eInside Briefs

Kent State Study: FirstEnergy MAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament Delivered $14.5 Million Economic Impact

Kent State College of Business Professor finds MAC Basketball Tournament a slam dunk for Cleveland’s annual economy

Kent State Professor of Economics
Shawn Rohlin, Ph.D., led a study on
the economic impact of the Mid-American
Conference on the local Cleveland
economy.

Each spring the Mid-American Conference (MAC) brings the feel of March Madness to downtown Cleveland and Quicken Loans Arena (The Q) with the FirstEnergy MAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. As a result, the 2013 tournament brought an annual economic impact of $14.5 million for the city of Cleveland, based upon a study by Kent State University.

This past spring, Kent State’s College of Business Administration conducted a study on the economic impact of the four-day tournament on the local Cleveland economy, led by Shawn Rohlin, Ph.D., from the university’s Department of Economics. The 2013 tournament attracted 28,776 fans and supporters to downtown Cleveland and had a genuine effect on the local economy.

“The Mid-American Conference is proud to be headquartered in downtown Cleveland and have the ability to showcase the city and region throughout the year,” says Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher, Ph.D. “This study helps illustrate the economic engine provided by this event. The impact of the event is sizeable and significant. As well as having developed into an annual sports tradition in Cleveland, it is also an event that is furthering the growth of Cleveland.”

Attendees spent approximately $6 million in direct economic spending, excluding ticket sales. This is largely in part to hotels, restaurants and entertainment, and using Cleveland’s regional input-output model and regional data, the event produced roughly $8.5 million in additional and indirect spending, resulting in a total economic impact of $14.5 million. The large surge in final demand led to increased earnings in Cleveland of approximately $6.2 million and created the equivalent of 262 jobs. Ultimately, every $1 spent during the MAC Tournament supported Cleveland’s economy by an extra $1.41.

“For anyone that has experienced MAC Madness inside Quicken Loans Arena, they know what an exciting, well-run tournament it is, year after year. Outside The Q, our entire community has learned what a significant economic impact it generates. We're very proud to be a part of this and have enjoyed our special relationship with the MAC in helping grow this event into another successful Cleveland tradition,” says Len Komoroski, CEO of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena.

A Kent State basketball player attempts
a dunk during a game against the
University of Akron. The 2013 FirstEnergy
MAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Tournament brought an annual economic
impact of $14.5 million for the city of
Cleveland, based upon a study by Kent
State University.

The study was conducted using data collected from a post-event survey that was disseminated to all attendees who purchased tickets online through The Q Arena, as well as those who signed up for the survey during the Friday and Saturday evening sessions.

“Aside from being a fantastic tournament each and every year, the MAC Basketball Tournament continues to drive substantial economic activity in our region,” says David Gilbert, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. “The event has become a fantastic sports tradition that MAC basketball fans and Clevelanders circle on their calendars every year.”

Each year, the FirstEnergy MAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament brings eight men’s and eight women’s teams to Cleveland for a four-day, single elimination tournament.

“The MAC Basketball Tournament has a profound economic impact on the Cleveland economy largely due to its ability to attract out-of-town visitors with an estimated 70 percent of attendees coming from outside the region,” Rohlin says. “Data analysis revealed that out-of-town visitors used the MAC Basketball Tournament as a reason to visit the city of Cleveland and partake in multiple attractions the city has to offer including Cleveland’s cultural, entertainment and restaurant attractions.”

Next year’s FirstEnergy MAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament will mark the 15th year in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena. The MAC and Quicken Loans Arena will be the longest current neutral site venue for a conference tournament site in college basketball.

For more information about the Mid-American Conference, visit www.mac-sports.com.

For more information about Kent State’s College of Business Administration, including its Department of Economics, visit www.kent.edu/business.

Dance Program Alumna is New Kent State Dance Team Coach

Jordan Petersen-Fitts is Kent State
University’s new Dance Team coach.
Petersen-Fitts is an alumna of the dance
program at Kent State and was a member
of the Kent State Dance Team as a student.

(Photo credit: Dan Swain of Visions
Photography)

Kent State University alumna Jordan Petersen-Fitts is the university’s new Dance Team coach. Petersen-Fitts not only went to Kent State, but also was a member of the Kent State Dance Team during her time as a student.

Petersen-Fitts is founder of the dance outreach program, Art Sparks, founded in 2012, and is co-owner of the Cuyahoga Falls Dance Center, along with her mother Beverly Petersen-Fitts, who is a part-time dance instructor at Kent State.

When Petersen-Fitts heard about the job opening, it sparked her interest because she was on the Dance Team in college. After her previous position as coach of the Cuyahoga Falls High School Dance Team, she thought it was a great career opportunity to work with college students.

“I am excited to be back at my alma mater,” says Petersen-Fitts. “I’m most excited just to get back in the college competition of dance.”

Kent State Dance Division Director Andrea Shearer says it is terrific to have Petersen-Fitts step into the role of Dance Team coach at the university.

“At Kent State, we aim to provide the best overall foundation possible, so that dancers are versatile,” Shearer says. “We do this so they can pursue careers in everything from modern dance performance to backstage crew work, and from teaching to running a full dance or theatre production.

“Jordan is a natural leader and a gifted choreographer and teacher; her enthusiasm is contagious,” Shearer adds. “With her experience on Kent State’s Dance Team, she certainly knows what to do and she’ll do it very well.”

Petersen-Fitts wants members of the Dance Team to be more involved at university events. She also hopes to get members of the team more involved in the community, including teaching dance at inner-city schools. She plans to create opportunities for her students at the Cuyahoga Falls Dance Center to partner with the Kent State Dance Team.

“How great would it be to have our students volunteer and help the kids,” says Petersen-Fitts.

Petersen-Fitts says her many obligations will not be hard to manage because she is used to it and will just need to stay very organized.

For more information about Kent State’s Dance Team, visit www.kentstatesports.com/athleticDepartment/cheerleadingDance.

For more information about Kent State’s School of Theatre and Dance, visit www.theatre.kent.edu.

Golden Flashes Remain MAC Leader in Directors’ Cup Standings

Kent State finished as the Mid-American Conference (MAC) leader in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings for the 13th time in 14 years, and 16th time in the 20-year history of the award. The Golden Flashes finished in 80th place with 253.83 points. The next highest MAC finish was Central Michigan in 88th place with 214.33 points.

Behind strong finishes from a number of sports, Kent State was also second among Ohio’s 13 Division I schools and 16th among non-BCS schools. Stanford finished in top spot for the 19th consecutive year.

The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Overall, points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 20 sports -- 10 women’s and 10 men’s.

During the 2012-2013 academic year, the Golden Flashes won MAC championships in baseball, field hockey, football (East), men’s golf, women’s golf, gymnastics, softball (East), women’s indoor track and field, and women’s outdoor track and field. Kent State also had conference runner-up finishes in soccer (East), men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, and wrestling. Last month, Kent State won its fifth straight Reese Trophy for men’s all-sports excellence in the MAC.

The spring of 2013 was also Kent State’s best semester in recorded history in the classroom. Of its nearly 400 student-athletes, 61 percent had a spring grade point average of 3.0 or higher, helping the department to a 3.11 GPA.

Reminder: Vacation Photos for e-Inside

It is summer vacation season again, and e-Inside wants to feature some of your best vacation photos.

Submit your favorite vacation photos to einside@kent.edu by Tuesday, July 23, and depending on the number of entries that we receive, they might be featured in e-Inside.

Read the e-Inside story: “Tips to Help You Take the Best Vacation Photos.”

Click on the links below to see photo submissions from last year.

Your Best Vacation Photos I

Your Best Vacation Photos II

Your Best Vacation Photos III