 to create a work, in any artistic discipline, that helps re-imagine a more just and equitable future.

“Cincinnati’s Black and Brown artists have long been chronicling our uneven progress to overcome racism and division,” City Council member Landsman said. “These grants are another way for us to lift up their voices and bring our community together.” The City of Cincinnati is contributing $75,000 toward this program.

To extend the program to artists throughout the Cincinnati metro and Northern Kentucky region, Duke Energy provided $25,000 in additional funding. Rhonda Whitaker Hurtt, Vice President, Community Relations & Economic Development for Duke Energy, added, “Artists and their works have the ability to lead us to greater empathy and compassion. This is especially true of Black and Latino artists. Their talents, creations and perspectives can help us make sense of recent challenges and prompt us to take further action toward greater equality for all.”

ArtsWave matched both investments with $100,000 from its Arts Vibrancy Recovery Fund, resulting in a funding pool that will enable a total of 20-25 projects that explore the program’s strategic focus on truth and reconciliation.

“ArtsWave is honored to be partnering with the City of Cincinnati and Duke Energy to create these two important funding opportunities for artists,” said Alecia Kintner, president and CEO of ArtsWave. “We have a chance to provide much-needed financial relief for 200 vital contributors to our creative community, and we are investing in the continued work and impact of Black and Brown artists across our region.”

Sport Betting by the Numbers

By: Jackie Reau, Publisher

More than $6 billion dollars will be wagered today on Super Bowl Sunday. Sadly, you won’t be able to make a bet on the Big Game in an Ohio Sports Book nor will you be able to make one of the 1,000 prop bets available. In case you were wondering, my favorite prop bet today is the octopus or when the same player scores a touchdown and subsequently scores the 2-point conversion.

Ohio law makers are lagging behind the other 21 U.S. states who have launched sports betting since it was legalized in May of 2018. Neighboring states are cashing in on sports betting with Indiana, which launched in September 2019, taking a $2 billion handle since day one. Michigan which began rolling out sports betting in March of 2020 saw $130 million in wagers—during a Pandemic.

I am bullish on legalized sports betting in Ohio for a number of reasons. The tax revenue will help Gov. DeWine’s cash-strapped budget with a new monthly revenue stream. Hopping on my black jack stool for a minute, I think that the sports events tourism industry deserves a piece of the revenue pie for facility development and grants to lure sporting events to the state. No other state is recognizing this industry with a revenue carve out and it would be a huge opportunity for the entire state to coalesce with cash to go after new major sporting events to host.

Additionally, legalized sports betting enhances the fan experience, and may well drive ticket sales if fans can place in-game bets at the sports stadium. I would love to see a betting window inside the new FC Cincinnati stadium.

Cities can also embrace betting milestones (read: Super Bowl, March Madness, etc.) and create a series of new events to put heads in hotel beds, fill seats at restaurants and create new revenue streams.

The 21 U.S. states including Washington, D.C., who have enacted legalized sports betting are reaping the revenue benefits. For example, Rhode Island and New Hampshire have realized wagers totaling more than $774 million combined since their launches in 2018 and 2019, respectively. For perspective, Rhode Island has a population of just over one million and Ohio has 11 million residents.

To the law makers of Ohio, please move the legalization of sports betting to the top of the state’s legislative agenda with a carve out for the sports events tourism industry to further advance the industry in our state. 

PS: I am taking the points on today’s game (56).

$1.4 Billion Economic Impact of Black Businesses in the Cincinnati Region

By: Rich Walburg

As our nation celebrates Black History Month, the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) is recognizing its 25th anniversary. It’s doing so with the results of a groundbreaking study, the first in the nation by a Chamber of Commerce to quantify the economic impact of Black businesses.

The analysis, in partnership with UC Economics Center, shows the Greater Cincinnati Black businesses included in the analysis support more than $1.4 billion of operations expenditures and are responsible for directly employing 8,680 people with $540 million in earnings throughout the Cincinnati Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

Eric H. Kearney, AACC President and CEO

Eric H. Kearney, AACC president and CEO said that the “analysis shows a robust number of growing enterprises, jobs created, and communities positively impacted by our Black businesses.”

Additionally, the study shows that earnings by Black-owned businesses generate approximately $6.2 million in sales tax to the states of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio and an additional $1.2 million to the five Ohio counties (Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Warren) included in the Cincinnati MSA.

“The results speak to the importance of Black businesses, now and moving forward, on Cincinnati’s regional economy,” said Christopher Nicak, UC Economics Center’s co-director of Research.

Jason Dunn, AACC Board Chair

Findings are from top industries in the MSA including professional, scientific, and technical services, construction, health care, and retail and wholesale trade.

Jason Dunn, the AACC Board chair, added, “We have the data, now let’s take out the emotion and determine how we address the disparities that prevent this number from being larger.”

esports by the Numbers: It’s Big and Growing in Cincinnati

If you are interested in a complimentary session titled, “esports for Executives hosted by Jackie Reau,” contact Jackie at jreau@gamedaypr.com.

By: Jackie Reau

If there is a silver lining to the pandemic, it’s the growth of the esports industry and the amount of spending in the video game business. According to data collected by the NPD Group, video game spending rose 22 percent from 2019, totaling above $50 billion at the close of 2020, a record for U.S. video game sales. 

While these numbers are big, it’s the major shift in how the youth culture is embracing video gaming as their new communications channel—their new social media to engage with fellow gamers, along with friends and family.  

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and our new President Joe Biden used esports to engage young voters with live streaming on Twitch. The rapper Travis Scott had more than 12 million viewers for a virtual concert on Fortnite last year, which is nearly double the audience of the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards.

Brands and marketers need to add esports to their tool kit and create a new communications channel to reach gamers in an authentic and engaging way, not just a marketing push. It’s the next generation marketing tool. Companies who are succeeding in esports are bringing something to the game: Fun and entertaining content, perks and freebies along with access to entertainment, among a few ideas.

Cincinnati and esports by the Numbers:

Several Cincinnati organizations are engaging in esports initiatives to engage the community and to create new opportunities for gamers.  

Colleges and universities

Active college and university programs with Miami University leading the way followed by Mt. Saint Joseph University, Northern Kentucky University, University of Cincinnati and Xavier University are offering scholarships, varsity and club competition opportunities and tournament play. Curriculum highlighting esports business, video game development and health studies are being added to course offerings. It’s a brilliant way to engage students in a curriculum where they have a passion while showing mom and dad how they will make a profession from the industry.

FC Cincinnati leads the way in esports among the pro teams

FC Cincinnati boasts the only local professional esports athlete who competes in eMLS on behalf of the club. In 2019, FC Cincinnati signed Cincinnati-native Gordon “Fiddle” Thornsberry  in FIFA, a soccer video game created by EA Sports, to compete on their behalf as part of the eMLS. @FiddleGT has crushed it over the last year: He won the eMLS League Series One and League Series Two champion during the 2020 eMLS season and won the EA Sports FIFA 20 Summer Cup Series North America, earning him the title of the best FIFA player in North America.

Kings Hammer kicks into high gear with their esports efforts

Kings Hammer Soccer Club has launched an esports program for their 5,000+ families in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky with live streaming competitions on Twitch.com, monthly tournaments featuring Rocket League and FIFA and a steady stream of esports content on their social media platforms.

YWCA engages young voters with Twitch.com

To mark a very special occasion for women in America, YWCA Greater Cincinnati partnered with three female gamers on August 18 (the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote) to live stream and discuss the importance of registering to vote. Links to encourage viewers to register to vote were shared in the chat and the gamers shared their personal stories on the importance of voting.

Convening the esports Community in Cincinnati

Game Day, a media and marketing agency based in Cincinnati, is convening the esports community locally. To date, the firm has more than 50 gamers working as content creators/streamers, competitive players and/or event hosts.

Additionally, they have identified 200+ local players and have engaged them to better understand their interest in endorsements and competitive gaming.

With Nielsen, Game Day commissioned the largest study of the esports community in Cincinnati and their intention to buy products, both endemic and non-endemic to gaming.

Three billion-dollar sports industries you need to watch this decade

By Jackie Reau

If you’re looking for billion-dollar businesses that are expected to grow in this new decade, look no further than the world of sports. Sports betting in the United States, esports and World Cup 2026 to be held in North America will create billions of dollars of new business, bringing a new class of employment opportunities and new platforms to engage with diverse segments of consumers. 

Sports betting will see more action in 2020 in several more states, potentially including Ohio, with a new revenue stream for these states. After the federal ban was lifted in 2018, 13 U.S. states now have some form of active sports betting while another handful of states could open sports books soon.

Ohio has two competing bills, one in the House and one in the Senate, to legalize sports betting and Gov. Mike DeWine is an advocate.

According to a Morgan Stanley report, U.S. sports gambling revenues are expected to surpass $800 million this year from $249 million in 2017 and $7 billion by 2025.

Esports, or video gaming at a competitive level, is on pace to become a billion-dollar industry this decade with a global audience of more than 440 million. To put this in perspective, consider the viewing battle between the popular video game League of Legends World Championships vs. the Super Bowl. In November, 100 million viewers watched League of Legends while 103 million tuned in to watch last year’s Super Bowl.

According to Statista, the esports industry is expected to generate close to $1.8 billion in revenue by 2022 with the revenue coming from a variety of source from sponsorships and advertising, along with esports betting, prize pools, tournaments, merchandise and ticket sales.

Our firm, Game Day, is helping brands enter this industry in an authentic and strategic manner, ranging from esport athlete endorsements, sponsorship activations and/or event management.

In the next year, you will continue to see more about esports in mainstream media and marketing as many local colleges and universities are creating varsity teams and curriculum to support the industry. Ohio University, Mount Saint Joseph University and Miami University are all creating esports programs on their campuses to train the next generation of talent.

The largest sporting event on the planet, men’s World Cup 2026, will be held in North America. In the last World Cup, FIFA (the governing body) recorded worldwide viewership north of three billion with more than 7.5 billion engagements across all digital platforms and over 580 million interactions on social media, a record. Broadcasting rights alone were worth $3 billion.

Cincinnati is still on the short list to be a host city for World Cup 2026. Reportedly, the selection process of host cities will be finalized by next year.

If Cincinnati were to be selected as the host city, the impact would be enormous. A study done by the Boston Consulting Group showed that being the host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup could generate more than $5 billion in short-term economic activity, including supporting approximately 40,000 jobs and more than $1 billion in incremental worker earnings across North America.

Whether on the pitch, at a gaming controller or at a sportsbook, these three industries are expected to be the next big growth opportunities in sports for the next 10 years. Sponsors with a futuristic vision and the creativity to come up with unique partnerships are likely to see major returns on their investments as these three businesses grow.

The Future of Sports Betting

By Betsy Ross

It’s been a little more than a year since the U.S. Supreme Court overruled the law allowing sports betting in only four states. Since then, state legislatures have been easing their way through the rules and regulations that could make sports betting legal in their states.

Is it something that is on the radar of those involved in the sports industry? In a recent survey commissioned by Sports ETA, a third of respondents said right now they are paying little or no attention to individual states’ efforts to add sports betting.

Specifically, nearly half of respondents are paying at least some attention to the legislation, nearly a quarter are aware but aren’t following the progress, one in ten say they are only vaguely familiar with sports betting and less than a fifth of those questioned are watching the legislation closely.

Right now, Oregon, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. have passed legislation to approve sports betting and are in the process of setting up the mechanics. Montana, Nevada (of course), Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Rhode Island, New Jersey (which started the lawsuit that ended up at the Supreme Court), Delaware, New Mexico and Mississippi have made sports betting legal. More than two dozen states have bills now in front of the state lawmakers.

What impact do respondents think that sports betting will have on the sports events and tourism industry? About 10 percent say it won’t change a thing, and about 10 percent say it will totally change the industry. Everyone else says either time will tell, or it may make a slight change to the industry.

Sports betting is a trend that will not go away—in fact, expect the number of states to actively start allowing betting to explode in the next year or two. It is something that individual sports events rights holders and location managers will need to keep an eye on as betting becomes less of a novelty and more of a reality.

"I think that sports betting will have a significant impact on sports events, in a similar fashion as fantasy sports when it first came out.  It is a hot and relevant topic to the extent that there is now a Journal on Gambling Studies," said Dr. John Miller, Sport Law Professor, University of Southern Mississippi.

How closely are sports events industry leaders watching sports betting legislation?

• Nearly half of respondents are paying some attention to sports betting legislation

• Nearly a quarter are aware, but have not engaged in following the legislation

• 1 out of 10 are only vaguely familiar with this current trend

• A dedicated few (less than 1/5) are watching very closely