Sports Destination Management Announces 2019 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism

Sports Destination Management, the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market, today announced the 2019 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. This year’s winners are responsible for contributing more than $1 billion to the national economy over the past year. 

“This year’s nominations were incredible,” said Publisher Scott Swoger. “We were amazed not just by the sheer volume of events, but by the scope. We saw an amazing array of entries — from team to individual, from youth to seniors, and across all disciplines and all levels of play. Events nominated represented not just the traditional tournaments but emerging sports, showing us that this industry is continuing its evolution.”

The most outstanding of those received were recognized and presented with event details in a special feature published in the November/December 2019 issue of Sports Destination Management. The entire article with full details on the winners listed below can also be found online. 

Note: Those who did not get a chance to enter this year's awards program are asked to e-mail our editor at msprecher@duenorthmedia.com in order to be added to the list for our 2020 awards.

Read Now: Article on 2019 Winners

Honor Roll (denotes event and destination partners with three or more consecutive wins)

• 46th AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships & Visit Orlando
• Minto US OPEN Pickleball Championships Powered by Margaritaville & Spirit Promotions
• 2019 Jam On It Reno AAU Memorial Day Tournament & Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority
• The 2019 Little League Senior Softball World Series & The District 3 Little League World Series Committee
• TSSAA Spring Fling 2019 & Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Large Market Champions

• TCS New York City Marathon & New York Road Runners
• 2019 NCAA Men’s Final Four® & Minneapolis Local Organizing Committee, University of Minnesota, Sports Minneapolis
• Winter Equestrian Festival & Palm Beach County Sports Commission
• Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour & High Five Events
• Monster Jam World Finals XX & Greater Orlando Sports Commission
• Dr Pepper Dallas Cup & Dallas Sports Commission
• BMW Championship & Medinah Country Club and the DuPage Sports Commission
• NCAA Women's College World Series of Softball & Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau
• North American Sand Soccer Championships & Hampton Roads Soccer Council

Mid Market Champions

• CIAA Men's & Women's Basketball Tournament & Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
• 2019 National Senior Games Presented by Humana & City of Albuquerque 2019 National Senior Games Local Organizing Committee
• 2019 Bassmaster Classic & Visit Knoxville Sports Commission
• 2019 AAU Junior Olympic Games & Greensboro Convention & Visitors Bureau
• 2018 Pennsylvania National Horse Show & Hershey Harrisburg Sports & Events Authority
• 2019 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball First/Second Rounds - Columbia, SC & Experience Columbia SC Sports
• U.S. Junior Nationals 2019 Windy City Classic & VISIT Milwaukee
• FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby World Championships & Akron/Summit CVB
• Southeastern Conference Women's Basketball Tournament 2019 & VisitGreenvilleSC
• GHSA Traditional Wrestling State Championships & Visit Macon

Small Market Champions

• Show Jumping Under the Stars $25,000 Grand Prix Series Show Jumping Events & Visit Sarasota and Fox Lea Farm, Inc.
• Amateur Baseball Championships & Bullpen Tournaments
• 2019 FLW Cup on Lake Hamilton & The Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs
• The 2019 Grand Slam World Series of Baseball & Visit Panama City Beach
• American Youth Football & Kissimmee Sports Commission
• Smoky Mountain Cup & Rocky Top Sports World
• 2019 Dixie Youth Baseball World Series & City of Ruston-Ruston Sports Complex
• Colorado River Youth Invitational Tournament & City of Bullhead City
• Babe Ruth League’s Cal Ripken Major/70 World Series & Branson Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Bullhead City / Laughlin Senior Games & City of Bullhead City
• 2019 National Junior College Athletic Association’s DIII Baseball World Series & Greene County Sports Council
• 2018 World Broomball Championships & Twin Cites Gateway CVB/National Sports Center

Innovations in Sports Tourism

• 2019 Toyota USA National Juniors & Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Association Championships & Lincolnway Special Recreation Association; Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau
• American Crossword Puzzle Tournament & Stamford Marriott Hotel and Spa
• IWLCA Junk Brands Midwest Cup & Corrigan Sports Enterprises and the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association
• 2019 College STUNT National Championship & USA Cheer, College STUNT Association and the University of Oklahoma
• International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Goalball & Judo International Qualifier &Visit Fort Wayne and Turnstone Center
• HV GamerCon 2019 & Albany Capital Center (ACC), Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the Center for Economic Growth (CEG) and I Love New York (I ?NY)

About Sports Destination Management

Sports Destination Managementis written for the largest audience of sports event managers and tournament directors in the sports tourism market and maintains a focus on the important issues surrounding event location decisions and event management. With content from experts and thought leaders, SDM provides in-depth coverage of sports event planning and execution through incisive and relevant articles as well as insightful, real-world case studies showcasing best practices and successful event production.

In addition to the publication, SDM offers extensive digital resources through www.sportsdestinations.comand the e-newsletter SDM Blitz, both providing decision support tools for organizers to ensure successful events at all levels of play.

About Due North Media

Due North Media, a division of Due North Consulting, Inc., is a niche business-to-business publisher providing media services to executives within specialized vertical markets impacting economic development including corporate site selection, business development, market-to-market events and sports tourism via publications, digital media, qualified list marketing and custom publishing.

Founded in 2001, Due North Consulting, Inc. has helped niche marketers obtain their goals for a decade and a half. The principals of the company have over 40 years of business-to-business advertising and marketing experience. It has been their mission to serve readers, clients and employees with integrity, humility and a continuing quest for the achievement of excellence.