STAMFORD, Conn. (Oct. 6, 2022) – NBC Sports and Choice Hotels International Inc. have established a new collaboration, naming Choice Hotels brands as “Preferred Hotels of NBC Sports Next,” the technology and innovation subdivision of NBC Sports.
Targeted around traveling sports enthusiasts, the collaboration will integrate the Choice Hotels brands across the NBC Sports Next portfolio of brands, which includes Youth & Recreational Sports and Golf. The digital businesses within NBC SportsNext operate across multiple industries and equip more than 30 million people with more than 25 sports solutions products. Choice Hotels recently completed its acquisition of Radisson Hotels Americas giving the portfolio 22 brands totaling 7,500 hotels in 46 countries and territories, making it one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world.
“Travel has a natural connection to youth club sports and golf, making this collaboration a great fit for both companies,” said Mitesh Mehta, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, NBC Sports Next. “Families involved in youth sports typically spend more annually on travel than on equipment, lessons or registration fees, and we all know that golfers are on a continual quest to find the next great golf course. The common denominator in all of this are hotels.”
NBC Sports Next brands prominent in the Choice Hotels collaboration include SportsEngine, the youth sports industry’s leading league- and team-management software, currently used by more than 16 million coaches and athletes; GolfNow, the leading online tee-time marketplace; and GolfPass, golf’s most comprehensive digital membership program. Among its list of benefits, GolfPass offers some of the most comprehensive golf travel content. Additionally, coaches, parents and golfers alike, will be able to book stays at Choice Hotels brands directly from the various NBC Sports Next platforms.
“Choice Hotels is continually looking to expand our platform in ways that resonate with our guests, strategy, and values. As part of those continuing efforts, we are excited to announce the collaboration with NBC Sports Next’s Youth Sports and Golf divisions to ensure we are there to greet guests wherever the action may take them,” said Robert McDowell, Chief Commercial Officer, Choice Hotels. “The anticipated growth of youth sports in the coming years and recent surge in golf participation aligns directly with our market-leading position in leisure travel. We are confident this will generate value for our respective customers and provide attractive opportunities for our most loyal Choice Privileges members. The seamless integration within the Choice Hotels ecosystem, including Choice Privileges, will allow the families of athletes and golfers to book with confidence, receive great value and award-winning rewards and be met with our promise of feeling welcome, wanted, and respected.”
About Choice Hotels®
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. Choice recently acquired Radisson Hotels Americas, adding nine brands, more than 600 hotels, and approximately 67,000 rooms in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada to its portfolio. With 22 brands, Choice Hotels has more than 7,500 hotels, and nearly 650,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories as of August 11, 2022. The Choice® family of hotel brands provide business and leisure travelers with a broad range of high-quality lodging options from limited service to full-service hotels in the upper upscale, upper mid-scale, midscale, extended-stay and economy segments. The award-winning Choice Privileges® loyalty program offers members a faster way to rewards, with personalized benefits starting on day one. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.
