The Playeasy Warmup

Myrtle Beach has over 150,000 hotel rooms, 80 golf courses, and an airport five blocks from the beach with nonstop flights to 50+ destinations. It also has a sports event almost every weekend of the year.
On this Destination Spotlight, Kerri Shields talks with Jonathan Paris of Visit Myrtle Beach, who’s spent 25+ years working on both the destination and event organizer sides of sports tourism. They cover how Myrtle Beach built a 52-week calendar, why March is now one of its busiest months, how World’s Strongest Man came to town after a meeting at TEAMS, and the $19 million economic impact of the Myrtle Beach Classic. Jonathan also explains what his team does for event organizers, from ready-to-use marketing toolkits to joint venue and housing calls, and what’s coming next, including a new indoor civic center in Horry County.
00:00 Intro
 02:43 Jonathan’s path from Boston and Austin to Myrtle Beach
 05:00 What surprises people about Myrtle Beach
 07:23 First impressions as a sports destination
 09:27 The year-round sports calendar
 12:34 Filling the shoulder seasons and bidding on NCAA championships
 14:32 Balancing sports and leisure travel
 16:49 How Myrtle Beach works with its partners
 19:28 Investing in venues
 21:59 Myrtle Beach Classic, World’s Strongest Man, and the bowl game
 24:41 The college sponsorship program
 26:11 Getting families to explore beyond the event
 28:57 What event organizers can expect from his team
 31:44 What’s next for Myrtle Beach
 36:02 Why event organizers should consider Myrtle Beach
 38:12 Quick hitters

Introducing Tech Talk, a new series from The Playeasy Warmup dedicated to exploring the technology, product updates, and AI innovations shaping the future of sports tourism.

For our first episode, host Kerri Shields sits down with Playeasy Co-Founder Sean Flaherty to break down Compass Advisor and Playbooks — two tools designed to help destinations turn their data into actionable insights, streamline workflows, and make more informed decisions.

Sean explains how Advisor connects destination data with Playeasy's broader network, why trustworthy AI matters, and how Playbooks simplify everything from prospecting and reporting to event organizer research.

Plus, get a live demonstration of the TEAMS Conference Research Playbook, built to help destinations prepare for meetings, evaluate opportunities, and make the most of their time at TEAMS 2026 in Birmingham.

Whether you're preparing for TEAMS or looking for smarter ways to put your destination data to work, this episode offers a look at what's possible with AI-powered tools built for sports tourism.

00:00 Introducing Tech Talk: Playeasy's New Series

01:37 What Is Compass Advisor?

03:55 Building Trust in AI-Powered Insights

06:20 Why Grounded Data Matters

08:15 Introducing Playbooks: AI-Powered Workflows

11:25 Exploring the Four Playbook Categories

13:13 Preparing for TEAMS 2026 with AI

15:04 Live Demo: TEAMS Conference Research Playbook

19:10 Researching Event Organizers in Under a Minute

19:42 Identifying the Right Opportunities

21:10 Why Accurate Destination Data Matters

22:10 Using Advisor at TEAMS 2026

22:58 What's Next for Playbooks?

23:53 Wrapping Up the First Tech Talk

What does the future of sports tourism look like, and who's helping shape it?

In this special two-part episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields is joined by Playeasy co-founder Sean Flaherty and Jason Gewirtz, Senior Vice President of Content, Meetings, and Sports at Northstar Meetings Group, for an inside look at TEAMS 2026 in Birmingham.

From the evolution of TEAMS to the growing partnership with Playeasy, they explore how technology, industry data, and in-person relationships are creating new opportunities for destinations and event organizers. Plus, hear how Compass Advisor and AI Playbooks are helping attendees prepare for more productive meetings.

Then, Kerri sits down with Women in Sports Tourism Collective (WIST) co-founders Alysha Carse, Millie Osguthorpe, and Rachel Dailey to discuss building a stronger community for women in sports tourism. They share the story behind WIST, the importance of mentorship and allyship, and why creating accessible opportunities and safer industry spaces matters.

Two conversations, one shared mission: moving sports tourism forward through stronger connections.

00:00 Introduction: TEAMS 2026 & Women in Sports Tourism

01:04 Meet Jason Gewirtz of Northstar Meetings Group

03:45 The History and Evolution of TEAMS

07:25 Playeasy's Journey with TEAMS

08:42 The Growth and Global Expansion of TEAMS

12:44 The Playeasy & TEAMS Partnership

16:56 Measuring Opportunities and Economic Impact

19:56 TEAMS 2026: Event Organizers and RFP Opportunities

22:23 Preparing for TEAMS with Compass AI Playbooks

23:58 Making the Most of TEAMS in Birmingham

26:20 Women in Sports Tourism at TEAMS 2026

28:02 What to Expect in Birmingham

30:32 Sponsor Spotlight: Compass Advisor & AI Playbooks

32:31 Meet the Women in Sports Tourism Collective

33:45 The Story Behind WIST

35:35 Making Sports Tourism More Accessible

38:49 The Four Core Pillars of WIST

42:11 Building Community and Meaningful Connections

47:14 Leadership Lessons and Supporting Other Women

50:27 Progress and Challenges for Women in Sports Tourism

53:45 What Meaningful Allyship Looks Like

58:42 The Power of Mentorship

1:03:08 Career Advice for Women in Sports Tourism

1:07:13 Creating Better Opportunities for Women

1:10:29 What's Next for WIST

1:12:00 Inspiring the Next Generation

1:14:43 Getting Involved with WIST

What does it take to turn a niche sport into a global entertainment experience?

This week on The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Multisport, to discuss her journey from intern to CEO, the growth of the World Nineball Tour, and the strategy behind bringing major sporting events to new markets.

Emily shares behind-the-scenes insights from the US Open in Frisco, Texas, what she looks for in a host destination, and how local partnerships help create memorable experiences beyond the competition.

Plus, Kerri, Sarah, and Alexa highlight new event opportunities, destination success stories, unique sports, and upcoming bid deadlines across the Playeasy network.

00:00 – Welcome to The Playeasy Warmup

01:13 – Sports Tourism in Action: A Weekend in Boston

03:29 – Destination Win: Auburn-Opelika's Compass Engagement

04:24 – New Event Opportunities: Lacrosse, Volleyball & More

06:01 – Unique Events Seeking Host Destinations

09:03 – Facility Spotlights: Utah Valley & Wichita

10:50 – Playeasy Network Wins & Destination Shoutouts

13:17 – Upcoming Bid Deadlines & TEAMS Conference

14:26 – Introducing Emily Frazer of Matchroom Multisport

16:21 – Sponsored Segment: Compass Advisor & AI Playbooks

18:20 – Emily Frazer's Journey from Intern to CEO

24:35 – Turning Niche Sports into Mainstream Entertainment

28:15 – Building the World Nineball Tour

35:54 – Why the U.S. Is Key to Nineball's Growth

42:13 – Behind the US Open in Frisco, Texas

47:12 – What Matchroom Looks for in a Host City

52:49 – The Future of Nineball & Global Expansion

56:08 – Where to Follow the World Nineball Tour

The Playeasy Warmup is back with a new format, kicking off each episode with a quick roundup of what’s happening across Playeasy and the sports tourism industry.

In this episode, Kerri sits down with Matt Jeschelnik, Founder of Boulder Creek International, to talk about what makes a destination stand out to an event organizer - and why the opportunity around an event can extend far beyond the venue.

From launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas to building media and distribution into events from day one, Matt shares what he looks for in a host destination, why relationships matter, and how storytelling, fan experience and media can help create lasting value.

They also look at the growth of unconventional sports, the power of multi-year partnerships and what’s next for the events Matt is building around the world.

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to the new Playeasy Warmup
03:02 Meet your co-hosts
04:03 How the weekly roundup works
04:31 Weekly wins: Compass Advisor's first customers
05:53 Weekly wins: Decatur Morgan County and Rock the South
07:33 Weekly wins: Biltmore Championship in Asheville
09:28 Event organizers: new organizers join Playeasy
10:10 Event organizers: national bids from USA Track and Field, Triton and NJCAA
10:56 Unique events on the platform and the first shoutout
12:26 Shoutouts: Visit Salt Lake and World Climbing
13:10 Shoutouts: Snohomish County and the new SS2 complex
14:19 On your radar: NJCAA's 18 championship RFPs
14:59 On your radar: Advisor playbooks
16:26 On your radar: Innovators Summit 2027 and TEAMS
18:24 Co-host takeaways from the conversation
19:52 Introducing Matt Jeschelnik
20:33 Today's episode is presented by Compass Advisor and AI Playbooks
22:33 Conversation with Matt Jeschelnik of Boulder Creek International
22:50 From law to National Geographic to sports rights
24:48 What Boulder Creek International does
26:19 What makes an event opportunity worth building
27:30 What he looks for in a host destination
29:27 What translates across every sport
32:21 Launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas
34:03 Lessons from the first event
37:10 What great destination partners do differently
40:32 Using Playeasy to grow events
42:17 Where events, media and tourism meet
44:22 Telling a destination's story beyond the sport
47:26 Building media and distribution into an event from day one
49:01 Where sports still thinks too traditionally
51:37 What the US can learn from other markets
54:03 What he's most excited about next
55:51 A year from now
57:46 How to connect with Matt

The Playeasy Warmup is back with a new format, kicking off each episode with a quick roundup of what’s happening across Playeasy and the sports tourism industry.

In this episode, Kerri sits down with Matt Jeschelnik, Founder of Boulder Creek International, to talk about what makes a destination stand out to an event organizer - and why the opportunity around an event can extend far beyond the venue.

From launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas to building media and distribution into events from day one, Matt shares what he looks for in a host destination, why relationships matter, and how storytelling, fan experience and media can help create lasting value.

They also look at the growth of unconventional sports, the power of multi-year partnerships and what’s next for the events Matt is building around the world.

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to the new Playeasy Warmup
03:02 Meet your co-hosts
04:03 How the weekly roundup works
04:31 Weekly wins: Compass Advisor's first customers
05:53 Weekly wins: Decatur Morgan County and Rock the South
07:33 Weekly wins: Biltmore Championship in Asheville
09:28 Event organizers: new organizers join Playeasy
10:10 Event organizers: national bids from USA Track and Field, Triton and NJCAA
10:56 Unique events on the platform and the first shoutout
12:26 Shoutouts: Visit Salt Lake and World Climbing
13:10 Shoutouts: Snohomish County and the new SS2 complex
14:19 On your radar: NJCAA's 18 championship RFPs
14:59 On your radar: Advisor playbooks
16:26 On your radar: Innovators Summit 2027 and TEAMS
18:24 Co-host takeaways from the conversation
19:52 Introducing Matt Jeschelnik
20:33 Today's episode is presented by Compass Advisor and AI Playbooks
22:33 Conversation with Matt Jeschelnik of Boulder Creek International
22:50 From law to National Geographic to sports rights
24:48 What Boulder Creek International does
26:19 What makes an event opportunity worth building
27:30 What he looks for in a host destination
29:27 What translates across every sport
32:21 Launching the World Darts Masters in Las Vegas
34:03 Lessons from the first event
37:10 What great destination partners do differently
40:32 Using Playeasy to grow events
42:17 Where events, media and tourism meet
44:22 Telling a destination's story beyond the sport
47:26 Building media and distribution into an event from day one
49:01 Where sports still thinks too traditionally
51:37 What the US can learn from other markets
54:03 What he's most excited about next
55:51 A year from now
57:46 How to connect with Matt

In this episode presented by Sports Salt Lake, curling has an interesting problem: every four years, the world can't stop watching it.

Nic Sulsky saw an opportunity in what happens next.
After years of building businesses across sports, gaming and entertainment, Nic saw that curling already had something most emerging sports spend years trying to find - a global audience. The opportunity was finding new ways to keep those fans engaged year-round.

In 2024, The Curling Group acquired the Grand Slam of Curling. Since then, the team has expanded the sport's reach, launched Rock League and started rethinking how fans experience, follow and connect with curling.

On The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Nic, CEO of The Curling Group, to talk about that vision and what it takes to grow an established sport while bringing a new generation of fans along with it.
They get into athlete storytelling, expanded broadcast distribution and a live experience built around more personality, entertainment and access. Nic also breaks down what The Curling Group looks for in its host markets - and why they're less interested in finding a destination than finding the right partner.

With Rock League's newly announced 2027 Championship headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, Nic shares what's next for The Curling Group, where he sees the biggest opportunities for continued growth across the U.S. and around the world, and the vision behind the next era of the sport.

From a Lazy River in the outfield to Banana Ball and Cosmic Baseball, the Frisco RoughRiders have built a fan experience that’s anything but traditional.

In this episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down with Scott Burchett of the Frisco RoughRiders to talk about the creativity and innovation behind what he calls the “memory-making business.”

Scott shares the story behind the famous Lazy River, how the RoughRiders approach promotions and fan engagement, and how Riders Field has evolved beyond its 69-game home schedule into a year-round entertainment venue. Today, nearly as many people visit the ballpark for non-game-day events as they do for RoughRiders games.

The conversation also explores the role partnerships play in that growth, from working with Visit Frisco and leaders across the city to bringing new events and audiences to the ballpark. Scott shares why that collaboration makes Frisco unique and why Minor League teams can be valuable assets for destinations looking to expand their sports tourism strategy.

Tune in for a look at how the Frisco RoughRiders are thinking beyond the game and continuing to find new ways to create experiences fans remember.

In May 2027, the PGA Championship returns to Texas for the first time in more than 60 years - and it's coming to PGA Frisco.

In this episode of The Playeasy Warmup, Kerri Shields sits down on-site with Jason Mengel, PGA Championship Director at the PGA of America, the first person in PGA history to oversee all four of the organization's Spectator Championships: the Ryder Cup, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship, and the PGA Championship.

Jason takes us inside his path into the game, what it takes to build a major championship from the ground up, and the partnership between the PGA of America and Visit Frisco that made this moment possible. The conversation also touches on the PGA's broader mission to grow the game - from PGA Reach to the rise of women's golf - before closing with a look at what the 2027 Championship will mean for Frisco, for golf, and for the state of Texas.

What are today's event organizers looking for - and where are they headed next?

Part 2 of the Event Organizer Shark Tank opens with a conversation between Kerri Shields and The Playeasy Platform Company CEO Sean Flaherty, unpacking two new tools built directly from feedback at the 2026 Playeasy Innovators Summit: the Event Experience Network, which lets organizers activate visitor experiences everywhere they host, and an upgraded Economic Impact Calculator that turns real engagement data into a report destinations can act on.

From there, Kerri sits down with leaders from the American Junior Golf Association, Ann's Angels Adaptive Waterski Foundation, the NCAA, Prep Network, MARS/Turf Wars, USA Table Tennis, Big Bear Tournaments, and the National Wheelchair Basketball Association for a series of conversations about their organizations, their growth, and what's next.

From junior golf and adaptive water skiing to NCAA championships, multi-sport showcases, adult kickball, table tennis, youth hockey, and wheelchair basketball, each organization shares how their events are growing, what they need from future host destinations, and why partnership - not just facilities - decides who they come back to.

Part 2 closes out the Shark Tank series with a direct look at what it takes to become a destination these organizations want to build with long-term.