In terms of professional sports, Richmond is not a big-market sports town. There, I’ve said it. Yes, we do score NASCAR doubleheaders two weekends a year at Richmond International Raceway that bring in celebrity drivers like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., but the only time the NBA comes to town is when the Washington Wizards hold their training camp at VCU’s Siegel Center. Still, between championship-caliber collegiate athletics, minor league baseball, professional soccer, arena football, and nationally recognized road races and extreme sports, Richmond offers a varied menu for the sports enthusiast.
The University of Richmond’s success on the football field—claiming the Football Championship Subdivision title in 2008—and on the basketball court, with the men’s hoops program ranked in the top 25 in 2010, has energized the faithful. VCU men’s basketball program has a raucous following that packs the house during the season, making opponents wilt under the pressure. VCU and UR often get postseason bids, and since Richmond is the site of the Colonial Athletic Association’s tournament, with an automatic bid to the NCAA tourney on the line, March Madness means something here.
Through the efforts of former Olympic kayaker Jon Lugbill, Sports Backers, a nonprofit sports commission, has brought Richmond into the big time with several sporting events, some recurring, like the Monument Avenue 10K and SunTrust Richmond Marathon, and some, like the World Duathlon Championship, that we hosted for three years. Our unique urban landscape of trails, white water, and boulders makes Richmond a logical choice for extreme sports, as the Xterra folks have known for a decade.