Traditionally, “sports and economic development” conjures a shiny new stadium and a ribbon-cutting. But the real opportunity in most communities is smaller and recurring: the visitors who arrive every weekend.
The old playbook asked: How do we land big teams for our venues? The new playbook asks: How do we capture the spending from visitors who are already coming for games, and give them a reason to stay longer?
In its 2026 State of the Industry report, the Sports Events and Tourism Association (Sports ETA) put U.S. sports tourism at $111.2 billion in direct spending and $274.5 billion in economic impact. Youth sports and amateur events drove the largest share, generating $60.1 billion in direct spending from travelers.
Closer to home, Virginia Tourism data cited by Loudoun County counted 12.1 million sports visitors in Virginia in 2022 and $2.7 billion in sports tourism spending. Big Beltway bucks right there!
The good news is that Main Streets and smaller communities don’t need a pro franchise to win the game. A significant number of economists find that public stadiums rarely pay for themselves. The real gain comes from new money from out-of-town visitors: the travel team that books 20+ rooms and fills every mom-and-pop brunch spot, or the tournament that brings in 10,000 people in a week.
From Youth Court to Olympic Stage: Sports as an Economic Development Tool
Sports activate communities, period. A girls’ volleyball weekend downtown or a travel soccer tournament draws visitors, spurs local investment, and makes your community a place they remember. The most lucrative market for local communities doesn’t rely on flashy events. It relies on your local community sports team.
Local: Youth sports fill hotels, restaurants, and memories
Every Presidents’ Day weekend, the Capitol Hill Volleyball Classic takes over the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. NPR reported that the 2024 tournament drew more than 10,000 players, and organizers said it filled 80 hotels. Destination DC noted that the prior year’s tournament generated $21.3 million for Washington, a boost during a traditionally slow tourist season.
Here’s why it works: players don’t travel alone. They bring parents, siblings, and grandparents, who eat at local restaurants, visit attractions, and turn tournaments into impromptu family vacations.
That’s exactly why girls’ tournaments pack such an economic punch. Girls’ volleyball is one of the most popular high school sports in the country, with 492,799 girls playing in 2024-2025 compared with 95,972 boys. More teams mean more traveling families, more rooms booked, and more dinner reservations. For communities trying to attract tourism, girls’ youth sports deserve a spot at the top of the recruiting list.
Regional Turned Global: The Olympics and where the money lands
For the 2028 Olympic Games, cities around the country bid to host events. The Greater Washington area put forward 44 facilities to host tournaments locally and drive community participation. A study by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation found that LA28 could generate $20.5 billion to $40.6 billion in economic output, supporting 126,000 to 224,000 jobs across Greater Los Angeles.
The largest impact on the local economy would come from upgrades to transportation, airports, mobility, and venues for the Games, an opportunity for local businesses that would last well past the closing ceremony.
Hosting won’t stay solely in LA. Softball and canoe slalom are headed to Oklahoma City, which already has world-class venues for both. Olympic soccer will be held regionally across New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San Jose, and San Diego before the finals. Each city gets a share of visitors, spending, and global spotlight.
Bottom line: location matters
From a girls’ volleyball tournament to an Olympic soccer match, the formula remains the same: visitors arrive, spending flows into local businesses, and host communities gain vibrancy and a stronger global identity.
Quick Quiz: Is Your Community Game-Day Ready?
Give yourself one point (or one bite of that stadium soft pretzel) for every “yes.”
- Do you know which tournaments, races, or games bring out-of-town visitors to your area, and when?
- Does your tourism office, chamber, or Main Street program share that event calendar with local businesses ahead of time?
- Do restaurants and shops near the fields or venues offer team deals, extended hours, or group-friendly menus on big weekends?
- Is there a visitor-facing page or guide that tells sports families where to eat, stay, and play between games?
- Is there clear signage, a shuttle, or a walkable route connecting the venue to downtown?
- Do you track a simple number after each big event, such as hotel room nights, sales lift, or foot traffic?
- Do you have a reason for visitors to come back without a game on the schedule?
6-7 points: You’re in the starting lineup. Visitors know where to go, and you’re measuring the payoff. Time to go after bigger events.
3-5 points: You’re on the bench, warming up. The crowds are coming; you just need a playbook to capture them.
0-2 points: You’re watching from the parking lot… for now. Every item on this list is fixable, and the case studies and tips below will show you how.
Hometown Highlight Reel: DMV Communities Already Winning
Southfields Sports Complex: Public-private investment that pays off
In Elkton, Maryland, the Southfield Sports Park Complex is poised to be a home run for both revenue and recreation. Slated for completion in 2028, this state-of-the-art complex combines community sports with office space, vendor space, concessions, a restaurant and bar, and more. The $54 million investment, made possible by bonds issued from the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO), serves a dual purpose: creating a hub for community bonding while driving tourism in the area. Mike Browne, Principal of Sideline Properties, explained, “My kids play travel sports. We often were playing at places that were not well taken care of, and we want to create a state-of-the-art facility that creates a space for all kids to compete, and to attract college scouts as anticipated. This project hopes to bridge that gap and bring a world-class experience to the Elkton community.”
That proactive mindset is what sets a winning project apart: Browne spotted a gap in the facilities he experienced as a parent, and he is now building the ones that will put his town on the map.
Hagerstown, Maryland: A ballpark built to bring people downtown
Hagerstown quickly bounced back after losing its minor league team. The city pivoted and put its new stadium in the heart of downtown. Meritus Park, home of the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, opened in May 2024 and drew 175,079 fans over 60 games, nearly 3,000 spectators a night. Investment started before the first pitch: vacant buildings were repurposed, facades were refreshed, and a new parking garage went up.
That let downtown small businesses tap into a new visitor market, driving spending at the mom-and-pop shops you know and love.
The takeaway: Location is strategy. A venue that’s walkable to Main Street sends fans to local businesses, not just the concession stand.
Loudoun County, Virginia: Treating youth sports like the business it is
Loudoun County launched a dedicated Loudoun Sports Tourism brand in 2019 to compete for tournaments. The 2025 Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships brought 208 teams from 13 states, with more than 4,000 players and 10,000 people overall, generating 6,200+ hotel room nights and an estimated $6.5 million in local economic impact.
The takeaway: A clear sports brand and a tight partnership between tourism and parks and recreation turn community fields into a regional economic engine.
8 Ways to Turn Game Day Into a Win for Your Community
- Scout the schedule
You can’t drive investment without a game plan. Build a shared calendar of every tournament and game that draws out-of-town visitors, and put it in the hands of the businesses that need it most. - Roll out the welcome mat for sports families
Traveling teams and their families have very specific needs: Where can 30 people eat at once? What’s open at 7 a.m. on a Sunday? Create a simple “Visiting for a Game?” page that answers these questions with names, addresses, and hours in plain text. - Huddle with your local businesses
Give mom-and-pop restaurants and shops a heads-up before big tournaments so they can staff up and extend their hours. Even simple team specials, like “show your wristband, get 10% off,” are a measurable way to boost visibility with visitors. - Close the gap between the field and Main Street
Places like Hagerstown put their ballpark downtown on purpose. If your sports complex is on the edge of town, you can close the distance with weekend shuttles, a block party at downtown shops after a championship game, or a scoreboard QR code that points fans downtown. Simple changes make a world of difference. - Turn day-trippers into overnight guests
Overnight visitors spend far more than day-trippers. Work with hotels on team rates. Fredericksburg, for example, paid its partners $10 for every room night its events generated. - Give your sports offering its own jersey
Loudoun built a separate sports tourism brand to show tournament organizers it’s serious about hosting. Even a small community can create a dedicated landing page with fields, capacities, and a contact person for tournament directors. - Keep score
Track your stats after every major event: hotel room nights, sales lift reported by businesses, website visits, and more. Those numbers will strengthen your next bid for investment. - Play the long season
The most strategic communities give visitors a reason to come back without a game on the schedule. Pair your sports offerings with local attractions like trails, festivals, and breweries.
Your Move
Every community has a home-field advantage. The ones that win know who’s coming, roll out the welcome mat, and give visitors a reason to stick around after the final whistle.
Want help figuring out where your community stands? Drop me a line; we can help you become the premier sports tournament destination in your region!
