2025 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism Announced by Sports Destination Management

Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, has announced the 2025 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. This year’s winners are responsible for contributing more than $1.4 billion  to the national economy over the past year, and for consuming more than 800,000 hotel room nights.
 

“The nominations we saw were incredible,” said Publisher Scott Swoger. “What really struck us was the variety of events. We had everything from nationally televised collegiate championships to a high school JROTC drill team tournament – and everything in between. It is absolutely clear that there is a demand for quality sports events at every level, and that event owners and destinations are answering that call.”
 

This issue of the magazine honors events that had a significant economic impact upon the communities where they were hosted; these numbers are a reflection of spectator fees, hotel room usage, restaurant business and shopping in local stores. Awards were presented according to market size, as well as in a separate category, Innovations in Sports Tourism.
 

Full event details can be found in a special feature published in the November/December 2025 issue of Sports Destination Management. The entire article, with full details on the winners listed below, can also be found online. 
 

Read Now: Article on 2025 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism 

Hall of Fame Champion

52nd AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships
Visit Orlando
Location: Orlando, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $825.5 million
Total Room Nights: 399,262 


Large Market Champions

59th AAU Junior Olympic Games
Harris County – Houston Sports Authority (HCHSA)
Location: Houston, Texas
Total Economic Impact: $90 million
Total Room Nights: 30,000-plus

Flying Pig Marathon
Visit Cincy, Hamilton County, Ohio
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio 
Total Economic Impact: $22 million
Total Room Nights: 21,300 

The Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Travel Costa Mesa, Visit Newport Beach
Locations: Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, California
Total Economic Impact: $16 million-plus
Total Room Nights: 1,000 

USA Fencing 2025 Summer Nationals & July Challenge
Sports Milwaukee
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Total Economic Impact: $10.77 million
Total Room Nights: 9,546 

The Lasorda Legacy Series and Baseball Lifestyle 101 World Series
Discover Long Island
Location: Yaphank, New York
Total Economic Impact: $5 million
Total Room Nights: 4,538

Under Armour Association Boys Basketball Finals & The OneSix
Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau
Location: Bedford Park, Illinois
Total Economic Impact: $4.6 million
Total Room Nights: 1,023 

 
Mid-Market Champions

2025 United States Bowling Congress Open Championships
Visit Baton Rouge
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Total Economic Impact: $152 million
Total Room Nights: 56,183 

2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana
Catch Des Moines 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Total Economic Impact: $40.25 million
Total Room Nights: 11,232 

Triple Crown Sports Arizona Spring Championships
Team Arizona Sports: Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale and Phoenix.
Locations: Multiple destinations Within Arizona
Total Economic Impact: $38 million
Total Room Nights: 21,000-plus

Top Gun Invitational
Visit Overland Park, Visit Shawnee Kansas, Olathe Convention and Visitors Bureau, Visit Kansas City Kansas
Location: Kansas City Metro Area (Kansas and Missouri)
Total Economic Impact: $12 million
Total Room Nights: 9.721 

Youth Flag Football World Championships
Experience Kissimmee/Kissimmee Sports Commission
Location: Kissimmee, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $11.95 million
Total Room Nights: 22,955 

2025 Venice Equestrian Tour at Fox Lea Farm
Visit Sarasota County, Visit Florida
Location: Venice, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $10.5 million
Total Room Nights: 8,827 

Easter International Cup
Experience Kissimmee/Kissimmee Sports Commission
Location: Kissimmee, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $8.83 million
Total Room Nights: 15,287

2025 TAAF Games of Texas
Visit College Station City of College Station Parks & Rec Destination Bryan City of Bryan Parks & Rec, Destination Bryan
Location: Bryan-College Station, Texas
Total Economic Impact: $6.5 million
Total Room Nights:13,865

2025 US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships
Visit Loudoun/Loudoun Sports Tourism
Location: Loudoun County, Virginia
Total Economic Impact: $6.5 million
Total Room Nights: 6,243

NXTPRO Puma Pro16 National Finals
Destination Bryan 
Location: Bryan, Texas
Total Economic Impact: $5 million
Total Room Nights: 7,263 

2025 Keystone State Wrestling Championships
Happy Valley Sports & Entertainment Alliance
Location: State College, Pennsylvania
Total Economic Impact: $4.81 million
Total Room Nights: 5,572 

2025 TSSAA Girls' and Boys' High School State Basketball Tournament
Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Total Economic Impact: $4.7 million
Total Room Nights: 4,850 

2024 Defense Soap Super 32 Challenge
Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
Total Economic Impact: $4 million
Total Room Nights: 4,700 

Governors Challenge
Wicomico County Recreation, Parks & Tourism
Location: Salisbury, Maryland
Total Economic Impact: $3.59 million
Total Room Nights: 3,220

NXTPRO PUMA Shoe Circuit Easter Showcase
Valley Forge Sports
Location: Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Total Economic Impact: $3.5 million
Total Room Nights: 3,308


Small Market Champions

Rocker B Ranch 2025 Season
Unrivaled Sports
Graford, Texas
Location: Graford, Texas
Total Economic Impact: $23.54 million
Total Room Nights: 31,816

USFA Panama City Beach World Series
Visit Panama City Beach
Location: Panama City Beach, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $23.5 million
Total Room Nights: 26,854

Grand Slam World Series of Baseball
Visit Panama City Beach
Location: Panama City Beach, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $21.85 million
Total Room Nights: 24,590

 

Visit Panama City Beach IRONMAN Florida
Visit Panama City Beach
Location: Panama City Beach, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $11.7 million
Total Room Nights: 15,242

Big South Conference Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships
Visit Johnson City 
Location: Johnson City, Tennessee
Total Economic Impact: $5.83 million
Total Room Nights: 11,965

Mississippi Bombers Summer Southeast Invite
Visit Oxford
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
Total Economic Impact: $5.75 million
Total Room Nights: 2,101 

SNAP Soccer Panama City Beach Classic
Visit Panama City Beach
Location: Panama City Beach, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $3.6 million
Total Room Nights: 4,180 

Peak Challenge & Rocky Top Bash 
Rocky Top Sports World; City of Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Sevier County, Tennessee
Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Total Economic Impact: $3.56 million
Total Room Nights: 5,474 

2025 Florida Babe Ruth Softball State Tournament
Columbia County Sports Commission
Location: Lake City, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $3.25 million
Total Room Nights: 750-plus

Waupaca Boatride Volleyball Tournament
Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau 
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Total Economic Impact: $3 million
Total Room Nights: 400-plus

2025 NBPA Top 100 Camp
City of Rock Hill Parks, Recreation & Tourism
Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina
Total Economic Impact: $2.3 million
Total Room Nights: 5,205 room nights

PGF 13U Super Select
City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department
Location: Columbia, Tennessee
Total Economic Impact: $2.2 million
Total Room Nights: 900

Nuway Combat Rumble
Cedar Point Sports Center
Location: Sandusky, Ohio
Total Economic Impact: $2.23 million
Total Room Nights: 214 

"Little Mo" International
City of Palm Beach Gardens Tennis and Pickleball Center
Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $1.69 million
Total Room Nights: 2,424 

Rocket City Classic presented by Akima
Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Total Economic Impact: $1.28 million
Total Room Nights: 205 
 

Innovations in Sports Tourism

2025 Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo
Placer Valley Tourism & City of Roseville Electric Utility
Location: Roseville, California
Total Economic Impact: $5.7 million
Total Room Nights: 1,260 

2025 Lake Erie National Cheer and Dance Championships
Erie Sports Commission
Location: Erie, Pennsylvania
Total Economic Impact: $2.9 million
Total Room Nights: 2,806 

New England Golden Gloves
Revolutionary Valley RTC
Location: Lowell, Massachusetts
Total Economic Impact: $2.4 million
Total Room Nights: 3,330 

The Hartford Nationals Conducted by Move United
West Michigan Sports Commission
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Total Economic Impact: $2 million
Total Room Nights: 2,111 

Jaron 'Boots' Ennis vs. Eimantes Stanionis
Visit Atlantic City
Location: Atlantic City, New Jersey
Total Economic Impact: $1.59 million
Total Room Nights: 652

2025 Hoyt/Easton Pro/Am
Foley Sports Tourism 
Location: Foley, Alabama
Total Economic Impact: $1.7 million
Total Room Nights: 2,300-plus

2025 ITF Masters World Championships
Palm Beach County Sports Commission
Location: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Total Economic Impact: $1.6 million
Total Room Nights: 2,056 

NCAA National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship
Alabama's Beaches Sports & Events
Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Total Economic Impact: $1.21 million
Total Room Nights: 1,833

Southern Pickleball Championships presented by Publix
Visit Macon
Location: Macon, Georgia
Total Economic Impact: $809,640
Total Room Nights: 1,332

2025 USA Judo Junior Olympic Championships
Visit Chicago Southland
Location: Bedford Park, Illinois
Total Economic Impact: $300,000
Total Room Nights: 634

Triple Fish Challenge
Electric City, Washington
Location: Electric City, Washington
Total Economic Impact: $258,300
Total Room Nights: 75

Logan Parks Fishing Foundation Nitro Boats NSANE Tournament Presented by Abu Garcia
Auburn-Opelika Tourism
Location: Auburn, Alabama
Total Economic Impact: $252,500
Total Room Nights: 650

WSSEA 2025 Spring State Championships
Snohomish County Sports Commission
Location: Lynnwood, Washington
Total Economic Impact: $142, 364
Total Room Nights: 242 

The SGT Bishop Evans JROTC Invitational
Visit Mansfield
Location: Mansfield, Texas
Total Economic Impact: $26,000 
Total Room Nights: 15 

 

About Sports Destination Management

Sports Destination Management is written for the largest audience of sports event managers and tournament directors in the sports tourism market and maintains a focus on the important issues surrounding event location decisions and event management. With content from experts and thought leaders, SDM provides in-depth coverage of sports event planning and execution through incisive and relevant articles as well as insightful, real-world case studies showcasing best practices and successful event production.

In addition to the publication, SDM offers extensive digital resources through www.sportsdestinations.com and the e-newsletter, SDM Blitz, both providing decision support tools for organizers to ensure successful events at all levels of play. 

About Due North Media

For more than 20 years, Due North Media has embraced the definition of growth by evolving from a traditional publishing company to a dynamic marketing organization utilizing best practices that ensure engagement.

Our desire to look at things from all sides, combined with our thirst for knowledge allows us to embrace the ever-changing world of content creation, marketing technology & consumer engagement. While we’re at the forefront of innovation, we also take great strides to remember our roots, ensuring the message reaches the desired audience in ways they consume media.  Whether we’re serving clients in the business-to-business sector, delivering e-commerce solutions for merchants in a direct-to-consumer environment, or working with organizations trying to engage buyers, we realize that our end goal shouldn’t be just about numbers. It should be about creating a dialogue and interaction that leads to a fulfilling relationship.  Work with us to develop marketing strategies that go beyond the click to deliver the conversation.

Founded in 2001, Due North Media has helped marketers obtain their goals while adapting to new generations of media consumption. It has been our mission to serve our clients and employees with integrity and humility, and a continuing quest for the achievement of excellence.