A new report on sports tourism validates what Las Vegas experts already know — that there’s plenty of money to be made as a host to participatory and spectator sports.
Sports ETA, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, on Wednesday released its 2026 State of the Industry Report that says sports tourism has evolved into a $274.5 billion total economic impact industry, generating $111.2 billion in direct spending, supporting 1.6 million jobs, and producing $20.5 billion in state and local tax revenue nationwide.
Representatives of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority already know how lucrative sports tourism is, rebranding the city as the “Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World.”
While Las Vegas has been a dominant player in participatory sports for years, hosting youth and adult soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball and other sports tournaments, it’s taken massive leaps forward as the home of Major League sports teams.
The Vegas Golden Knights, the city’s home-grown National Hockey League team, is currently hosting fans from Utah in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Las Vegas Aces Women’s National Basketball Association team has won the league title three times in the last four years and is gearing up for the 2026 season.
The National Football League became a presence in Las Vegas in 2020, making Allegiant Stadium its home. The biggest complaint the Raiders often have is that the stands are often filled with fans supporting the visiting team — a testament to how sports tourism works for Las Vegas.
Las Vegas already has hosted one Super Bowl and will host another in 2029. It’s due to be home to the National College Football Championship next year, just wrapped up hosting the 2026 “Frozen Four” of college hockey this month and will have the NCAA “March Madness” college basketball tournament Final Four in 2028.
The National Basketball Association has brightened the summer months in Las Vegas with NBA Summer League play showcasing rookies and second-year players from every NBA team. The league also has sanctioned exploring the fielding of an NBA expansion team and multiple organizations are working toward building NBA-ready arenas.
And, Major League Baseball’s Athletics will officially move to Las Vegas in time for the start of the 2028 baseball season and a new indoor stadium is under construction on the South Strip at the former Tropicana site.
“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.”
Nevada not one of the top states
Although Las Vegas could be the poster child for driving sports tourism, the Sports ETA report doesn’t list Nevada as one of the leading U.S. states for sports tourism. The report identifies Texas, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Georgia, Illinois and North Carolina as the leading states in sports tourism performance, reflecting strong infrastructure, population scale and the ability to host both participatory and spectator events.
The 2026 report underscores the complementary roles of both segments:
Participatory sports tourism driven by primarily youth and amateur events, generated $60.1 billion in direct spending and $149.1 billion in total economic impact, driven by 227.6 million travelers, supporting more than 880,000 jobs and producing $11.3 billion in state and local taxes.
Spectator sports tourism driven by fans traveling to attend sporting events, generated $51.1 billion in direct spending and $125.4 billion in total economic impact, driven by 111.4 million travelers, supporting more than 730,000 jobs and producing $9.2 billion in state and local taxes.
Together, those two engines create a balanced model that delivers both consistent, year-round demand and high-impact, event-driven economic spikes, the report says.
Spectator sports have been a Las Vegas staple for decades with millions of travelers coming to the city for championship boxing events within the city.
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The city also is the home of the National Finals Rodeo every December, bringing a different kind of athleticism to the Thomas & Mack Center. The rodeo first arrived in 1985 when organizers opted to move from Oklahoma, a move the National Rodeo Cowboys Association said is responsible for annual growth of the event.
The spectator sports industry grew substantially in 1996 when the Las Vegas Motor Speedway opened and began hosting NASCAR and National Hot Rod Association events.
Knights arrive in ‘17
The Vegas Golden Knights were the first major league team for Las Vegas, starting play in 2017.
New to the professional sports party in 2023 was the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which uses a large section of the Strip as part of the racecourse that features Formula One racers driving 50 laps on the 3.8-mile track around and past some of the world’s most famous casinos.
On the participation side, one of the most popular annual events is the Las Vegas Marathon, which also features a half-marathon and a 7.02-mile race — a tribute to the city’s area code — with a portion of the race run on the Strip.
Las Vegas also has been an early adapter to host international guests as the U.S. prepares to host FIFA World Cup this summer, the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, the Paralympic Games and future rugby and Winter Olympic events.
The LVCVA markets Las Vegas as the best place to view those events without going to them with its various watch and viewer parties.
“International sports tourism represents one of the most significant opportunities for the next decade,” added David. “Destinations that think globally and act strategically will be positioned to capture new visitors, new revenue, and new visibility on the world stage.”
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
