Our History

The History of the Maryland Sports Commission

The Maryland Sports Commission was founded in 2008 as a result of a partnership between the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) and the Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED, now Commerce). This partnership was sparked by a Governor’s transition report stating a “need to focus on sports.”

The goal of this partnership was to develop a marketing strategy to attract regional, national and international sporting events to the state for sports and recreational activities. This led to the formation of the Office of Sports Marketing, led by Terry Hasseltine (to be re-branded as “Maryland Sports” in 2014) has the same mission that we have today:

To enhance Maryland’s economy, image and quality of life through the attraction, promotion, retention and development of regional, national and international sporting events.

Throughout this effort, the assets and appeal of Maryland as a destination for sports are showcased to millions of spectators and visitors.

Below is a history of Maryland Sports, along with brief recaps of each year’s achievements. This history starts from 2008’s transition report and including hiring an Executive Director, the re-branding of “Maryland Office of Sports Marketing” to Maryland Sports – The Sports Commission for the State of Maryland. Click on the year you want to view below.