Report: Sports-Related Travel Fuels a $274.5 Billion Economy
The Sports ETA-commissioned report examined both participatory and spectator sports
Posted On: April 22, 2026 By :Sports-related travel in the United States generated $111.2 billion in direct economic impact in 2025, with a larger economic impact of $274.5 billion, according to a new report commissioned by the Sports Events and Tourism Association. In addition, the industry generated 124.3 million hotel room nights over the same period, according to the report.
While the $111.2 billion figure represents money spent directly on sports-related travel, the $274.5 billion reflects indirect impact including jobs created, household income and tax impacts in the broader economy.
The Sports ETA State of the Industry report, conducted by Tourism Economics and sponsored by the Northstar Meetings Group, factored in both the impact of participatory sports (mainly youth and amateur competitions and collegiate championships that can rotate between host cities) and spectator sports, which included professional sports, minor leagues and collegiate regular-season games that generate travel but do not move host location. For that latter impact, the study examined the spend of people traveling more than 50 miles to attend those events.
Overall, participatory sports counted for a direct economic impact of $60.1 billion, while spectator sports accounted for $51.1 billion.
“Sports tourism has firmly established itself as one of the most powerful economic engines in the United States,” said John David, president and CEO of Sports ETA. “With $274.5 billion in total economic impact, millions of jobs supported, and hundreds of millions of travelers moving through communities each year, the scale and influence of this industry is undeniable. For the first time, this report captures that full impact in a unified way, bringing together both participatory and spectator sports to tell the complete story of how sports tourism drives visitation, fuels local economies, and creates lasting value for destinations.”
In addition, the report examined details of how destinations, rights holders and industry partners are funded and support sports-related travel. Of note, 65 percent of the destinations surveyed said that sports events are their largest generator of hotel room nights across all travel segments.
Among other highlights in the report:
- In 2025, there were 339 million sports travelers — including 3.6 million that originated from international locations.
- The 339 million sports travelers included 227.6 million that traveled for participatory sports and 111.4 million that traveled for spectator sports.
- The industry generated 1.6 million full-time and part-time jobs and $20.5 billion in total state and local taxes.
- The biggest expenses for sports travelers were lodging, local transportation, air transport, food and beverage, and recreation and entertainment.
- The states that produced the highest impact from participatory sports were: Texas, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, Georgia and Illinois.
- The states that produced the highest impact from spectator sports were: California, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Georgia, Illinois, Arizona and North Carolina.
International Impact
For the first time, the association’s research also captured the impact of international travelers into the United States who come for sports events. The 3.6 million international travelers visiting the United States for sports in 2025 generated $6.3 billion in direct spending. According to the research, the volume of international spectator sports tourism travelers increased 3.4% compared to 2024.
The growth of international travel comes as the United States prepares to host some of the largest sports events in the world, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, the 2031 Rugby World Cup and the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
“International sports tourism represents one of the most significant opportunities for the next decade,” David said. “Destinations that think globally and act strategically will be positioned to capture new visitors, new revenue, and new visibility on the world stage.”