February 2, 2021
A little background on who we are – we are a family run business that has been in the fan travel world since the 1960s, operating as Sports and Entertainment Travel since 2014.
Starting with a cross-country plane and train trip from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California for the 1964 Rose Bowl to cheer on the Fighting Illini against the Washington Huskies, our company has seen it all. We are here to bring you along on our trips and show a little bit about what makes SET, SET. Now, let’s meet our team.
Original ad from Rose Bowl trip, 1964 – Doddson Travel. Retail cost including RT Air, 5 nights’ accommodations Biltmore Hotel DT LA, Rose Bowl Game Ticket, motor coach transfers, Big 10 Banquet, Disneyland & Knotts Berry Farm all day tour, 2 Cocktail Parties, Luggage handling, Experienced Tour Escort, Las Vegas Flight, 1-night accommodations at the Rivera, Dinner, cocktail party & Floor Show at the Rivera, morning brunch for $340 Single/$311 Double. And the ILLINI Won!
Christine Dodds Bruce: CMP – President
Christy started in athletics at birth. Growing up in the family business of Dodds Athletic Tours, Christy’s life was destined to be involved in taking guests to college sports programs. Having majored in Hospitality at San Diego State University, Christy moved multiple times within the Event and Meeting industry (Hyatt Hotels, The Special Event Tradeshow, and others), until she ended up back in Champaign, IL leading Dodds Athletic Tours with her husband Ken in the early 1990’s. After growing the business nationwide, the business was acquired in 2008 by Premiere Global Sports (PGS), a provider of specialized sports travel, hospitality products, and marketing services. PGS was acquired by PrimeSport, whereupon Christy continued to leverage her experience in sales and operations of the collegiate sports travel programs. Now, as President of Sports & Entertainment Travel, LLC, Christy continues to utilize her extensive industry experience and connections to develop and expand relationships with leading sports universities around the country.
Favorite Work Experience: Taking first time fans to their first major bowl game or NCAA Tournament, seeing the pure excitement on their faces.
Laura Cooper-Arnold: Executive Vice President
‘Coop’ can be found wearing her signature black Chuck Taylor’s, while moving fast with her ‘event pace’ walk everywhere she goes. Proudly from Beecher, IL, and an ILLINI alum, she keeps track of all the events she has worked in her 20+ year career by the number of lanyards she can hang in the office. Laura started working for SET (formerly Dodds Athletic Tours) in 2007 as a freelance event manager for the University of Illinois Rose Bowl Trip and hasn’t stopped since. Logging such events for SET including, but not limited to, the Olympics, The Masters, multiple NCAA Final Fours, college football weekends, and 25+ bowl games, she is ready for college athletics to get ‘MOVING’ again. Also, during her career in events, marketing, hospitality and management, she has been involved deeply in the motorsports community, from the early days of cooking for famous team owner, Paul Newman at Newman Haas Racing, to working for IndyCar/IMSA team owners, Jimmy Vasser and James ‘Sulli’ Sullivan. Coop is looking forward to her to sports worlds colliding, as SET will be bringing new VIP motorsports travel packages to the fans.
Favorite thing to hunt down while traveling: A great dive bar with a MyTouch Tunes Juke Box
Kyle McDonald: Vice President, Business Development
Kyle wants to live in a world with unlimited golf courses, travel experiences with no agenda and great red wine. Raised across small towns in the Midwest, he settled on Indianapolis and is a University of Illinois graduate.
As a sporting event professional with over 12 years of experience, Kyle has worked for several companies in the space that include the Daytona Cubs, the St. Louis Sports Commission, Premiere Global Sports, and PrimeSport. Participating in the management of a wide array of travel programs, he has deployed his skills in business development, marketing, and program management. Kyle considers himself lucky to direct in parking lots for events like football weekends, bowl games, Olympics, Super Bowl, The Masters, Kentucky Derby, NCAA Tournaments, numerous golf tournaments, and much more.
When he’s not on the road working events or seeing clients, you can find him supporting his teams with a passion (#HOOSIERS, #GOPACKGO, #CUBS), plotting a dining experience or on an adventure with his family in the Northwoods.
Favorite thing to hunt down while traveling: A local experience – likely involving a cocktail.
Tegan Thornberry: Vice President, Business Development
Tegan (rhymes with Megan) has a passion for travel and sports. Having traveled to 45+ countries and six continents, she has her eye on checking off more in the future. Hailing from Overland Park, Kansas, Tegan went down the road to the University of Kansas where she holds a BSE in Sports and Fitness Management and an MSE in Sports Studies. She brings 15+ years of experience in higher education. With nine years at Kansas Athletics and seven at Kansas Alumni Association, Tegan has unique knowledge how both operate and the unique needs of each of their constituents. She is excited to combine her love for travel and sports by working at SET! When she is not traveling, Tegan spends her time hanging out with her giant Great Dane, Josephine.
Fun fact: Tegan is a Letter winner in both Women’s Golf and Men’s Basketball at Kansas.
Todd Crowell: Project Development Director
The only person he knows who goes by their middle name, Todd grew up in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina. As a 90’s child in the area, he cemented his love of the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers as all three “grew up” at the same time. That love of sports took to him to North Carolina State University (Go Pack!) where he earned a degree in Sports Management, but not before stopping to collect a second-place trophy in the 1999 North Carolina Babe Ruth Baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, a crowning lifetime achievement. With over 13 years experience in the sports industry, Todd brings a wealth of knowledge from various positions over those years, ranging from minor league baseball to collegiate athletics. He is looking forward to expanding SET’s catalog of bucket-list experiences to share with fans across the globe.
Favorite city to host a big event: New Orleans, Louisiana
Joanna Watson: Accountant
Joanna brings her accounting knowledge to SET after doing bookkeeping and other tasks at a local hospital for 8 years. Accounting work is much more exciting in the travel industry- things are always changing and this pandemic has definitely made things interesting. Accounting major but loves to have fun. Joanna loves a cold Miller Lite and a break from her kids!
Favorite City: Anywhere warm!
Ryan Roberts: Event Manager
31, Indianapolis, IN – 6’4” – Enjoys long walks on the beach at sunset and romantic candlelit dinners.
Oh wait, this wasn’t supposed to be a dating profile…..Ryan is at his best when in a high energy, fast paced environment, whether it be coordinating a 300 person bowl trip, or dancing on the closest table to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” The opportunity to travel the country & experience the greatest sporting events for work is the biggest advantage of working at SET. We have some great trips planned this year and Ryan’s excited to share his experiences! XOXO Ryan
Favorite Souvenir to bring home from a trip: Golf course pencils
Alexa Treon: Event Manager
Alexa is a born and raised Hoosier, by an Indiana State Police Captain we might add. Two days after graduating with a Bachelors in Event and Sport Management from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Alexa started full time with SET. From a hurricane cancelling her first fall football weekend, to a global pandemic cancelling an entire year, her career has been anything but normal. Often referred to as the “mom” of her friend group, Alexa enjoys planning their road trips, making her the perfect fit for an event manager at SET. In her free time, Alexa can most likely be found in the Rathskeller Biergarten singing along way too loudly to any song that comes on.
Favorite City: Nashville, TN