Advocacy

At the 2026 Chief Executive Summit, Sports ETA welcomed its first student participant through our new Student Enrichment Program, presented by Tanger—an initiative designed to connect emerging professionals with industry leaders through meaningful, hands-on experiences. While the program was created to give students a closer look at careers in sports events and tourism, the experience became something even more impactful. Keva Johnson arrived expecting to observe. Instead, she found herself welcomed into conversations, encouraged to participate in executive roundtable discussions, and treated as a valued member of the community. "The Chief Executive Summit exceeded every expectation I had. What stood out the most was how welcoming and inclusive everyone was. They encouraged me to jump into roundtable discussions and share my thoughts, which made me feel more like a peer than a student." Throughout the day, Keva met professionals from across the industry,...

Sports ETA and Special Olympics Announce Strategic Partnership to Expand Inclusive Sports Tourism   LAS VEGAS (May 4, 2026) – Sports ETA, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, and Special Olympics, Inc. today announced a new multi-year strategic partnership designed to expand opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities through the power of sports tourism. The collaboration brings together Sports ETA’s national network of more than 850 member organizations with Special Olympics, the world’s largest sports organization for individuals with intellectual disabilities, serving millions of athletes globally. Through this partnership, Sports ETA will provide Special Olympics with research, education, and connections to destinations and event hosts across the country. The agreement also includes expanded media visibility, storytelling opportunities, and integration into key industry platforms such as the Sports ETA Sy...

Media Resources The full 2026 State of the Industry Report and Executive Summary are available at https://bit.ly/SportsETASOTI26. The full report is complimentary to Sports ETA members and available to media upon request. For interviews or additional information, please contact Jackie Reau. Contact: Jackie Reau, Game Day (513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com Sports ETA Unveils 2026 State of the Industry Report, Defining a $274.5 Billion Sports Tourism Economy Top States and National Impact Highlighted as Industry Enters Global Growth Era   LAS VEGAS (April 22, 2026) – Sports ETA, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, today released its 2026 State of the Industry Report, marking a defining moment for the sector with the first-ever unified analysis of both participatory and spectator sports tourism. The report reveals that sports tourism has evolved into a $274.5 billion total economic impact industry, generating $111.2 billion...

 For the first time ever, a delegation of America's premier host cities will visit Lausanne to strengthen global sports tourism partnerships  LAUSANNE, Switzerland  – The U.S.-based Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA), will lead a historic visit of 16 major U.S. host destinations to meet with global sports federation leaders and event organizers in Lausanne, Switzerland from December 3-5, 2025.  This notable visit marks a significant milestone in the international engagement strategy of Sports ETA—the leading and only trade association representing the U.S. sports tourism industry—ahead of a series of global sports events coming to the United States, including the FIFA World Cup 26 and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The delegation will connect with international sports federations and organizations headquartered in Lausanne, widely recognized as the Olympic Capital of the world.  Sports ETA President &...

We're thrilled to share some exciting news as we quickly approach our 32nd anniversary, just one month from today! To celebrate this milestone and close out Fiscal Year 2024, we’re shaking things up. Rather than the usual PDF, we've crafted a dynamic and engaging video report that brings our achievements to life and offers a glimpse into the future of your association. We couldn't be more excited to share it with you, our incredible members!   In this video, you’ll discover: Highlights of our FY24 performance and the milestones we achieved together. Stories of impact from across our membership. A sneak peek into what’s coming in FY25, with exciting new initiatives and opportunities!   We believe this innovative approach not only celebrates the successes of the past year but also provides an inspiring look ahead. We are proud of what we have accomplished together, and we’re even m...

This week, we're talking all about wellness and how the practice and implementation of wellness programs can help you and your city thrive!

Albuquerque Sports Commission/USA Cycling: Event Partnership of the Year Award (population 500,000 and above).

Gamechangers Consulting

Sports ETA has partnered with Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company, to create the 2023 Sports ETA State of the Industry Report. This report will build upon the 2021 State of the Industry Report, incorporating essential data from 2022 and 2023. Sponsored by Northstar Meetings Group, this groundbreaking study aims to offer strategic insights into market size, economic impact, competitive dynamics, and industry trends. Your participation in this survey is crucial and greatly appreciated. Who should complete this survey? Destination organizations (Sports Commissions, CVB/DMO, Chamber of Commerce), Event Rights Holder organizations (National Governing Body, Sports Organization, Pro Sports Team, Tournament/Event Organization), and Sports Venue/Facility/Parks & Recreation organizations (Arena, Ballpark, Stadium, Multi-Purpose Campus, Outdoor Recreation Space). Completing this survey will take approximately 10 minutes. Please ensure you have your budget (last year&rsqu...

Contact: Jackie Reau, Game Day (513) 708-5822 | jreau@gamedaypr.com Sports ETA, SearchWide Global, and Northstar Meetings Group Present New Executive Compensation Report for the Sports Events and Tourism Industry CINCINNATI (March 15, 2023) – Sports ETA and SearchWide Global released the “2023 Sports Destination Leaders Salary, Compensation and Benefits Report” led by researchers from Stoll Strategies, sponsored by the Northstar Meetings Group. The benchmark study provides an overall look at the employment landscape for the $39.7 billion sports events and tourism industry among sports destinations while offering a resource to organizations with actionable information. The last industry Salary, Compensation and Benefits Report was conducted in 2013 by Enigma Research Corporation. The research for the 2023 report was led by Dr. Jennifer Stoll, and Dr. Blake Price, from Stoll Strategies. Data from more than 200 sports destination leaders, with a majority ...