Revamped Dew Tour Schedule Features More Streamlined Events

Dew Tour Will Host New  Events In Chicago, Boston

The Dew Tour this summer will have a "new look, two new locations and two fewer title partners," according to Tripp Mickle of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The series is replacing two of its "multisport events with a single-sport skateboard event and a single-sport BMX event." Those events will be held in Chicago and Boston, respectively, replacing Baltimore and Cleveland as Tour stops. The events also will not include title sponsors Right Guard and Panasonic, which "declined to renew their relationships with the tour." Dew Tour President Wade Martin indicated that the decision to "contract the size of two tour stops had less to do with the economy than with a strategic plan to move into top U.S. markets." Martin: "Yes, we'll save some money, but this is largely about getting into top 10 markets, showcasing the sports individually, and bringing them to a new fan base, which we see growing interest in the tour when we tap into new markets" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 3/2 issue).

A TALE OF TWO CITIES: In Baltimore, Childs Walker reports the Dew Tour, which first came to Baltimore in '07, was "expected to make its third appearance at Camden Yards this year." However, Dew Tour VP/Events Chris Prybylo said that the "chance to break into two larger markets with a new format showcasing individual sports was too great to pass up." Prybylo: "Baltimore always exceeded our expectations. We're just restructuring, and one of our goals was to break into a few top-10 markets." Maryland Stadium Authority Exec Dir Michael Frenz said that he was "surprised to receive the news," as he "expected the tour back, despite the difficulty of finding a weekend that would not conflict" with Orioles' games. Frenz: "Obviously, we're disappointed, because it was a different type of event for us." Frenz said that the Dew Tour this year primarily will run in "arenas instead of using the massive outdoor setup that was required at Camden Yards," and Prybylo said that the "cost of the outdoor setup 'wasn't a driving factor but was a contributing factor'" (Baltimore SUN, 3/3). Meanwhile, in Utah, Amy Donaldson writes when Tour officials were trying to determine host cities, "coming back to Salt Lake City for a fourth consecutive year was a no-brainer" (DESERET NEWS, 3/3). Last year's Dew Tour Toyota Challenge event in Salt Lake City drew 63,481 fans for the four-day event, tops among the five Dew Tour stops in '08. This year's event will be September 17-20 at EnergySolutions Arena (THE DAILY).