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,...
Every year, sports tourism professionals are asked to answer some version of the same question:
"What's the value of what we do?"
Whether you're presenting to elected officials, advocating for facility investments, recruiting events, or building your annual strategic plan, data has become one of the most important tools in a destination's toolbox.
That's where Sports ETA's 2026 State of the Industry Report comes in.
Thanks to the support of Northstar Meetings Group, Sports ETA is able to provide one of the industry's most comprehensive research resources. The report offers a detailed look at the sports tourism economy, including participation trends, economic impact data, destination benchmarks, and insights from destinations, rights holders, venues, and industry partners across the country. While the headlines are impressive, the real value isn't simply reading the report—it's putting the information to work.
Here are six ...
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...
Endurance sports events – like triathlons, marathons, and cycling races – are powerful drivers of tourism, community wellness, and destination branding. When aligned with local priorities, they generate significant economic returns, strengthen civic pride, and leave lasting legacies.
This white paper outlines a framework to help communities and organizers unlock their full potential.
Key Takeaways:
Endurance events are complex, two-way education, shared language and strategic planning between event producers, host destinations and facilities is vital for event success.
Alignment of short- and long-term goals should be part of agreement negotiations. (profit vs. public good, short-term tourism vs. long-term community value)
Key Elements (ex. event planning, data collection, community communication) must stay deliberate and collaborative annually. Information silos, gaps in data and a lack of fresh and ongoing storytelling weaken the case for continu...
Not sure how to tackle the STS Certificate Program? We've created a sample timeline to help you stay on track - from enrollment to final course completion.
Whether you're pacing yourself over several months or diving in headfirst, this roadmap gives you a clear view of what to expect and how to plan your progress.
Start smart. Stay focused. Earn your STS with confidence.
Download Sample STS Timeline and Course Path.
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).
New collaboration will connect members to the $4.5 trillion health and wellness industry
CINCINNATI (June 5, 2024) – Sports ETA, the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, announced today an exclusive partnership with WISe Wellness Guild, a consultancy and network of wellness brands, experts and resources, to provide a new suite of educational offerings for the membership of Sports ETA. The new initiative will be called Sports ETA Health & Wellness.
“At Sports ETA, one of our primary objectives is to discover and share industry innovations, and this year, we have uncovered numerous members creating incredible Health and Wellness initiatives in their communities,” said John David, President & CEO of Sports ETA. “Together with WISe Wellness Guild, we will unveil a suite of educational offerings showcasing opportunities to diversify how you support your community and leverage the thriving $4.5 trillion Health and Wellness i...
Looking to earn credits toward your STS designation? Maybe you need credits to maintain your STS. Or maybe you have never taken an STS course before and are ready to start. Either way, we have a live STS course offering taking place during TEAMS ’23.
The course will start at 8:30 AM ET on October 3 and will be led by Michael Prince, the president and CEO of USPA Global Licensing.
Prince will dive into the topic of branding and global licensing from the perspective of the U.S. Polo Association, which has mastered the practice.
Sports ETA members can register online HERE or by clicking the image below.
Non-Sports ETA members should email info@sportseta.org for more info and to get registered.