Greg Fante: Louisville Sports Commission

By RUSS BROWN • Photos Provided

It was probably preordained in the natural order of the sports universe -- at least the Kentuckiana portion of the universe -- that Greg Fante would eventually wind up heading the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC), one of the largest and most decorated such organizations in the country.

After all, Fante is a life-long Louisvillian who grew up in the Highlands, attended Saint Raphael, St. Xavier and the University of Louisville and had forged a successful career in sports tourism before being named president and CEO of the LSC in 2022. Fante succeeded Karl Schmitt, who retired after 13 years in the position and who Fante considers a mentor.

Founded in 1999, LSC is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. On its Website, LSC describes its mission as “to attract, host and create sporting events and activities that have a positive economic impact on Louisville, enhance the area’s image as a premier sports destination and promote active lifestyles to improve the quality of life for community members of all ages.”

LSC has developed a nationwide reputation of event success, with its primary clients being national and international governing bodies and other sports events rights holders. Its staff works closely with Louisville Tourism, state and local governments, local universities, facility operators, local businesses, community impact organizations and clients. Over the past 15 years, LSC has expanded its business to a consumer portfolio of owned and operated events and implemented additional community outreach initiatives.

The LSC owns and operates six events and six sports awards, including the Paul Hornung Award and the Howard Schnellenberger MVP Award, honoring two Louisville sports icons.

LSC’s influence extends across virtually every sport, including travel sports such as baseball, football, cycling, cheer and dance, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, bowling, archery, tennis, track and field, gymnastics, swimming and diving and many others at the youth level and up through college and professional competitions. Events are held in various venues across the city, including the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center.

For example, in April alone, Louisville hosted the Junior Volleyball Association World Challenge, the Roy Jones Jr. Fight Night at the Gillespie, the Grassroots Showcase (boys basketball), and Varsity Spirit U.S. Finals in cheer and dance. Besides the Derby and Oaks, May will bring competition in archery, wrestling, girls basketball and the Louisville Corporate Games.

Lisa Mills, vice president of marketing and PR, said estimates of the economic impact of the events LSC is involved with one way or another in the area is over $1 billion annually, headed naturally by the Kentucky Derby and Oaks and surrounding festivities.

Fante is a 15-year veteran of LSC and was serving as vice president of sports development when he was promoted in March, 2022. The Voice-Tribune asked Fante to reply to questions regarding various aspects of his career and the LSC. Here are his answers:

Q: What appealed to you about LSC when you initially started with the organization in 2011?

A: My career in sports tourism began in 1999 while working for the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau (now Louisville Tourism). During my tenure with Louisville Tourism, I played an integral role in the launch of the Louisville Sports Commission that included hiring the LSC’s first executive director. Since I worked directly with the LSC from its inception, the transition to working at the LSC was a natural move for me. 

Q: It’s common for administrators and others to move in order to take advantage of what they consider to be a better opportunity in another market. Why have you remained in Louisville throughout your career?

A: Although I have had several opportunities during my career to move to other cities, I knew I wouldn’t feel as passionate or driven to make a difference somewhere else as I do about my hometown. Knowing that about myself, along with the satisfaction of helping build this organization from its inception, the decision to stay in Louisville was very rewarding. 

Q: What changes have you seen in the sports marketing industry during your tenure? 

A: In the organization’s early years, the challenge was to show our relevance in the marketplace and the value we could bring to our community. After a few big early wins, the organization started to gain traction – especially at the national level. We developed a strong reputation among national governing bodies of sports and event rights holders, which enabled us to grow year-over-year the number and types of events we hosted. When the 2008 downturn in the economy hit, some of our funding went away. This forced us to get creative and resulted in the organization becoming entrepreneurial. 

We started down the path of event creation to shore up our budget and help with name recognition in the local market (We currently own and operate six events and six sports awards.) Our latest challenge occurred during the COVID pandemic. Sports are all about social gathering, so COVID restrictions hit our industry hard. Fortunately, sports tourism was the first segment of the travel and tourism industry that rebounded, providing our local hospitality partners with the room nights and restaurant visits that they had so desperately been missing. 

Q: What do you see as the biggest challenges for LSC going forward? 

A: The LSC is a small nonprofit. Our staff is focused on three primary areas: 1) attract sporting events to our community that have a positive economic impact on Louisville and enhance the area’s image as a premier sports destination; 2) create, own and operate sporting events that promote active lifestyles for community members of all ages; and 3) break down the barriers to sports so more kids can play, thrive and grow. Securing additional funding is our biggest challenge as we want to grow each of these areas to make Louisville a more healthy and vibrant community for everyone. 

For example, we know that sports can be the great equalizer. However, access to sports is not always equitable – particularly in our marginalized neighborhoods. We recognize that we have the resources to remove some of the barriers that keep kids from being active. So, in 2012 we launched Louisville Active, which currently has four initiatives that address different aspects to help provide programming and remove barriers. However, as we continue to grow the reach and impact of these programs, our need for additional funding also grows. 

Q: How about your goals for the organization? 

The organization’s goals are to grow in these main areas: Attract more events with a focus on large events with significant positive economic impact; create and grow local events that create a sense of community and have a positive impact on our budget; and expand the reach of our Louisville Active programs. 

Q: On a more personal level, do you have a favorite sport? Did you compete in athletics in either high school or college? 

A: I have been very fortunate through my professional career to be around so many great sporting events that it is difficult to name a favorite. I love college football and basketball and am a life-long Green Bay Packers fan. Sailboat racing is another love, but it’s a tough sport to spectate. The sport of cycling, in particular BMX and cyclocross, has been a huge part of my professional journey. I’ve been fortunate to have helped attract to Louisville (and attend) world championships in both sports. 

My participation in sports ended after my eighth year at Saint Raphael. I was a middle-of-the-road basketball and football athlete while attending school there and knew that once I went to St. Xavier, I would not see the court or field. I decided to focus my time and energy working so I would be able to purchase my first car when I turned 16. 

Q: When you’re not working, what’s your favorite way to spend free time? 

A: My wife and I love spending time with our two grown children and their significant others. My in-laws live in Bardstown, and we also regularly visit them. We love to travel with family and friends, having recently traveled to Portugal and Puerto Rico. Later this spring, we have a family trip to Alaska on the calendar. 

Q: You were obviously very familiar with LSC by the time you were named CEO, but did Karl Schmitt give you any advice? 

A: Karl was a great leader for our organization for 13 years. He was more than my boss – he was a mentor and friend. His style was very collaborative, and he allowed everyone to excel in their areas of expertise. Working with him for all those years, I picked up many valuable lessons on how to lead a small team of professionals, each of whom have a lot on their plates. 

He was the best at playing devil’s advocate and challenged each of us to look at tough problems through multiple lenses and be open to other points of view. I continue to lean into Karl when I have a problem or a tough decision to make. He always helps me feel confident in the job ahead. I will forever be grateful for the years he spent leading the team to build the LSC into the organization it is today.