Keep these numbers handy for your next presentation, pitch or stakeholder conversation.
We've all been there. You're building a board presentation, preparing for a conversation with an elected official or making the case for a new opportunity—and you know there's a number that would help make your point. That's where the 2026 State of the Industry Report comes in.
The report is packed with data about the size, reach and impact of sports tourism. But you don't need to memorize every number. You just need to know which ones to keep handy—and when to use them.
Consider this your sports tourism data cheat sheet.
Here are eight numbers worth keeping in your back pocket and a few ideas for when they might come in handy.
1. $274.5 BILLION IN TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT
When someone asks: “How big is sports tourism, really?”
Sports tourism generated $274.5 billion in total economic impact, demonstrating the scale of an indus...
Key Difference Makers: What Sets Each Destination Apart
Each month, we end our Facility Showcase article with the destination's "key difference maker" and how it highlights the importance of a sports facility in the article. Be it a phrase, motto or just a core value; every facility has something to offer, but the destinations that really stand out are the ones that know exactly what makes them different. It might be a service mindset, a great downtown location, a strong partnership, or a sports legacy that visitors can feel as soon as they arrive.
That is what makes these key difference makers so important. They are not just facility highlights. They help explain why event owners, athletes, families, and visitors should pay attention to each destination and what makes each market a strong fit for sports events. The 2026 Sports ETA State of the Industry Report puts that opportunity in perspective, with 339 million sports tourism travelers, 124.3 million room n...
with Bonny Bernat, STS, Senior Sports Development Manager for Visit Winston-Salem, and Ernie Pages, Kernersville Parks and Recreation Director.
The NCAA’s new Host Bid Portal opens October 1, 2026, and September is your opportunity to prepare.
Sports ETA is excited to share a full calendar of nine (9) NCAA-led training sessions designed to help destinations learn the new portal, understand its functionality and prepare for the upcoming NCAA championship bid process.
If NCAA championships are part of your destination’s event strategy, these are sessions you’ll want on your calendar!
Here’s what you need to know:
The training is divided into three sections, with three date options offered for each. Destinations are encouraged to attend one session from each section, three sessions total to experience the full training progression before the portal opens October 1.
SEPTEMBER NCAA HOST BID PORTAL TRAINING
SECTION 1: New Bid Portal Orientation | 60 minutes
Get introduced to the new portal, key timelines, the October 1 opening and available support resources.
Wednesday, September...
As an Official Partner of the 2026 SportAccord Forum, Sports ETA will connect leading U.S. destinations with international sport leaders and lay groundwork for broader collaboration
CINCINNATI, Ohio and LAUSANNE, Switzerland (August 3, 2026) – The Sports Events & Tourism Association, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry in United States with more than 800 member organizations, and SportAccord, a global sport event organization based in the Olympic Capital of Lausanne, Switzerland, with stakeholders representing over 120 International Federations, today announced a new strategic partnership centered on Sports ETA’s role as an Official Partner of the 2026 SportAccord Forum.
The partnership will provide opportunities for Sports ETA member destinations to engage directly with international sport federations, rights holders, and event organizers through the Forum program, targeted networking and knowledge exchange. Taking place October 5 -7 ...
with Sarah Dyer, COO of EventConnect.
Five trends every sports tourism leader should be watching.
The Sports ETA State of the Industry Report gives our industry something invaluable: perspective.
The numbers tell an important story—measuring economic impact, participation trends, visitor spending, and the overall strength of the sports tourism economy. But perhaps even more valuable than the statistics themselves is what they reveal about where our industry is headed.
While every destination, rights holder, and event organizer will interpret the data through a different lens, several clear themes emerge—trends that have the potential to shape investment decisions, event recruitment strategies, partnerships, and long-term planning.
The State of the Industry Report isn't a roadmap—it’s a compass. It won't predict every turn ahead, but it can help point your organization in the right direction as the industry continues to evolve.
Here are five takeaways every sports tourism leade...
with Hank Pivarnik, Global Account Director for Sports at Sonesta International Hotels.
with Jen Marhenke, Director of Sustainability at Rico Solutions.
with Jason Sands, Vice President of Business Development at KemperSports Venues.