Contact: Lisa Simmons, MOTT
617-973-8508
Ron D'Amico, Connelly Partners
617-521-5428
For Immediate Release
BOSTON, June 16, 2011. Massachusetts is a premiere sports destination with a rich sports history and championship sports teams. With its five beloved professional sports teams, the now 6-time Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, the 7-time World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, the 3-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots, the 17-time NBA World Champion Boston Celtics and the New England Revolution make Massachusetts the premiere destination for sports fans of all ages.
The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) and the Massachusetts Sports Partnership (MSP) invite sports fans from across the country to visit the venues of each championship team and take part in experiences only found here including a tour of historic Fenway Park, a visit to the Sports Museum of New England, the Basketball Hall of Fame or The Hall at Patriot Place @ Gillette Stadium.
“This is a great win for the Bruins and the Commonwealth. Massachusetts is home to many innovations – including superior professional sports”, said Betsy Wall, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. “With our teams, venues, sports museums and attractions, there are plenty of ways for fans to pay homage to their favorites.”
“The Massachusetts Sports Partnership is excited to congratulate the entire Boston Bruins organization on a terrific NHL play-off run and bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston.” Said Jonathan Paris, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Sports Partnership. “Having won a championship in each of the four major professional sports leagues – NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB – over the past 10 years is an unmatched accomplishment and solidifies Boston and Massachusetts’ place as one of the leading sports destinations in the country.”
In addition to our rich professional sports landscape, Massachusetts’ sports tradition reaches to all sports and all corners of the Commonwealth. Two sports: basketball and volleyball were invented in Massachusetts and both currently house their Hall of Fames in Springfield and Holyoke, respectively. Boston is home to the oldest US marathon, the Boston Marathon, and the country’s largest regatta in the Head Of The Charles Regatta.
And Boston is a city of firsts: having played host to the first-ever World Series, first US Marathon, first college football game and the first YMCA. In the world of college sports, Greater Boston’s colleges and universities are also of champion-caliber. Boston College, a member of the ACC, provides thrills on the field, court and ice – having won the men’s hockey NCCA Championship two of the last four years (2008, 2010). Boston University also has one of the most prolific Men’s Ice Hockey programs in the country, having won the men’s hockey NCAA Championships most recently in 2009. And Harvard University fields one of the largest NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic programs in the country.
Massachusetts Championship Sports Facts:
6th Stanley Cup for the Boston Bruins, an Original Six NHL team (1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, 2011)
7th championship for a Boston pro sports team in the past ten years (1 Stanley Cup, 1 NBA World Championship, 2 World Series, 3 Super Bowl Championships)
33 total championships for Boston pro sports teams - first was the 1903 World Series Championship for the Boston Red Sox
The Sporting News magazine named Boston "The Best Sports City" 4 times: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008
The following is a sampling of top Massachusetts’ sports attractions across the State. Be sure to visit massvacation.com for other sports inspired adventures.
Greater Boston:
Fenway Park: Visit the park where the Babe pitched, The Kid hit, Yaz dazzled and today's stars still thrill Red Sox Nation. Fenway Park Tours provide a 50- minute historic walking tour of the ballpark, guided by an official Fenway Park Tour Guide. Fenway Park Tour tickets are sold at the Red Sox Ticket Office on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability. Fenway Park Tour tickets are sold at the Team Store on Yawkey Way when the Ticket Office is closed. Please allow adequate time to purchase tour tickets as sales conclude 15 minutes prior to tour time. All tours and areas are subject to availability and tours are handicap accessible. redsox.com
The Hall at Patriot Place: The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon is an exciting, innovative and interactive, modern museum experience for all ages. The Kraft family long considered the best way to honor the greatest Patriots of all time while simultaneously preserving Patriots history. They scored a touchdown when they opened The Hall in September of 2008. The Hall is a modern “museum” that takes guests through Patriots and New England football history in a cutting-edge way, utilizing amazing video and audio to tap into fans’ emotions in a manner never before seen in a sports museum. thehallatpatriotsplace.com
The Sports Museum at TD Garden: The Sports Museum is a non-profit educational institution whose mission is to use sports to teach the values of leadership, respect, and cooperation to our youth. Nearly 10,000 students participate yearly in our educational programs. The Sports Museum features a half-mile of exhibits celebrating the legends and legendary moments of Boston sports. The Sports Museum presents a variety of fundraising events each year celebrating the character and characters of Boston sports. tdgarden.com
Western Massachusetts
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Springfiled, MA is the birthplace of basketball and home to nearly three hundred inductees and more than 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Located on the picturesque banks of the Connecticut River, the new museum is a fitting shrine to the game Dr. Naismith invented more than a century ago. The landmark structure is one of the world’s most distinctive monuments punctuating the Springfield skyline and stirring the spirits of basketball fans everywhere. Hundreds of interactive exhibits share the spotlight with skills challenges, live clinics, and shooting contests. And of course there is enough basketball history to impress the world’s most avid sports fans! After decades of growth, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2009. It has evolved from its humble origins to become Hoops Heaven...the earthly home of the game’s immortals. hoophall.com
The Volleyball Hall of Fame: Holyoke, Massachusetts is the birthplace of volleyball and home to the Volleyball Hall of Fame (VBHF). William G. Morgan, inventor of volleyball at the Holyoke YMCA in 1895, was honored posthumously as first inductee of Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1985. vollyhall.org
Cape Cod:
Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame: Housed at the John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis, the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame honor the past accomplishments of the many standout players, coaches and those who have extended enthusiastic support throughout the years. Learn what baseball was like on Cape Cod over a hundred years ago. The league offers the most talented collegiate players the opportunity to work with some of the finest coaches in the country, the challenge of stiff competition and an opportunity to swing a wooden bat. jfkhyannismuseum.org
About MOTT
The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is the state agency dedicated to promoting Massachusetts as a leisure-travel destination in order to stimulate the Massachusetts economy by generating state and local tax revenues, creating jobs, and supporting the growth of travel-related businesses. MOTT serves as a leader in the tourism industry, bringing together the public and private sectors to promote Massachusetts as a leisure travel destination. Tourism is an integral part of the state’s economy, generating more than $944 million in state and local taxes and $15.1 billion in travel related expenditures. The industry supports 127,800 in-state jobs. Web site: http://www.massvacation.com/
Sign Up For Email
Get money-saving deals and find out about the latest events, promotions and giveaways by signing up for our email list.
Map of the Regions in Massachusetts
 |
Win a Prize Package |
 |
Mass Jazz |
Get Listed Here
Add your business, event or deal to our website.
|
|
- Where to Go
- Things to Do
For New England's largest theme park, head to Six Flags New England in Agawam. Experience the "Glow in the Park Parade", an all new nighttime spectacular with dramatic state-of-the-art floats, cirque-style music and thousands of sparkling lights! The Dept. of Conservation and Recreation presents Park Passport, a program where families are encouraged to continue to visit parks statewide in an effort to fill their passport with stamps from all the parks.
- Plan Your Trip
- 50 Under $50
- Getting Around
State and regional resources, including air, land, and water transportation; Boston public transit info; detailed info on travel to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island
