Every year, Sports ETA hosts its annual meeting of membership, more commonly known as Sports ETA Symposium. This gathering of the best and newest contributors to our sports event and tourism industry is an opportunity to showcase many facets that drive sports in North America and beyond. Las Vegas, Nevada was our convergence point in 2026 with spectacular results.
In our January 2026 edition of the Sports ETA Facility Showcase, we showcased one of the two facilities that were showcased and toured in this year’s 2026 sports ETA Facility Summit in Las Vegas. Over eighty professionals from fifty-seven organizations attended this year’s Facility Summit and its day of learning. From start to finish, we program some of the best professionals to participate in interactive learning presentations throughout the day. No Facility Summit would be complete without stepp...
with Jon Tibbs, Chairman of JTA.
More Than 1,200 Industry Leaders Gather as $274.5B Sports Tourism Economy Takes Center Stage
LAS VEGAS (April 24, 2026) – The Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA), the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, hosted its 2026 Symposium April 20–23 at Caesars Forum, bringing together more than 1,200 industry leaders for the premier gathering of the sports tourism sector. The event featured dozens of continuing education sessions and high-impact networking opportunities.
“We are grateful to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Caesars Entertainment for hosting and delivering a world-class experience that matched the energy and ambition of this industry,” said John David, President & CEO of Sports ETA. “This year’s Symposium signals a defining moment for the sports events and tourism industry. With stronger data, greater collaboration, and increased global interest, our industry is better posi...
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...
Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced the renewal and expansion of its long-standing housing and technology partnership with EventConnect, reaffirming a shared commitment to innovation, scale and best-in-class experiences for athletes, families and event operators across North America.
The renewed multi-year agreement extends a successful partnership that has helped Perfect Game deliver a more connected, streamlined and reliable travel experience across hundreds of events annually, setting a benchmark for how technology, service and customer outcomes intersect in youth and amateur sports.
EventConnect will continue as Perfect Game’s Official Housing Technology Bureau, supporting the organization’s nationwide calendar of elite baseball and softball events with industry-leading housing, logistics and data-driven tools designed to reduce friction for families while driving operational efficiency...
with Latasha Causey, President of Phoenix Raceway
with Triston Monte, Sports Development Manager at Visit Baton Rouge.
with Emily Jaenson, 2026 Women's Summit keynote speaker and best-selling author.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA (April 3, 2026) -- The 2026 Sports ETA Women’s Summit was hosted here during the NCAA Women’s Final Four tournament. Hosted by Experience Scottsdale, the annual Women’s Summit invited female sports events and tourism leaders representing CVBs, sports commissions, rights holders, and industry partners from April 1-3 to share trends and learn best practices on various topics including business and event management. This year’s event was attended by nearly 150 women making it the largest in the event’s history.
Attendees enjoyed the NCAA Women’s Final Four fan fest and tickets to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four featuring University of Texas, University of South Carolina, UCLA and UConn.
“Our Women’s Summit is where our female members gather to discuss important trends and topics with the NCAA Women’s Final Four as a backdrop to meet and network with national thought leaders,” said John David...
SCOTTSDALE, AZ (April 2, 2026) -- Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA), the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, today announced that Rachel Rogers, Vice President of Sports Sales & Engagement for Cobb Travel & Tourism and the Cobb Sports Alliance, has been named the 2026 Sports ETA Woman of the Year. Rogers was honored today during the Sports ETA Women’s Summit, held in conjunction with the NCAA Women's Final Four.
The Sports ETA Woman of the Year Award recognizes a female leader who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and measurable impact in advancing the sports events and tourism industry.
In her role, Rogers leads strategic initiatives for sports event recruitment, marketing, and partnership development, while overseeing the Cobb Sports Alliance. Since joining Cobb Travel & Tourism in 2013, she has played a central role in driving visitation and economic impact through sports, elevating the desti...