Columbus Hosts USA Volleyball Boys' Junior National Championships
June 25, 2015
COLUMBUS TO HOST ONE OF USA VOLLEYBALL’S SIGNATURE EVENTS
IN THE BOYS’ JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS JUNE 28-JULY 5
USA Volleyball Returns to the Convention Center with Boys’ Signature Championship for First Time;
Record Number of Teams Represents Nearly $13 Million in Visitor Spending for Region
USA Volleyball will host the 2015 USA Volleyball Boys’ Junior National Championships (BJNC) in Columbus June 28-July 5 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The event, which was awarded to the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and the Ohio Valley Region (OVR) of USA Volleyball is estimated to generate nearly $13 million in visitor spending.
USA Volleyball will bring a record number of 479 boys teams to Columbus. In 2014, the BJNC had 410 teams compete in Houston and their all-time high for teams participating was 420 the year before in Reno, Nevada. More than 15,000 attendees (5,000 athletes / 10,000 spectators) will visit Columbus and generate more than 22,000 hotel room nights from over 40 hotels.
The event will have Open Division titles in each age group from 14 to 18, while offering club titles for each age from 12 to 18. Not only is this a tournament to portray talent from all over the country, it is also a chance for college recruiters to find potential players for their programs.
“Columbus was a great partner in hosting the GJNC in 2012 and will undoubtedly be ready to top that effort in hosting the BJNC this summer,” USA Volleyball Senior Director Tom Pingel said. “Columbus is within driving distance of a very large number of hotbeds for boys’ volleyball in the United States.”
Columbus is one of the volleyball capitals of the U.S., hosting major tournaments through the Ohio Valley Region at the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC). It is believed that the GCCC has hosted more volleyball tournaments than any other venue in the U.S., with more than 28,000 volleyball teams and 275,000 volleyball players competing inside the convention center since it opened in 1993.
Columbus hosted the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in 2012, representing the largest sporting event ever booked in the sports commission’s history with 9,500 athletes, 20,000 spectators that generated 55,000 hotel room nights and an estimated $30 million dollars in visitor spending. Columbus also hosted the 2000 and 1930 USA Volleyball Open National Championships, the top event for adult competition in the United States. This event in 2000 was also held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, while the Open Nationals in 1930 was just the third-ever in the events 82-year history.
“On behalf of our 20,000+ members, the Ohio Valley Region is honored to be an integral part of the USA Volleyball Boy’s Junior National Championships,” Ohio Valley Region Commissioner President Bob Price said. “Our central location in the country, along with the combination of an experienced volunteer support base and an outstanding venue will make this a showcase championship.”
“Columbus is thrilled to have the most number of teams ever for USA Volleyball’s signature boys’ event,” Greater Columbus Sports Commission Executive Director Linda Shetina Logan said. “Our hospitality community looks forward to rolling out the red carpet and showing players, coaches, and fans why we are considered one of the volleyball capitals of the U.S.”
“We are very excited about adding this spectacular tournament to our legacy of hosting successful volleyball tournaments in our facility,” said Greater Columbus Convention Center General Manager John R. Page. “Our more than two decades of experience in hosting OVR tournaments was a key factor that lead to being chosen to host the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships for girls in 2012 and now the tournament for boys this year.”
USA Volleyball, founded in 1928, is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the sport of Volleyball. USA Volleyball is responsible for both the Olympic disciplines of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. USA Volleyball has 300,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,300 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $20 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men’s and women’s senior national team programs, youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education and certification programs, grassroots development, and programs for the disabled and Paralympic Teams. For more information please visit www.usavolleyball.org.
The Ohio Valley Region of USA Volleyball (OVR) is one of the largest regional volleyball associations (RVAs) of USA Volleyball. Geographically, the Ohio Valley Region includes the states of Ohio and West Virginia, and bordering counties (Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Lawrence, Beaver, Washington, Green) of Western Pennsylvania. OVR is an amateur athletic sports association to promote and establish quality volleyball through participation by both adults and juniors, according to the standards set forth by USA Volleyball and the Amateur Sports Act of 1978.