Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger highlighted the major positive impact that sports tourism has on Pennsylvania’s economy, as the Commonwealth landed in the top five twice in a new national report that provided the first-ever unified analysis of both participatory and spectator sports tourism.
Sports ETA, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, released its 2026 State of the Industry Report, ranking Pennsylvania fourth in the nation for both sports segments. Participatory sporting events include youth and amateur tournaments, races, etc., while spectator sports include attendees of professional, minor league, and collegiate sporting events.
“This new report underscores just how crucial the sports and tourism industries are to Pennsylvania’s overall economy,” said Secretary Siger. “That’s why Governor Josh Shapiro has been laser-focused on making targeted investments to continue strengthening these industries and promote our Commonwealth on the national stage.”
Pennsylvania’s ranking in the top five states across both segments highlights the strength of its balanced sports tourism ecosystem, combining both high-volume, repeat visitation from participatory sports as well as high-impact, fan-driven demand from spectator sports that include professional, minor league, and collegiate events.
This balance positions Pennsylvania for continued growth as the U.S. prepares to host a decade of global sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and LA28 Olympic Games. This year in Pennsylvania alone, the Commonwealth is hosting a landmark slate of events including the PGA Championship, FIFA World Cup, MLB All-Star Game, NFL Draft, NCAA March Madness, UFC 330, and more.
“Pennsylvania continues to be a strong and reliable destination for participatory sports tourism,” said John David, President & CEO of Sports ETA. “Its ability to attract diverse events and deliver consistent economic impact makes it a key player in the national sports tourism landscape.”
Preliminary visitor data from 2025, gathered by Longwoods International for Visit PA, shows growth across both participatory and spectator sports. This data shows that 21 percent of overnight visitors to Pennsylvania included a sporting event as part of their trip, up from 15 percent the previous year. For day trip visitors, 14 percent included a sporting event in their itinerary, up from 13 percent the previous year.
PA Sports, a team of the leading sports tourism organizations from across the Commonwealth and supported by DCED, works to attract and host international, national, regional, and local sporting events, and showcase Pennsylvania as a viable sports event destination for professional, collegiate, interscholastic, amateur, and youth sporting ventures, which will foster economic development and enrich the quality of life in the Commonwealth.
“Pennsylvania’s success in sports tourism is driven by a strong network of destinations, standout attractions, and quality facilities across the Commonwealth,” said Danielle Vincenti, Chair of PA Sports. “Combined with our central and accessible location, it creates a compelling environment for hosting everything from youth and amateur events to major spectator experiences. This achievement reflects the collaboration and alignment happening across Pennsylvania’s sports and tourism partners, supported by PA Sports’ efforts to bring destinations together and attract events that drive economic impact statewide.”
Some upcoming events hosted by PA Sports members include:
- IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship – June 14, 2026
- Disc Golf Junior World Championship – July 7-11, 2026
- Federation of International Ninja Athletics World Championships, Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association World Series Finals/USA Ninja World Cup – July 11-16, 2026
- USGA US Junior Amateur Golf Championship – July 20-25, 2026
- State Games of America – July 24 – August 2, 2026
- Continental Youth Championships (largest youth Gaelic games tournament outside of Ireland) – July 30 – August 2, 2026
- USGA US Amateur Golf Championship – August 10-16, 2026
- Firefighter Challenge U.S. National Championship – September 23-26, 2026
