No surprise here: Youth soccer programs across the U.S. are reporting a clear bump in interest, registrations and visibility. Of course, the next question will be whether that boom is sustainable now that the World Cup’s final whistle has blown and all the players have gone home. Here are some suggested strategies from different sectors of the sport.

As the sports tournament industry grows, so does the need for places to host those tournaments. And in landlocked areas, developers have found a go-to target: Small colleges that have thrown in the towel, unable to keep up with their DI counterparts who rake in large donations and offer high-profile programs. Here is a view front the front lines.

Is AI coming for hospitality jobs? It really depends on who’s asking — and on who’s giving the answer. The bad news: Robotization is permeating the industry, from reservations software to luggage handling and from bartending to housekeeping. Additionally, they’re displacing cooks and security, where safety is key. Will guests learn the hard way?

The next generation of community leaders around the country might just be the starting quarterbacks or state champion swimmers at high schools. At least that’s the goal of organizers of a new national initiative to develop high school team captains into civic leaders, capable of driving change on their teams, in their schools and in their communities.

From soccer, football and lacrosse, to rugby, ultimate, quadball and more, rectangular sports fields can host nearly anything event owners need, while accommodating hundreds, possibly thousands, of spectators and family members. These locations are giving tournament owners and operators what they need to make (and keep) their events top-notch.

We already know that sports tourism is a nearly $275 billion industry. We also know that everyone reading this has helped build that number. Don’t you want some recognition for your part in it? SDM is ready for its 2026 awards program, Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. The application is live NOW so show us the events that make you proud!