A Baseball Legacy
The Cincinnati Red Stockings baseball team started in 1881, and the club has played every year since then, making the Reds the oldest sports franchise in the country to have played uninterrupted in its original city.
Groups visiting Cincinnati can explore this baseball legacy by visiting the Great American Ballpark, the Reds’ downtown home on the banks of the Ohio River. The stadium houses the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, where visitors learn about the history of the team and some of the notable players and other personalities who have kept the team running for more than 130 years.
After visiting the museum, fans can stick around for a tour of the ballpark. These tours take guests into the dugout, onto the warning track behind home plate and up into the ballpark’s press box. Participants also see luxurious suites and club spaces, and learn more history and trivia about the stadium.
Up-and-Coming Columbus
In central Ohio, Columbus has become something of an incubator of up-and-coming sports. The capital city is home to Ohio’s only NHL hockey team and its only MLS soccer team, and groups can get a taste of both when visiting the area.
The NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets play professional hockey at Nationwide Arena, the namesake of the city’s downtown Arena District. Attending a Blue Jackets game is a good way to introduce your travelers to the thrilling, fast-paced sport, and there are a variety of group ticket packages and combinations available. The arena also offers free group tours that showcase club lounges and other special areas of the facility.
Columbus is also home to the Columbus Crew, a Major League Soccer club. The team plays in Crew Stadium, the first stadium in the United States built specifically for soccer.
