Dog parks are the new sports fields, apparently. Nationwide, there are examples of cities choosing to build off-leash spaces - and giving them preference over athletic venues when it comes to funding. Whether that means converting existing ball fields or building new ones rather than adding sports venues, it's obvious that every dog has its day.

At the stroke of midnight in the new year, the federal Environmental Protection Agency put a stop to the production or importation of the refrigerant R-22, more commonly known as Freon. And that could put a deep freeze on thousands of community ice rinks throughout North America since the alternative is costly - a six-figure layout, in fact.

The flu season got off to an early start, according to medical researchers, and is showing no signs of a slowdown. It's also an unusual strain of the flu (the type B virus) which fortunately is covered by the current vaccine. But with hospitalizations and even deaths on the rise, and indoor sports in full swing, event owners should be concerned.

When the Sports and Fitness Industry Association released its annual State of the Industry Report, it was easy to become distracted by the statistics governing the growth (or lack thereof) of certain sports. Look more closely, however, and there are key points for owners and rights holders of sports competitions, all of them essential.

Hold it right there. The National Parks Service disbanded its e-bike advisory group in the face of a lawsuit from conservationists, alleging that meetings involved secret lobbying for assisted-power vehicles on park trails. It's not the first such lawsuit, either. And as e-bikes move into cycling events, owners will need to stay on top of legislation.

While everyone is concerned about the impact of tariffs and strengthened policies governing admittance to the U.S., here is something you might not be aware of: the U.S. is currently lagging behind other countries in terms of international tourism, and that shortfall translates to a loss of $78 billion in visitor spending and 130,000 American jobs.