New Sports Milwaukee Branding Announced

Sports Milwaukee, the sports division of Visit Milwaukee, launched its new brand this week to kick off a new era for its department.

In alignment with the Visit Milwaukee rebrand that was unveiled in April, the Sports Milwaukee brand features a cohesive look and feel in a nod to Sports Milwaukee’s sports planner experience from booking to execution, while maintaining its own identity with an exclusive color palate. Sports Milwaukee also announced the 3on3 Fast Break, a new monthly newsletter that will be sent to sports planners, key stakeholders and interested subscribers.

The announcement was made during Visit Milwaukee’s annual meeting, which included the launch of a line of company-branded merchandise with Milwaukee’s own Reyes Retail to position Milwaukee as a lifestyle brand.

According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the Greater Milwaukee area set an all-time spending record with an estimated economic impact of over $6.3 billion in 2023, growing by more than $358 million year-over-year. Alongside direct visitor spending, tourism in Milwaukee County raised over $231 million in state and local taxes and generated more than $4.1 billion in total economic impact.

Visit Milwaukee also recognized several local businesses with its 2024 awards. The Milwaukee Magnet Award — designated for a company or organization that is drawing dollars to the community — was presented to Baird Center and Potawatomi Casino & Hotel. The Baird Center just completed a $456 million expansion that more than doubles the size of Milwaukee’s Convention Center.

The DearMKE Award was presented to Dan Jacobs of DanDan and EsterEv, who was on Bravo’s “Top Chef: Wisconsin” TV show. The Joe Bartolotta Hospitality Award was presented to Paul Bartolotta of the Bartolotta Restaurants and Theresa Nemetz of Milwaukee Food & City Tours and Great Lakes Excursions. The Heart of Milwaukee award was presented to Hyatt Regency bellman JR Tate.