Top 10 States by Economic Impact of Spectator Sports Tourism in 2024 Announced
TULSA, OKLAHOMA (April 16, 2025, 1 PM CT) – Sports ETA, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, released its latest State of the Industry: Spectator Sports Tourism report, spotlighting the impact of spectator sports tourism across America. The 2024 study revealed that spectator sports tourism generated $47.1 billion in direct spending, powering a total economic impact of $114.4 billion and supporting 664,860 full-time and part-time jobs across the country. It also contributed $8.5 billion in state and local tax revenues. The new data shows that 109.7 million non-local attendees traveled 50 miles or more to attend sporting events in 2024, with 63.5 million staying overnight.
The study was conducted by Tourism Economics, with support from Northstar Meetings Group, the presenting sponsor of the association’s annual “State of the Industry&rdqu...
Sports tourism represents a lucrative and rapidly growing sector, offering unparalleled opportunities for destinations to
attract visitors, stimulate local economies, and showcase their
unique identities.
In the competitive world of sports tourism, strategic merchandising and digital solutions play a crucial role in enhancing destination branding, engaging visitors, and driving economic impact.
Key Takeaways:
Merchandising Strengthens Destination Branding: Over 53% of organizations recognize destination branding as a key outcome of sports tourism, with branded merchandise serving as a powerful tool for increasing visibility and recognition.
Branded Merchandise Drives Fan Engagement & Loyalty: High-quality, well-designed promotional products create lasting connections with visitors, reinforcing brand affinity beyond the event experience.
E-Commerce Expands Reach & Revenue: Leveraging digital platforms for sports merchandising enhances accessibility, boosts sale...
Unlock the Power of Hotel & Destination Partnerships to Drive More Revenue & Keep Happy Customers Coming Back
Are you making the most of your partnerships with destinations and hotels? This report shares insider tips for youth sports event rights holders and organizers. Discover how to deepen these partnerships and grow your events.
Key Takeaways in This Report
Increase Revenue: How to work with destinations and create new revenue streams that can be game-changing for your events.
Reduce Costs: 11 ways to score better rates and room blocks by collaborating with hotel brands.
Improve Economic Impact: Simplest tools for using event housing data to show impact and drive more registrations.
Boost Attendee Satisfaction: The #1 way to deliver the authentic, local experiences customers crave. Score bigger wins – even with a small staff.
Grow Your Events: Inspiring success stories about event teams that overcame challenges like budget constraints and reduced s...
We’re excited to unveil a brand-new White Paper that explores one of the most critical relationships in sports tourism—the partnership between Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) and Parks & Recreation Departments. With 81% of all sports tourism events hosted at Parks & Recreation facilities, fostering strong collaboration isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential for success.
To complement this valuable resource, we’ve also developed a customizable PowerPoint template (membership required) to help you effectively communicate the power of sports tourism to your Parks & Recreation stakeholders.
Key Takeaways from the White Paper:
Importance of Collaboration: Parks and Recreation Departments manage the majority of sports tourism facilities, making them essential partners for DMOs.
Challenges to Overcome: Differing missions and priorities can create roadblocks in collaboration.
Strategies for Success:
Strengthening co...
Sports tourism is making a major impact, generating $39.7 billion in direct spending, supporting over 635,000 jobs, and contributing $12.9 billion in tax revenue in 2021 alone, according to Sports ETA’s State of the Industry Report. As this sector continues to thrive, the focus is shifting toward sustainable growth—balancing environmental, social, and economic responsibility.
For destination marketers and event organizers, adopting sustainable practices isn’t just ethical—it’s a strategic move that enhances destination appeal, boosts community benefits, and drives long-term economic success. This white paper dives into actionable ways to integrate sustainability into sports tourism, creating memorable events while securing lasting value for communities.
Key Takeaways from the White Paper:
Triple Bottom Line: Sustainability means balancing environmental, social, and economic goals for impactful sports events.
Going Green: Focus on wast...
The sports events tourism industry is expanding rapidly, with destinations competing to host events of all sizes. While traditional metrics like visitor spending and hotel occupancy remain essential, earned media offers a powerful, untapped opportunity to measure the broader impact of sports events.
Key Takeaways:
Earned Media Value (EMV): Represents unpaid, organic publicity from media coverage, influencer mentions, and social sharing—capturing the intangible impact of media impressions.
Sports ETA Earned Media Calculator: Provides a groundbreaking tool to quantify EMV, enabling destinations and Rights Holders to measure and report media awareness and overall impact effectively.
Broader Event Value: EMV highlights the significance of events beyond overnight stays, showcasing audience reach, brand visibility, and media exposure.
Enhanced RFPs: Including EMV in event proposals helps Rights Holders present a comprehensive and compelling case for their event’s e...
The newest edition of the Sports ETA Playbook is out now! Take a break and check it out.
Download your copy here, and remember to share it with a colleague.
Are you maximizing your brand’s revenue potential? Our latest merchandise white paper helps you learn how to create a customized brand solution through merchandise sales.
Key Takeaways:
Increased Revenue: Merchandise sales provide an additional revenue stream that can significantly boost your event’s financial performance.
Enhanced Fan Engagement: Offering event-specific merchandise creates a deeper connection between fans and the event, enhancing their overall experience.
Brand Visibility: Branded merchandise acts as a walking advertisement, increasing visibility and awareness of your event.
Memorabilia: Merchandise serves as a tangible memento, allowing attendees to relive their experience long after the event has ended.
Data Collection: Merchandise sales can provide valuable data on consumer preferences and behaviors, informing future marketing strategies.
View the White Paper Here
Thank...
Navigate the complexities of insurance and it’s requirements in the youth and amateur sports industry while addressing the financial risks associated for all stakeholders.
This white paper explores the essential insurance types required to protect the youth sports industry from financial risks. It covers the needs of event organizers, venues, sports clubs, and families, highlighting key solutions like general liability, accident medical insurance, sports fee insurance, and event cancellation insurance.
Key Takeaways:
Comprehensive Insurance Solutions: Safeguards the financial investments of all stakeholders.
Event Cancellation Insurance: Protects revenue for event organizers with customizable solutions.
Stay-to-Play Revenue Protection: Exclusive USSCI solution that automatically secures refunds and stabilizes revenue at no cost to event organizers.
Broker Benefits: Brokers help navigate complex insurance needs, ensuring tailored, cost-effective coverage.
...
Are you reaping all the benefits of the booming sports travel market?
Our latest white paper shares game-changing moves from sports housing pros. In this comprehensive guide, you will discover how to:
Massively increase staff efficiency while delivering successful events.
Use one simple strategy to improve hotel negotiations – even in a seller’s market.
Leverage housing data to show economic impact and grow your events.
Master the 5 essentials of winning customer service. (Can you name them all?)
Create joyful, unforgettable experiences that keep players and families coming back.
Read the White Paper Here!
Thanks to our Sponsor of this White Paper Series - Playbook365