Sport Events Congress attracts delegates from a variety of sectors:

• Events rights holders (organizations/companies who own the rights to sporting events and are seeking potential host cities to partner with them to host their next event.  Events range from community level sporting competitions such as minor hockey tournaments to international elite sporting events to conferences and meetings and special events).
• Sport Tourism and Economic Development professionals (people who are working to promote their city/town as a destination for sport events and are interested in hosting events)
• Suppliers to the Sport Tourism Industry (companies who offer services to the sport tourism industry, such as hotels, airlines, magazines, event marketing firms, etc.)
• Education sector and researchers (students, professors and researchers who are in the tourism or sports administration fields).

Approximately 400 delegates attend Sport Events Congress each year.

Sport Events Exchange is a business-to-business marketplace that provides an opportunity for events rights holders and destinations to meet one-on-one to explore sport events hosting opportunities.  Participants are assigned brief appointments to conduct a short business meeting.  The format is similar to ‘speed dating’ whereby both parties have a short period of time (8-10 minutes) to determine if there is potential to work together and then a bell rings prompting people to move on to their next appointment.

Vendor Alley is the trade show element at SEC.  It offers companies the opportunity to set-up kiosks and promote their products and services to SEC delegates during the conference.  Each year, approximately 30 exhibitors take part in the trade show and pay the appropriate fees for their kiosk space that is allocated to them in the trade show area.  Conference delegates are encouraged to visit booths, pick-up promotional material and speak with company reps who are exhibiting.  Exhibit space in Vendor Alley normally sells out well in advance of the Congress so any company interested in exhibiting should confirm their intentions to STC at least 5 months prior to the Congress.

Sport Events Congress has typically always been hosted in the spring. Past host cities include Toronto, Ottawa, Richmond, Edmonton, Halifax and Gatineau. There is a bidding process in place for hosting SEC.

View upcoming dates and locations for SEC here.

Congress delegate fees are based on the attendee taking part in the full Congress. A limited # of one-day passes for Day 3 only are available.

View registration information here.

Congress is open to anyone, however, STC members have discounted rates on registration fees and may have access to certain activities or events that are restricted to members only. View the program of events for details or view the membership section of our website for more info on how to become a member of STC.

Since 2015, Sport Tourism Canada has been implementing sustainable event practices at Sport Events Congress. More info about SEC: A Sustainable Event is posted on our website.

STC is in the process of developing a list of engaging topics for SEC23 that will provide learning and inspiration to assist the sport hosting system to be more successful and resilient in the future. If you would like to recommend a topic or have interest in speaking/presenting at SEC23, please submit to: [email protected]. View our schedule of events here.