Study: Adapted Sports Generate Up to $134 Million in Annual Impact

A new study reveals that the annual economic impact of adapted and para sport-related tourism events ranges from $80.5 million to $134.2 million. The study, commissioned by All In Sport Consulting in partnership with Stitch Marketing Research and Huddle Up Group collected expenditure and budget data from a sampling of U.S.-based adapted sport organizations and is believed to be one of the first to focus on the adapted sports market.

“We know the growth of the adapted sport industry has been dramatic over the last decade or so, but there’s never been a formal study conducted to measure its true economic footprint,” said Dawna Callahan, founder and chief executive officer of All In Sport Consulting. “We wanted to change that and put a stake in the ground this year to help us move from anecdotal to concrete evidence about both the current economic picture and future outlook. We’re excited to release our initial findings and build on this knowledge in the years ahead.”

As part of the study, surveys were sent to 262 organizations between July 28 and September 22, 2020. The data in the final report was collected from 55 organizations.

“This research was the first national look at the impact of the adapted and para sport industry, specifically the value of travel sports in this space,” said Jon Schmieder, founder and chief executive officer of Huddle Up Group. “This baseline information will help shape future research in this arena. We were proud to be part of the team that set out to tackle this very important question – what is the value of para sports in our nation?”

Of the organizations that completed the report, 30 organized events in adapted sports. The economic impact of those events was calculated at $26.8 million annually. Those organizations, however, represent an estimated one-fifth to one-third of the number of adapted sports organizations in the U.S. market, leading researchers to conclude the overall impact is in the range of $80.5 million to $134.2 million.

“We’ve seen benchmark studies like this one in para sports serve as a tremendous launching pad for a variety of sectors,” said Nate Heckman, president of Stitch Marketing Research. “Without these insights – which lead to tangible goal setting and validation for investment – all involved end up guessing. We’re hoping to see these insights serve to increase cooperation and real outcomes for adapted and para sports in the U.S.”

The “Adapted Sport: Economic Impact Survey” findings were originally released at during the recent Adapted Sport Leadership & Business Symposium (LABS) conference organized by All In Sport Consulting. The full report is available for download here.