By
In 2024, PA Sports marked the 20th anniversary of 13 sports tourism organizations collaborating to attract events to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Over two decades, the joint effort generated $480 million in estimated economic impact from approximately 460 events, ranging from youth tournaments to the NFL Draft and WrestleMania.
Pennsylvania’s strength lies in its diverse geography and communities. Among the group are cities with historic significance, including the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence, key Revolutionary War sites, the home of one of America’s most popular theme parks, and the city where the Terrible Towels wave proudly and where Mario Lemieux hoisted the Stanley Cup twice.
Sports are embedded in the culture of the Keystone State. It has produced famed quarterbacks such as Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly, and Matt Ryan.
The passion extends to sports tourism, an industry driven by communities welcoming out-of-town athletes and their families. Recent history has shown that regardless of economic challenges at home, parents won’t sacrifice their children’s activities.
As a result, while other aspects of the travel industry may suffer, youth sports has remained almost impervious to downturns, said Jason Gewirtz , Vice President of Northstar Meetings Group’s Sports Division and Executive Editor and Publisher of SportsTravel, one of the organization’s publications.
“Sports has saved the day in a lot of communities when it comes to travel and tourism,” said Gewirtz. “Certainly during the pandemic, we saw the power that sports had to drive visitation when other pieces of the travel market were struggling or were non-existent. I think that opened the eyes of a lot of destinations and a lot of city governments that were paying attention, maybe in some cases for the first time, to how impactful sports-related travel can be for their community.”
Added Gewirtz: “There is a notion that sports is recession-proof. To a large extent, there’s some truth to that.”
SportsETA, the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, annually tracks sports tourism’s impact across the country. Northstar assists in the research for the State of the Industry report, which is released each Spring
The most recent SportsETA report, compiling data from 2023, found Pennsylvania ranked fourth in the country in sports-driven economic impact. California, Texas, and Florida were the only states with higher rankings.
As the research shows, bigger does in fact seem to be better in sports tourism. The top-performing states are among the country’s largest, providing more opportunities for travel tournaments and competitions. They share little else in common, as the approach to sports tourism varies due to levels of government-funded support.
To that point, PA Sports only recently began receiving statewide dollars despite two decades of boosting the economy through its cooperative effort. Meanwhile, Texas and Florida are empowered by governmental financial support which allows destinations to offer sports organizers incentives, such as financial grants, to bring their events to the state. The Sunshine State’s destinations also benefit from the Florida Sports Foundation advocating on their behalf.
On the other hand, California is more of a free-for-all. Still, its pristine weather and Tier One cities attract events year-round, to say nothing of the Super Bowls and Olympics that make Los Angeles part of their regular rotation.
Here, we examine four communities in these states that have capitalized on sports tourism to boost their local economies.
Gewirtz notes that one key differentiator in sports tourism and marketing is the size of staff, which can range from full teams to organizations with just one dedicated sports sales person. Pennsylvania is a prime example of this range.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh not only regularly produce sports champions, like this year’s Eagles, but they are also capable of hosting large-scale professional, collegiate, and amateur championships. Hershey, in conjunction with the state capital, Harrisburg, combines its sports offerings with the unique appeal of hosting in the renowned Hershey Park.
Erie may never host a Super Bowl, concedes Mark Jeanneret, executive director of the Erie Sports Commission, but it punches well above its weight. In 2024, the commission—consisting of three staff members—set a new organizational record by hosting 83 events that generated over $22 million in economic impact.
Jeanneret and his team take a tactical approach that benefits the community. Presque Isle State Park draws between 3 and 4 million visitors each summer, filling the area’s hotels and restaurants. As a result, the Erie Sports Commission focuses on supporting local businesses during the shoulder seasons between Labor Day and Memorial Day.
The cooler the temperatures, the hotter the destination. The Flagship Ice Open draws 100 anglers for its annual ice fishing event. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend is arguably the busiest sports weekend of the year, with both youth hockey and gymnastics competitions in town. A girls’ hockey tournament fields 100 teams annually in February, while a pool championship attracts 1,500 players to the convention center.
“We’re blessed with a lot of top notch venues,” said Jeanneret, who is also chair of PA Sports. “We have four universities in the county and we utilize their facilities as much as possible.”
Image Source: Erie Sports Commission
How important is sports in Texas? Josh Dill, now assistant executive director at Visit Frisco, transitioned from his previous role as director of sports and events, where his data-driven approach helped inform the community about the value of incoming events.
“We don’t have to fight the battle of relevancy that a lot of other DMOs fight,” said Dill. “Our city gets it.”
It helps when the numbers are on your side. Sports had a $29.8 million impact on the local economy in 2024, building on the success of hosting 1,500 events from 2017-2023. As the home of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, Frisco should score big during the incoming 2026 World Cup, in which Dallas will host nine matches, including a semifinal.
A booming suburb of Dallas, Frisco is at the forefront of a movement toward creating “pockets”—as Dill calls them—within cities. The Star in Frisco, the 91-acre Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters, is one such example. Another is the PGA Headquarters, which opened in 2022. include sports facilities and feature on-site restaurants and shopping, ensuring that participants’ families and friends can enjoy the experience as much as the athletes.
Indeed, Visit Frisco concentrates on quality as much as quantity—namely room nights and economic impact.
“We’re now looking for the best business, not just the most business,” Dill said.
Dill said Frisco has that luxury, as its 28 hotels regularly run 80 percent occupancy rates due to corporate and sporting events. That fuels the more than 9 million square feet of retail and over 400 restaurants in the region.
”We’re taking sports tourism to the next level. It’s about getting involved in economic development conversations and redevelopment conversations.”
To that end, Dill has created a scorecard with 13 KPIs to measure events. Among the categories is capturing television and live-streaming events that promote Frisco to a wider audience.
The efforts are getting noticed. Frisco, which calls itself “Sports City USA,” was named Best Sports Business City in 2023 and designated “One to Watch” in 2024 by the Sports Business Journal.
Image Source: Visit Frisco
In a state where Miami, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and Jacksonville serve as professional and collegiate sports hubs, Palm Beach County has carved out a distinct and successful niche. It was listed among Sports Business Journal’s top five “Cities Without a Big Five Team.”
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission recorded its third straight record-setting year of sports tourism in 2024 by hosting 213 events, which generated 338,317 room nights. In total, the commission estimates 1,415,982 sports-related attendees visited the Palm Beaches last year. Notably, one out of every four sports-related room nights originated from new business, according to commission statistics. Overall, the events combined account for more than $83 million in hotel and lodging revenue and nearly $5 million in bed tax.
Palm Beach County capitalizes on its distinction as home to spring training for the Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Washington Nationals to draw year-round business. Cacti Park and Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium attracted 33 regional and national baseball tournaments and showcases in the past year.
Other notable events include:
Beyond economics, sports play an important role in positioning the destination. For instance, the fifth Miracle League All-Star Weekend in 2023 brought together 125 Miracle League players, demonstrating Palm Beach County’s accessibility.
“That added value beyond economics is an example of a shift in the industry’s thinking,” said Gewirtz.
“Room nights will always be important. This is an industry centered on economic impact, after all,” he said. “But a lot of the discussion right now also focuses on metrics beyond the traditional ones, looking at quality of life. It’s about opportunities for families to gather and for kids to stay active.”
Image Source: Palm Beach Sports Commission
There are few destinations with a more temperate climate than San Diego. Nathan Kopp, vice president of strategic initiatives at Sports San Diego, helps ensure the city’s economic outlook remains sunny.
In 2024, San Diego demonstrated its versatility by hosting a variety of major events, including rugby, equestrian competitions, a premier soccer tournament, and a series of pickleball championships. Kopp reports that new events contributed $179,399,792 million in economic impact and generated 131,713 hotel room nights in 2024.
“San Diego is an example of a community that’s kept up with the times and adjusted the way the market is—not just domestically, but internationally as well,” said Gewirtz. “It’s more than just the spectacular weather.”
Among the amenities San Diego offers are 550 lodging options and more than 53,000 hotel rooms. Annual event highlights include the Rady Children’s Invitational (college basketball) and the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl. Big winners in 2024 included:
Image Source: David Frerker via Sports San Diego
Magazine
Playmaker Events
Connect with playmaker
