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Future-Year Funding and Multi-Year Support Policy

I. PURPOSE, SCOPE, AND STATUTORY ALIGNMENT

Maryland Sports recognizes that significant sporting and entertainment events are often awarded to host destinations several years before an event occurs. Competitive event recruitment may therefore require advance planning, indications of anticipated financial support, or conditional financial commitments before the normal grant application cycle or event year.

This Policy establishes a consistent framework for future-year and multi-year funding associated with:

  1. the Major Sports and Entertainment Event Program; and
  2. the Youth and Amateur Sports Grants Program and Michael Erin Busch Fund.

 

For purposes of this Policy:

  • “Programs” means both grant programs collectively.
  • “Program” means the individual grant program from which funding is proposed or provided.

 

This Policy is intended to support Maryland’s ability to attract, retain, and secure eligible events while protecting the long-term financial capacity of each Program.

The Policy shall be implemented in alignment with the statutory authority, purposes, funding requirements, and approval requirements applicable to each Program.

Nothing in this Policy expands, limits, or modifies authority established by law. If a provision of this Policy conflicts with applicable law or controlling Maryland Stadium Authority requirements, the applicable law or requirement shall govern.

All future-year and multi-year support is contingent upon the availability of legally authorized funds within the applicable Program. Nothing in this Policy guarantees a future appropriation, transfer, revenue source, Fund balance, General Fund support, or other source of Program funding. Maryland Sports shall not promise, represent, or otherwise commit the State to provide General Fund support or any other funding source that has not been legally authorized and approved for the applicable Program and purpose. The insufficiency or unavailability of Program funds shall not create an obligation for the Maryland Stadium Authority or the State to make a Program payment from the General Fund or from any other MSA, State, or public funding source.

II. TYPES OF FUTURE-YEAR SUPPORT

The level of future-year support provided by Maryland Sports shall correspond to the maturity of the opportunity and the level of financial certainty reasonably necessary to advance the event.

Maryland Sports shall not provide a greater level of funding certainty than is reasonably necessary for the applicable stage of an opportunity.

A. Internal Future-Year Planning

Maryland Sports may identify prospective events and anticipated funding needs for internal planning purposes.

This may include internally identifying or reserving anticipated Program capacity for an event that Maryland is considering pursuing, recruiting, retaining, or hosting.

Internal future-year planning:

  • does not constitute an indication of funding;
  • does not constitute a financial commitment or grant award;
  • does not authorize expenditure or payment; and
  • may be revised or removed as circumstances change.

B. Indicative Future-Year Support

Maryland Sports may provide a preliminary indication that it anticipates considering or providing financial support for a future event.

Indicative Future-Year Support may include a potential amount, funding range, maximum amount, or other anticipated level of support when appropriate for an event bid, recruitment effort, retention effort, or related planning.

Indicative Future-Year Support:

  1. is preliminary and conditional;
  2. provides greater certainty than internal planning;
  3. does not constitute a final grant award;
  4. does not constitute an unconditional promise of funding;
  5. remains subject to legally available Program funds, future review, and applicable approvals; and
  6. does not authorize expenditure or payment.

C. Conditional Future-Year Commitment

Maryland Sports may make a Conditional Future-Year Commitment when a defined financial commitment is reasonably necessary to secure, retain, bid on, announce, or otherwise advance an eligible event.

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment identifies a specified amount or maximum amount of anticipated financial support and the conditions applicable to that commitment.

Unless expressly provided otherwise in an authorized written agreement, those conditions shall include, as applicable:

  1. availability of legally authorized Program funds;
  2. submission of the required grant application;
  3. continued applicant and event eligibility;
  4. compliance with Program requirements;
  5. confirmation that material assumptions concerning the event remain valid;
  6. receipt of all approvals required for the final grant award, including Maryland Stadium Authority Board approval when applicable;
  7. execution of a Grant Agreement or other required agreement; and
  8. compliance with applicable law.

 

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment is stronger than an indication of anticipated support but does not, by itself, constitute a final grant award or authorize expenditure or payment.

D. Final Grant Award

A final grant award occurs only after the applicant completes the applicable grant process and all approvals required for the award have been obtained.

Not every future-year opportunity will require or proceed through each level of support.

III. WHEN FUTURE-YEAR SUPPORT MAY BE CONSIDERED

Future-year and multi-year support is intended for exceptional or strategically significant opportunities for which advance financial planning, an indication of support, or a financial commitment is reasonably necessary or materially advantageous to Maryland’s ability to compete for, secure, retain, or successfully plan an event.

Future-year support is not intended to replace the normal grant application and annual award process for events that can reasonably be considered through that process.

The amount of information and review required shall correspond to the level of funding certainty requested.

Maryland Sports shall evaluate, as applicable:

  1. the event, event owner, anticipated applicant, location, and dates;
  2. the amount, purpose, and anticipated timing of requested Program support;
  3. the event budget and other anticipated public and private funding sources;
  4. projected attendance, hotel room nights, economic impact, and other relevant public benefits;
  5. applicable bid, hosting, rights-holder, or commitment requirements;
  6. whether advance financial certainty is required or materially strengthens Maryland’s competitive position;
  7. the deadline by which the support is required;
  8. material assumptions, contingencies, and risks;
  9. the strategic significance of the opportunity to Maryland;
  10. whether the opportunity can reasonably be addressed through the normal annual grant process; and
  11. other relevant Program requirements.

Internal future-year planning may be based on preliminary information.

Indicative Future-Year Support and Conditional Future-Year Commitments shall require additional information and review sufficient to support a reasonable programmatic and financial determination before the support is communicated externally.

Maryland Sports may require additional information based on the amount, duration, complexity, or nature of the proposed support.

IV. FINANCIAL CAPACITY AND FUTURE-YEAR FUNDING LIMIT

Future-year funding decisions shall be based on the projected financial capacity of the applicable Program and shall not be based solely on current cash balances.

Maryland Sports shall consider, as applicable:

  1. current Program or Fund resources;
  2. existing awards and obligations;
  3. approved but unpaid awards;
  4. existing future-year commitments and awards;
  5. anticipated appropriations, transfers, revenues, or other Program resources;
  6. anticipated timing of receipts and payments;
  7. significant known or reasonably anticipated future opportunities; and
  8. projected remaining Program capacity.

Before a specific amount or funding range is communicated externally, Maryland Sports shall determine that the proposed support is reasonably consistent with projected Program capacity.

Before a Conditional Future-Year Commitment is approved, appropriate Maryland Stadium Authority financial personnel shall confirm that the proposed commitment can reasonably be supported within projected Program resources, subject to the conditions applicable to the commitment.

Financial-capacity review does not constitute a final grant award or payment authorization.

A. Fifty-Percent Future-Year Capacity Limit

To preserve funding capacity for events and opportunities that arise closer to the applicable fiscal year, no more than fifty percent (50%) of the projected Program funding available for grant awards in any future fiscal year may be reserved or committed through approved future-year support before the beginning of that fiscal year.

The fifty-percent limitation shall be calculated separately for each Program and each future fiscal year.

For purposes of this limit, approved future-year support includes:

  1. Indicative Future-Year Support that identifies a specific amount, funding range, or maximum amount;
  2. Conditional Future-Year Commitments;
  3. approved Future-Year Grant Awards; and
  4. the applicable annual portion of a Multi-Year Commitment or Award.

Internal prospective opportunities and internal planning estimates do not count toward the fifty-percent limitation because they do not constitute external indications or commitments of funding. They shall, however, be considered when evaluating overall future Program capacity.

B. Calculation Method

The maximum amount that may be reserved or committed in advance for a future fiscal year shall be calculated as follows:

Projected Program Funding Available for Grant Awards × 50% = Maximum Future-Year Support Capacity

For purposes of calculating use of that capacity:

  • a fixed amount shall be counted at the full amount;
  • an “up to” amount shall be counted at the maximum amount;
  • a funding range shall be counted at the highest amount in the range; and
  • a multi-year commitment shall be allocated to and counted against each applicable fiscal year.

 

Projected Program funding shall reflect reasonably anticipated funding available for grant awards and shall take into account known obligations or restrictions that reduce available Program capacity.

The calculation shall be reviewed and updated when projected Program resources or existing commitments materially change.

If projected Program capacity decreases and previously approved future-year support exceeds the fifty-percent limitation, Maryland Sports shall not approve additional future-year support for that fiscal year until sufficient capacity becomes available.

Previously approved commitments shall remain subject to their stated terms, including the availability of legally authorized Program funds.

V. MULTI-YEAR SUPPORT AND CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES

A. Multi-Year Support

Multi-year support shall be reserved for exceptional or strategically significant opportunities where a multi-year financial arrangement is necessary or materially advantageous to Maryland’s ability to secure or retain an event, multiple editions of an event, or another significant long-term opportunity.

Maryland Sports may consider multi-year support when, as applicable:

  1. an event owner or rights holder requires or materially favors a multi-year host or financial commitment;
  2. the commitment would secure multiple editions of an event, a defined event series, or another significant long-term opportunity;
  3. a multi-year arrangement materially strengthens Maryland’s competitive position or provides a demonstrable advantage over separate annual consideration;
  4. the event or events are expected to remain eligible under the applicable Program;
  5. anticipated economic, tourism, public, or strategic benefits justify reserving future Program capacity;
  6. the amount, purpose, event year, and applicable fiscal year of each anticipated portion of the commitment can reasonably be identified;
  7. projected Program capacity reasonably supports the proposed commitment;
  8. the commitment complies with the fifty-percent future-year capacity limitation; and
  9. all required financial, programmatic, and organizational approvals are obtained.

Multi-year support may establish:

  1. a fixed amount for each year;
  2. a maximum amount for each year;
  3. an aggregate maximum amount;
  4. a funding range;
  5. conditions applicable to later years; or
  6. a combination of these structures.

All multi-year support remains contingent upon legally available Program funds for the applicable fiscal year and any application, eligibility, approval, Grant Agreement, or other conditions identified in the applicable commitment.

Approval of multi-year support does not eliminate any final grant approval required for an individual event or fiscal year unless the applicable approval expressly provides otherwise.

Funding associated with one event year may not automatically be shifted to another event year without any approval required by the applicable Program.

Multi-year support may establish:

  1. a fixed amount for each year;
  2. a maximum amount for each year;
  3. an aggregate maximum amount;
  4. a funding range;
  5. conditions applicable to later years; or
  6. a combination of these structures.

 

All multi-year support remains contingent upon legally available Program funds for the applicable fiscal year and any application, eligibility, approval, Grant Agreement, or other conditions identified in the applicable commitment.

Approval of multi-year support does not eliminate any final grant approval required for an individual event or fiscal year unless the applicable approval expressly provides otherwise.

Funding associated with one event year may not automatically be shifted to another event year without any approval required by the applicable Program.

B. Periodic Review

Conditional Future-Year Commitments and Multi-Year Commitments shall be reviewed at least annually and following a known material change until the applicable event has occurred and the grant has been closed.

The review shall consider, as applicable:

  1. event dates and Maryland location;
  2. event ownership or sanctioning;
  3. applicant and event eligibility;
  4. event scope;
  5. projected attendance, hotel room nights, economic impact, and other public benefits;
  6. event budget and other funding sources;
  7. proposed uses of Program funds;
  8. continued need for the approved level of State support;
  9. availability of legally authorized Program funds;
  10. compliance with the future-year capacity limitation; and
  11. the continued strategic interest of the State.

C. Material Changes

A material change is a change that could reasonably affect the event’s eligibility, anticipated funding level, economic or public benefit, financial feasibility, timing, location, scope, or the basis on which Maryland Sports approved or communicated future-year support.

Material changes include, but are not limited to:

  1. cancellation, postponement, or relocation;
  2. a change in event owner, rights holder, sanctioning body, or anticipated applicant;
  3. a substantial expansion or reduction in event scope;
  4. a material change in anticipated attendance, hotel room nights, economic impact, or other projected public benefit;
  5. a material change in the event budget, funding sources, or financial need;
  6. a substantial change in the proposed use of Program funds;
  7. a change in the amount or timing of requested State support;
  8. a material reduction in projected Program financial capacity; or
  9. another change that materially alters the facts or assumptions on which the support was based.

 

Following a material change, Maryland Sports shall determine whether the existing support should be continued, modified, reduced, deferred, withdrawn, or submitted for additional approval.

VI. APPROVAL, FINAL GRANT AWARD, AND PAYMENT

Before providing Indicative Future-Year Support or a Conditional Future-Year Commitment, Maryland Sports shall obtain the financial, programmatic, and organizational approvals required for the applicable level of support.

Approval of future-year support is distinct from approval of a final grant award.

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment does not eliminate any subsequent requirement for:

  1. submission of a grant application;
  2. Program eligibility review;
  3. financial review;
  4. final Program approval;
  5. Maryland Stadium Authority Board approval when required;
  6. execution of a Grant Agreement; or
  7. satisfaction of applicable payment requirements.

Internal planning, Indicative Future-Year Support, and Conditional Future-Year Commitments do not authorize expenditure or payment.

Payment of Program funds may occur only after:

  1. the applicant has completed the applicable grant process;
  2. the final award has received all required approvals;
  3. a Grant Agreement or other required agreement has been fully executed;
  4. required financial and supporting documentation has been accepted; and
  5. all applicable payment requirements have been satisfied.

 

All final awards and payments remain subject to legally available Program funds, applicable Program requirements, Maryland Stadium Authority requirements, applicable agreements, and governing law.

Maryland Sports may establish internal administrative procedures governing financial review, approval routing, documentation, tracking, and implementation of future-year support.

VII. PUBLIC INFORMATION, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND NO ENTITLEMENT

Maryland Sports recognizes that event recruitment may involve competitively sensitive or nonpublic information, including active bids, negotiations, proposed financial terms, competing destinations, rights-holder requirements, and information that may be premature for public announcement.

Maryland Sports shall manage future-year information in accordance with applicable public information, open meeting, and other legal requirements.

Internal prospective opportunities and planning estimates are internal planning matters and do not constitute awards or commitments merely because Maryland Sports is considering or tracking the opportunity.

Organizational or Board oversight may be provided through aggregate or portfolio-level reporting when identification of individual opportunities is not required and premature disclosure could adversely affect an active bid, negotiation, or event recruitment effort.

Nothing in this Policy authorizes Maryland Sports to withhold a public record, close a public meeting, avoid a required approval, or delay disclosure when disclosure is required by applicable law.

Participation in event recruitment discussions, receipt of a general letter of support, or receipt of Indicative Future-Year Support does not create an entitlement to grant funding.

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment creates only the level of commitment expressly stated in the applicable written instrument and remains subject to the conditions contained in that instrument.

A final grant award exists only after all approvals required for that award have been obtained.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes. Many significant sporting and entertainment events are awarded years in advance. Maryland Sports may consider future-year or multi-year support when advance funding certainty materially assists Maryland in securing or retaining an eligible event.

Future-year support is intended primarily for exceptional or strategically significant opportunities and is not intended to replace the normal annual grant process when an event can reasonably be considered through that process.

Organizations are encouraged to contact Maryland Sports as early as practical when an event bid, rights-holder negotiation, hosting agreement, or other recruitment effort may require State financial support.

Early discussion allows Maryland Sports to evaluate the opportunity, anticipated funding need, timing, economic impact, and potential Program capacity before a funding representation is included in a bid or other external communication.

Potentially.

Depending on the maturity of the opportunity and the information available, Maryland Sports may provide Indicative Future-Year Support or a Conditional Future-Year Commitment.

A specific amount, funding range, or maximum amount shall require additional financial and programmatic review before it can be communicated.

Indicative Future-Year Support communicates Maryland Sports’ anticipated or potential level of support. It is preliminary and may change as the event, budget, Program capacity, or other circumstances develop.

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment is a stronger written commitment to a defined amount or maximum amount of future support. It remains subject to the conditions stated in the commitment, including legally available Program funds, application, eligibility, approval, and Grant Agreement requirements.

No.

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment may provide the financial certainty necessary to support a bid, secure an event, or satisfy a rights-holder requirement, but it is separate from the final grant award.

The applicant must still complete the applicable grant process and obtain all approvals required for the final award, including Maryland Stadium Authority Board approval when applicable.

Yes, to the extent expressly stated in the written commitment.

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment is intended to provide greater certainty than a preliminary indication of possible support. The commitment, however, remains subject to the conditions identified in the written instrument, including the availability of legally authorized Program funds and any required final approvals.

Yes.

Before the beginning of a future fiscal year, no more than 50% of the projected Program funding available for grant awards in that fiscal year may be reserved or committed through approved future-year support.

The limit is calculated separately for each Program and each fiscal year.

This requirement is intended to preserve at least a portion of future Program capacity for events and opportunities that arise closer to the applicable fiscal year.

Internal planning estimates do not count toward the 50% limit because they do not constitute an external funding commitment, although Maryland Sports considers those anticipated opportunities when evaluating available capacity.

Maryland Sports uses the projected amount reasonably expected to be available for grant awards in the applicable Program and fiscal year.

A fixed commitment counts at its full amount. An “up to” amount or funding range is counted using the maximum potential amount, and multi-year support is allocated among the fiscal years to which it applies.

Potentially.

Multi-year support is generally reserved for significant opportunities where a multi-year arrangement is necessary or provides a meaningful competitive or strategic advantage to Maryland, such as securing multiple editions of an event or a defined event series.

Multi-year support remains subject to available Program funds, the 50% future-year capacity limitation, applicable approval requirements, and any conditions contained in the commitment.

The information required depends on the stage and size of the opportunity, but organizations should generally be prepared to provide:

  • event and rights-holder information;
  • anticipated dates and Maryland location;
  • requested amount and purpose of support;
  • event budget and other anticipated funding sources;
  • projected attendance and hotel room nights;
  • projected economic and other public benefits;
  • bid, hosting, or rights-holder requirements;
  • deadline for the requested funding indication or commitment; and
  • significant assumptions, contingencies, or risks.

Greater levels of requested funding certainty shall require additional information and review.

It depends on the type of support and the terms of any written commitment.

Indicative Future-Year Support may change as circumstances develop.

A Conditional Future-Year Commitment is governed by the conditions contained in the written commitment. Material changes to the event or the assumptions on which support was approved may require additional review or approval.

Not necessarily.

Maryland Sports may engage in early-stage event recruitment, competitive bids, and negotiations before an opportunity is appropriate for public announcement.

Public records, meetings, approvals, and disclosures will be handled in accordance with applicable Maryland law and Maryland Stadium Authority requirements.

Organizations considering a future event in Maryland should contact Maryland Sports before representing that State financial support has been secured or including a Maryland Sports funding amount in a bid, proposal, hosting agreement, or other external communication.

As approved by the Maryland Stadium Authority Board of Directors September 2, 2026