Since 1991.

Our Mission

The Greater Augusta Sports Council shall support the many facets of local, national, and international sporting events that contribute to our community’s quality of life and economic development.

Our History

The Augusta Sports Council was established in 1991 by a group of sports-minded volunteers with a goal of recruiting sporting events to the community. Prior to 1991, Augusta only operated nationally in a couple of sports markets. Today, our management team is recognized for being among the best in the country and has partnerships in more than a dozen niche sports. 

​Since those early years, more than 800 events have been created, recruited or supported by the Augusta Sports Council. From the small to the multi-sport, these events have attracted 450,000 athletes to the area, leaving behind more than $200 million in economic impact. A couple of stand-out opportunities include the 1996 Olympic Box-Offs, the 1999 and 2002 Georgia Games Championships, NIKE Peach Jam Basketball (1996-present), ESPN Bassmaster Tournament and more recently IRONMAN®  70.3®  Augusta, billed as North America's largest IRONMAN® 70.3® event, and GHSA Boys & Girls State Golf Championships.

​In 2000, the Augusta Sports Council created the Ray Guy Award to recognize the top College Punter of the Year. Ray is a Thomson, Ga. native and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2014. The award is presented annually during The Home Depot College Football Awards, broadcast live on ESPN.

​In an effort to raise its profile among the regional endurance sport community and create a new economic impact generating event, the Augusta Sports Council launched the inaugural Augusta Half Marathon in 2008. Following a complete re-branding campaign in 2011, the race was re-launched in 2012 with a 40% increase in participation. In 2015, the Augusta Sports Council entered into a three-year partnership with Augusta University to become the title sponsor and added a 10K. A timed 5K was added to the 2017 event.

Our People

Our mission is to make your event successful, to provide exciting events and attractions for visitors and athletes to enhance the quality of life for area residents through sports participation and athletic events.

2024 Board of Directors

Chairman: Tom Denlinger, Augusta GreenJackets

Vice Chairman: John Whitwell, Merrill Lynch

Secretary: Bennish Brown, Destination Augusta

Treasurer: Chris Lewis, Cherry Bekaert

Immediate Past Chairman: Charlie Walker, Modern Business Workplace Solutions

Chairman Emeritus: William S. Morris III, Morris Communications 

Keith Blackwell - Augusta Coca Cola

Randall Blumberg- McKnight Engler

Bennish Brown- Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau

Jim Buckalew- Aiken County Parks, Recreation, & Tourism

Amy Corbitt - Merrill Lynch

Tom Denlinger - Augusta GreenJackets

Davis Dunaway - Hull Barrett Attorneys

Ryan Erlacher- Augusta University Athletics

Chris Lewis- Cherry Bekaert

Kat Johnson- Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center

Jeremy Juinnies- North Augusta Parks, Recreation & Tourism

Brian Martin- Oakview Group

Scott McClintock - Richmond County Athletics Department

Kelly Pickard - Champions Retreat

Fred Russell - F.L. Russell Consulting

John Smith - Gold Cross EMS

Neil Smith - Fort Eisenhower MWR

Alicia Sweat - Phinizy Swamp Nature Park

Charlie Walker - Modern Business Workplace Solutions

John Whitwell - Merrill Lynch 

2024 Board and Committee Meeting Dates 

Full Board Meetings 

(Held bi-monthly on the third Thursday of the month at noon, ASC/CVB conference room)​

  • February 15 

  • April 20

  • June 20

  • August 15

  • October 17

  • December 19

Finance Committee Meetings

(Held monthly on the Thursday prior to an Executive Committee or Full Board meeting at 11 a.m., ASC/CVB conference room)

  • January 11

  • February 8

  • March 19 

  • April 18

  • May 9 

  • June 13

  • July 11

  • August 8 

  • September 12

  • October 10 

  • November 14 

  • December 12

Marketing & Community Affairs Committee Meetings 

(Held bi-monthly on the third Wednesday of the month at noon, ASC/CVB conference room)

  • January 18

  • March 15

  • May 17

  • July 19  

  • September 20

  • November 15 

Executive Committee Meetings

(Held bi-monthly on the third Thursday of the month at noon, ASC/CVB conference room)

  • January 18

  • March 21  

  • May 16

  • July 18

  • September 19

  • November 21

Events Committee Meetings

(Held bi-monthly on the second Wednesday of the month at noon, ASC/CVB conference room)

  • January 17  

  • March 6  

  • May 8

  • July 12   

  • September 11 

  • November 6

Advisory Committee Meetings

(Held quarterly on Wednesdays at noon, ASC/CVB conference room)

  • May 14

  • August 6

  • November 5

Governance Committee Meetings

(TBD)