Who will foot bill to end group?

Oklahoma taxpayers may be asked to help cover expenses related to the dissolving of the All Sports Association as its responsibilities are transferred to the Convention and Visitors Bureau and other longtime collegiate sports hosts.

Details of the failure of the All Sports Association, the city’s amateur sports commission, were first reported by The Oklahoman as the nonprofit unsuccessfully sought a $275,000 bailout from the city. Tom Anderson, special assistant to the city manager, confirmed Friday that All Sports still owes $108,000 to the NCAA.

“All Sports has agreed in principal to work with the city and partner organizations to provide information on what they can do,” Anderson said. “The convention and visitors bureau will pick hospitality, dinners, transportation and room blocks.”

Tim Brassfield, president of All Sports, said he is working with the city on plans that will effectively close the operation by Nov. 30. He said the organization will pay the $108,000 due to the NCAA.

“We’re just waiting for the agreement to be finalized,” Brassfield said. “We will get together two or three times to make sure this goes smoothly.”

As Brassfield waged one last fight earlier this month for the bailout, he warned that the convention and visitors bureau did not have the experience, relationships or capability of assuming the task of helping host and recruit collegiate sports events.

But officials with USA Softball and the NCAA both told The Oklahoman they have had long relationships with Sue Hollenback, who oversees sports business at the bureau, and are comfortable with moving forward without All Sports.

Anderson said the current discussions are aimed at ensuring a successful Women’s Big 12 basketball tournament, the Big 12 baseball and softball tournaments, and the NCAA Women’s College World Series proceed as planned and without any affect from the transition.

The current plan calls for the Oklahoma City Dodgers to play a role in hosting the baseball tournaments and arena operator SMG to assist with the basketball tournaments.

“All of these facilities have done these events before, and CVB just needs to fill in the gaps,” Anderson said. “It won’t be that hard, despite

what others have said.”

Anderson said the amount to be paid to All Sports has yet to be finalized, but it will include a required review of the organization’s financial records. Anderson said plans call for tickets purchased through All Sports for upcoming

events will be honored by the NCAA.

The All Sports Association first notified the city it was at risk of dissolving in August and gave a schedule of its wind down in September, all the while soliciting membership purchases via social media

and on the organization’s website.

Brassfield, meanwhile, said he believes sponsorships and memberships sold to upcoming events, including associated ticket packages, will be honored. He said the All-College game between the University of Oklahoma

and Wichita will proceed as planned.

“Everyone is good to go,” Brassfield said. “Longtime, good friends are being taken care of.”

Mayor David Holt, meanwhile, is set to start the city on the next step of organizing a task force to decide how best to

promote collegiate and amateur sports in the future.

“In the long term, we have the opportunity to build a fresh a new model that meets the needs of our city and the processes in place around the country,” Holt said. “I’m optimistic.”