We hope this note finds you all healthy and well. Many of us remain closed as we work through some phased re-openings within our individual states or countries while others have opened with safety restrictions in place. International Sports Heritage Association members have shared their experiences with fellow members during this health crisis and it’s one of the many reasons that ISHA remains vibrant and strong. Members helping members is at the organization’s core.

Unfortunately, we are writing to inform you that the 2020 ISHA Conference scheduled for October 21-23 in Newport, R.I., will be rescheduled for October 27-29, 2021. The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport will remain our conference host for the new 2021 dates.

The 2020 ISHA Conference Committee, which surveyed the membership regarding travel to the 2020 conference, utilized that data received and recommended to the Board of Directors to reschedule ISHA’s 50^th conference to 2021. The Board voted unanimously to adopt that recommendation. We can assure you that this decision was not made lightly, but we needed to be sensitive to the health and safety of our members as well as the effects that COVID-19 has had on members’ budgets and the resulting travel restrictions.

We realize that ISHA plays an important role in providing networking and educational opportunities and we accept that these are unprecedented times in our world. It’s important for you to know that we remain committed to serving ISHA members to the best of our ability. In that vein, we will be moving forward with planning a two-day virtual mini-conference with two sessions per day on August 18-19, 2020. We will also include a virtual networking social event and the presentation of the 2020 ISHY Awards. The sessions will focus on COVID-19 related information to help us progress positively and successfully through the challenges we all face together. (To register for the free virtual conference, please click here)

The theme of the virtual conference is Back in the Game, and we hope to have a high participation rate as we bond and forge forward with the goal of adapting so that we may continue delivering entertainment through sports heritage in a meaningful and educational way.

We know it’s a cliché to say that we are all in this together, but through our ISHA connection, those words ring true. We send our best to you as we progress deeper into 2020. When details regarding the August sessions are finalized, we will distribute that information to you.

Please stay healthy and safe.

Bryan Morry
ISHA Board President
The Patriots Hall of Fame presented by Raytheon Technologies

Jordan Poland
2020 Conference Committee Chairperson
Kansas Sports Hall of Fame

Meredith Richards
2020 Conference Host
International Tennis Hall of Fame

The International Sports Heritage Association Board of Directors is saddened by the recent events occurring across the United States. Sports have always provided a vehicle to bridge social change and unite people. Many athletes – past and present – use their available forum to advocate for social justice. Diverse locker rooms often represent the melding of different races that see past unnecessary divides to build strong bonds. The relationships built and lessons learned through sports at all levels can serve as an example for the world at large. For almost 50 years, ISHA has promoted sports heritage as a medium to operate and promote institutions that share history and the athletes that made it. Unfortunately, one of our members, The College Football Hall of Fame, was damaged during protests in Atlanta, Ga. While we send our heartfelt best to The College Football Hall of Fame as it undergoes repairs and prepares, once again, to serve and entertain the public, we also acknowledge that the unrest in America transcends sports. As the world works through a pandemic and social unrest, we certainly hope that sport and its many influencers can serve as a beacon for reunification, re-opening, peace and a new and necessary dialogue.