Each year, SDM’s awards program, Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism, is a tribute to the power of an industry. This year was no exception. Communities that hosted these events reaped a share of $1,422,168,804 in economic impact and 812,518 in hotel room nights. Events large and small contributed to this and everyone had a stake in the success you see here.

For a while, cross country was at a crossroads. Organizers wanted it back in the Olympics; however, it wasn’t contested on ice or snow, the prerequisite for being included in the Winter Games. At the same time, it wasn’t a summer sport. But Kirsty Coventry, the new IOC president, wants to change all that, and to put it into the Winter Olympics.

While much attention is given to municipal and public golf courses, private courses are also bringing in economic impact. In fact, according to one source, private golf clubs collectively generated $32.6 billion in direct revenue in 2023, supported a $17.4 billion payroll and employed 573,000 workers, making them a vital part of the U.S. economy.

Halloween is behind us and Thanksgiving looms ahead. With it come the Turkey Trots, the most popular 5K fun run in America, traditionally taking place on the big holiday and marketed as a preemptive strike against calories. Now, event owners are partnering with running stores to not only promote their events but to monetize training plans for them.

Even as Friday night lights continue to illuminate the skies in communities large and small nationwide, polarizing discussions surrounding the use of padded mushroom-shaped football helmet caps to help reduce the impact of concussions won’t be dimming anytime soon. Here’s an update from the frontlines of various programs around the country.

If you need more proof that pickleball has taken over the country, look no further than Fort Lauderdale, where The Fort recently opened and is being called the “world’s first pickleball stadium, with 2,000 seats. The entire facility spans about 10 acres and is located within a deep lob of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.