At a recent meeting at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, a group of 11 travel leaders met to discuss the unique travel concerns inherent in the sports industry, specifically as they relate to the various leagues, jurisdictions, championships and sporting events. The sports world was represented at the meeting by Lee Palmer-Turner of the National Basketball Association (NBA); Darla Montalto and Eileen Buser of Major League Baseball (MLB); Nancy Simpson of Anderson University; Page Cotton of DePauw University; Ed Goble of the University of Texas; Nikki Watson of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); Kerry Cosover of National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), Brian Califano of the National Hockey League (NHL); and John Buzzeo of the National Football League (NFL).
The NBTA was represented by its president and CEO, Kevin Maguire, who is also manager of travel for intercollegiate athletics for the University of Texas at Austin; Executive Director Bill Connors; and Scott Solombrino, who is a member of the NBTA Board, president of its Allied Leadership Council and President and CEO of Dav El Chauffeured Transportation Network.
The group is being chaired by the NCCA's Watson, who hosted the first meeting.
The task force is scheduled to meet again in June at NFL headquarters in New York and again in August at NBTA's annual convention in San Diego.
