The purpose of the Bluegrass Sports Commission is to attract and support new and existing sports events at any level, such as the Bluegrass State Games, to the Central Kentucky Area.
There are more than 300 sports commissions in the United States currently. By working in close coordination with local CVBs, other community organizations and venues, the BSC can be a leader for Central Kentucky.
The Bluegrass State Games is a non-profit program sponsored privately to promote amateur athletics across the Commonwealth. It is the signature event of the Bluegrass Sports Commission, designed to provide Kentuckians of all ages and skill levels a wholesome avenue for positive development through sports and physical activity, to promote and develop amateur athletics and to provide the amateur athlete an opportunity to showcase their talent and receive statewide recognition.
August 13, 2022
On Saturday, August 14, 2021, after a year away due to COVID-19, runners and walkers returned to the streets of downtown Lexington for a great night of in-person running.
The night began with the Fastest Kid in Town race (ages 3 years and up) and concluded with the night’s main event, the A Midsummer Night’s Run 5K.
We can’t wait to see you next year! Mark your calendar for August 13, 2022 and be on the lookout for registration to open.
The Barbasol Championship will be held for the third time, July 7 – 10, 2022 at Keene Trace Golf Club’s Champions course. In 2018, The Barbasol Championship became the first PGA TOUR tournament to be held in Kentucky since the Kentucky Derby Open was contested in Louisville from 1957-59. Gary Player claimed his first TOUR victory in the 1958 event.
The Arthur Hills-designed Champions course, located approximately 10 miles from downtown Lexington, opened in 1988 and has played host to a number of championships, including the 1994 USGA Senior Amateur, the 1993 NCAA Division One Men’s Championship, the Southeastern Conference Men’s and Women’s Championships, the Women’s Western Open, the Kentucky State Amateur and multiple Kentucky Opens. It consistently has been ranked as one of the best courses in Kentucky.
The Barbasol Championship was won by Troy Merritt in 2018, Jim Herman in 2019, and Seamus Power in 2021.
In 2022, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will return to the cradle of the breeding industry and the heart of the Bluegrass state. On November 4–5, 2022, Keeneland will hold the 39th championship event, marking the third time the venue has played host to the Breeders’ Cup.
UK/UofL Basketball Game MVP Award
December 2022
Since 2010, the Bluegrass Sports Commission has had the privilege of awarding the game MVP award to the most outstanding player in the Battle of the Bluegrass, the annual meeting between the University of Kentucky’s and the University of Louisville’s basketball teams.
Click here to see the complete list of past winners.
