How important was bringing the NCAA Frozen Four to Verizon Center?
This is one of our largest successes. What we pitched to the NCAA was this: ‘They already play hockey in Boston and Minneapolis and Duluth and Denver. Why don’t we give it to Washington to showcase the sport, get kids involved and bring the event to them?” They gave us the first year they awarded. It sold out a year ago. You couldn’t have asked for a more storybook finish. We have pages of quotes from players in the tournament and from fans about their experiences in Washington. What strategies do you use to promote local teams? Every year at SneakerBall, our black-tie and tennis shoe event, we celebrate sports in Washington and raise money for our foundation. We bring out the star players from each of the franchises — the Redskins, Capitals, Mystics, D.C. United and Nationals. We’re going after the MLB and NHL All-Star games. We’ve already won the MLS Cup twice, and their All-Star game two years ago. We work with the Capitals to create an ice hockey program for the department of parks
