Event’s debut at Norway Savings Bank Arena drew record attendance
AUBURN — The National Collegiate Roller Hockey Championship, held at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn April 17-22, has received national recognition. It is among the final nominees for SportsTravel magazine’s award for Best Collegiate Sports Event.
The NCRHA Championship, which featured 50 collegiate club roller hockey teams competing in 127 games over five days set all-time attendance records and featured a Division I final that went three overtime periods. Streaming viewership on NCRHA TV increased more than 30 percent over 2023.
“The 2024 National Collegiate Roller Hockey Championships were a tremendous success. We are thrilled to have our event recognized by the readers of SportsTravel as a Finalist for the 2024 SportsTravel Award in the “Best Collegiate Sports Event” category,” said Rob Coggin, director of league operations, National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association. “The City of Auburn and Norway Savings Bank Arena were such great hosts and partners for the event, and their tireless commitment to the excellence of the event led to this nomination.”
The SportsTravel Awards honor the best events, venues, and hosts in the sports events industry. Winners will be announced at the TEAMS’ 24 event in September in Anaheim, California. Voting is open through Aug. 19.
“We were extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to showcase the NCRHA National Championship in Auburn, Maine at the Norway Savings Bank Arena,” said Marc Gosselin, executive director of community partnerships and sports tourism for Norway Savings Bank Arena. “We are beyond grateful and honored to be nominated for a national award for hosting the event. Our region and state appreciate the economic impact that national events like these generate.”
Sheila Brennan Nee, strategic director for the Maine Sports Commission, applauded the event, which drew teams from as far as Arizona and California.
“We were thrilled to help welcome this event. It was a stellar example of sports tourism,” Brennan Nee said. “Players, families and fans raved about discovering the region and state, many of whom were experiencing Maine for the first time, and the unprecedented Division I triple overtime victory by an underdog team was a memorable finale!”
Members of the public can learn more about the awards, and cast a vote at https://www.teamsconference.com/sportstravel-awards.
Maine Sports Commission is a nonprofit organization that works to advance, elevate and promote Maine as a four-season sports destination, strengthening the state through sports tourism, encouraging healthy, active lifestyles. Sporting events contributed an estimated $155.6 million to the Maine economy and attracted approximately 253,071 out-of-state visitors in 2019, according to a study conducted by the University of Southern Maine’s Center for Business and Economic Research.
