Sports ETA and Northstar Meetings Group Extend Strategic Partnership Through 2028
Renewed agreement builds on landmark State of the Industry Report and strengthens commitment to sports tourism research
Posted On: October 19, 2026 By :The Sports Events & Tourism Association, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, has announced the extension of its strategic partnership with Northstar Meetings Group through 2028, reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing research, economic impact measurement and industry advocacy.
Under the renewed agreement, Northstar Meetings Group, publisher of SportsTravel and organizer of the TEAMS Conference & Expo, TEAMS Europe, TEAMS APAC and the EsportsTravel Summit, will continue as presenting sponsor of Sports ETA’s State of the Industry Report and support additional research initiatives designed to equip destinations, event organizers and industry leaders with actionable data.
The partnership builds on the success of the 2026 Sports ETA State of the Industry Report, presented by Northstar Meetings Group and conducted by Tourism Economics. Released in April 2026, the landmark study provided the first unified analysis of participatory and spectator sports tourism in the United States, documenting $274.5 billion in total economic impact, $111.2 billion in direct spending, 1.6 million jobs supported and $20.5 billion in state and local tax revenue. The report also identified 339 million sports travelers nationwide.
“This strategic partnership with Northstar Meetings Group is about giving our industry the credible data and insights needed to influence decisions, attract investment and demonstrate the economic power of sports tourism,” said John David, president and CEO of Sports ETA. “The 2026 State of the Industry Report established a new benchmark by bringing participatory and spectator sports tourism together for the first time. Extending our partnership with Northstar through 2028 ensures we can continue building on that momentum and delivering meaningful value to our members and the communities they serve.”
The 2026 report also demonstrated the significant contributions of both segments of the industry. Participatory sports tourism generated $149.1 billion in total economic impact, while spectator sports tourism contributed $125.4 billion. Together, these findings provide destinations, rights holders and policymakers with a more comprehensive understanding of sports tourism’s economic influence and opportunities for future growth.
“Northstar Meetings Group is proud to extend our longstanding relationship with Sports ETA and continue investing in research that moves the industry forward,” said Jason Gewirtz, senior vice president of the Northstar Meetings Group and publisher of SportsTravel. “The 2026 report demonstrated just how powerful comprehensive, credible research can be in telling the story of sports tourism. As we look toward 2028, our focus is on helping industry leaders translate those insights into stronger destinations, better business decisions and continued growth across the sports events marketplace.”
Through 2028, Sports ETA and Northstar Meetings Group will continue collaborating to strengthen the industry’s research resources, expand access to economic impact insights and support informed decision-making across the sports tourism sector.