As of Tuesday, August 16, 2022
#By BRENT STUBBS
#Senior Sports Reporter
#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
#THE Sports Tourism “Heads in Bed” initiative worked perfectly for the University of Kentucky, which brought more than 800 fans to support their Wildcats men’s basketball team here last week.
#The Cats were in town to play in a four-game series at Baha Mar that concluded on Sunday with a 98-70 win over the Bahamas Select Team. University of Kentucky also played and defeated the Dominican Republic, Mexico Pro Team and Carleton University.
#As the sports ambassador in the Ministry of Tourism, Jeff Rodgers said he’s happy that the ministry decided to support the event.
#“Our main focus is to go after events that will bring numbers to the country,” Rodgers said. “They had about 1,500 persons who came down. They had more than 25 rooms per night, so the whole event was successful.”
#During the series of games, Rodgers said they were pleased that Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg and officials from the Ministry of Tourism were all in attendance.
#As a part of his job description, Rodgers said he has to go out and find “heads in bed” with such events like this and he’s happy to be able to work with the Bahamas Basketball Federation and the University of Kentucky in pulling the event off.
#“This is what it’s all about. We have to be ready for these events,” Rodgers said. “Hats off to the basketball federation and Baha Mar. Everybody came together and made it happen. “This is just the tip of the iceberg for events that we intend to bring to the Bahamas. We have the Bahama Hoops and we have Hoops in Paradise. They are all going to bring heads in beds. “So, we just have to go out there and bring more events like this to the Bahamas. “I have to go out and knock on doors and work with some of the major sporting franchises whether it be high schools or colleges or professional.
#“My job is to find the events whether it be track and field, football, basketball, whatever sport. I need to find them and bring them to the Bahamas.”
#Bahama Hoops, according to Rodgers, will attract 21 male and female college teams during Thanksgiving in November and Hoops in Paradise will bring in the top four teams in the United States. “It’s an interesting job, but it’s so rewarding when you see these teams here and staging their events,” Rodgers summed up. “It’s such a great feeling to know that the event takes place and it is a success.”
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