Sports planners love the amenities, affordability, central location and welcoming spirit of Wichita. As the largest city in Kansas, Wichita not only has a diverse set of world-class sports facilities and things to do but also has the Visit Wichita sports team that works together to attract and host impactful sporting events in the city.
A new member, Chris Spall, was recently added to the team as a Sports Sales Manager. In his role, Spall will be responsible for developing relationships with local, regional and national sports stakeholders to attract sporting events to Wichita.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to our Visit Wichita sports team,” said Josh Howell, vice president sports development at Visit Wichita. “He has spent the last 13 years in Wichita, bringing a deep passion for sports and a strong connection to the city—assets that will help attract impactful sporting events to Wichita.”
Sporting events not only bring positive local economic impact to the city but also provide opportunities for Wichitans to experience new and exciting competitions.
“My role is to create and cultivate partnerships with sports rights holders from across the country as well as our partners here in Wichita,” said Spall. “I look forward to learning about the community and sports from a new angle, building on existing relationships and making new connections.”
Spall received his bachelor and master’s degrees in Sport Management from Wichita State where he spent the last 12 years working for the athletic department. Previous to Visit Wichita, he served as the Director of Development at Wichita State Athletics where he specialized in fundraising, donor relations, hospitality and community engagement.
Spall added, “The opportunity to harness all I have learned about this community during my time at Wichita State and represent Wichita nationally through sports is something I take a lot of pride in. I’m eager to showcase why Wichita is a winning destination for sporting events."
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About Visit Wichita
Visit Wichita markets the Greater Wichita area and advocates for the city as a destination, increasing travel and tourism as a key economic driver for the city, county, region and state. Visit Wichita is led by president and CEO Susie Santo, and in 2024 travel and tourism contributed more than $1.5 billion in economic impact to the greater Wichita area.
