FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Louise Heine
Destination Marketing Director
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 109 or louise@yorkpa.org

Brent Burkey
Communications Specialist
York County Convention & Visitors Bureau
717-852-9675, ext. 103 or bburkey@yorkpa.org


YORK, PA- Teams will compete starting Friday at the York Expo Center's Utz Arena in the 2015 USA Team Handball Open Championships, and all three days of the event will feature opportunities for the local community to come out and discover this fast-paced Olympic sport firsthand.

The sport combines elements of soccer, basketball, water polo and hockey in high-scoring, semi-contact competition. Additionally, former Olympians are expected to be present for this championship event.

Teams will play on four courts throughout the weekend. Game start times are scheduled for 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday.

The schedules for each day, which are subject to revision, are available on the event page for the Open Championships at www.USATeamHandball.org.

Daily admission is $5 per person ($3 for anyone 16 years old or younger) and covers the entire day. Three-day tickets are available for $10 per person ($5 for anyone 16 years old or younger).

Although there are no local teams competing, there will be an important local presence on the court this weekend. WellSpan Sports Medicine is the official provider of sports medicine services for the 2015 Open Championships providing players access to local medical care if needed and an important financial benefit for teams who otherwise would have to pay for one or more athletic trainers to travel with them.

The 2015 Open Championships will generate more than $500,000 in total economic benefits for York County, and the event also will be held at the York Expo Center's Utz Arena in 2016.

USA Team Handball is the National Governing Body for the Olympic sport of Team Handball, which has been an Olympic sport since 1972 for men and 1976 for women. Learn more about USA Team Handball by visiting www.USATeamHandball.org.

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Sport York initiative is designed to recruit events and generate additional economic impact in York County. Sport York positions York County as Pennsylvania's Premier Sports Destination, highlighting the area's dynamic facilities and central location on the East Coast. For further information about Sport York, visit www.yorkpa.org/sports.

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau's Mission is to maximize tourism expenditures and their economic impact in York County, PA, through comprehensive tourism sales and marketing programs. The York County CVB's Vision is for a York County where tourism is recognized for the value of its economic impact; and its role in raising the profile of York County as a sought-after destination. For more information on the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, call 1-888-858-9675 or visit www.yorkpa.org.