Chattanooga Shows Off for Sports ETA 4S Summit

Descending into the Smoky Mountains and looking out the window, the expanse of green forestry revealed the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, which has built its sports-tourism offerings through a mix of sports, on a variety of levels, and showcased its growing downtown walkability and outdoor activities to the industry last week.

Sports ETA hosted its annual 4S Summit in Chattanooga with nearly 250 members, including 114 first-time attendees. The 4S Summit focuses on strategies, services, sales, and sponsorships with more than a dozen educational and networking opportunities over the three days.

“One of the main reasons why we wanted to host 4S was to really be supportive of our national association,” said Tim Morgan, chief sports officer for Chattanooga Sports, a division of the Chattanooga Tourism Co. “We knew that people would travel in to be a part of Chattanooga and they could really feel the essence of our community through 4S. Our driving factor wasn’t economic impact. It was more let’s support our national association and get back in the game of hosting Sports ETA events.”

That desire was welcomed by the trade association in return.

“Chattanooga’s unexpectedly phenomenal,” said John David, chief executive officer of Sports ETA. “Any of the attendees that have come, they are shocked by how authentically cool this city is. As both a visitor and a rights-holder being here, I can’t say enough about this amazing team.”

Full range of sporting events

Chattanooga’s setting allows it to be a place where recreational and outdoor sporting events abound with annual marathons, triathlons and regattas, such as Head of the Hooch staged along the Tennessee River next month.

Chattanooga Sports annually hosts about 80 different events across 35 sports, highlighted by the NCAA Division II Softball Championships since 2020; the destination was recently selected to host again in 2027 and 2028.

Then there is the Tennessee High School State Football Championships, which Chattanooga has hosted for the past several years at Finley Stadium, the 20,412-capacity football stadium that is owned by the city. The timing of the championship weekend requires Chattanooga Sports to work with UT-Chattanooga on scheduling issues.

While the Mocs may not be in the running to host an FCS playoff game this year, because of the playoff schedule, any year where it could be a host would conflict with the state championship weekend. Which is where the relationship between the city and university comes into play.

“Mark Wharton, the athletic director, and I have a phenomenal relationship,” Morgan said. “Before we even bid on the high school state championships, I went to him, laid everything out, and he said, ‘I’m going to have to get back to you.’ He vetted the scenario with his colleagues, then he came back to me and he said, ‘Do you want to do this?’ I told him yes and he said, ‘Then let’s go get it.’

“We submitted the bid and put our strategy together on the presentation because the state governing body needed to hear from our partners how we want to make this work. It’s not just about us, it’s not just about our organization. When I say us, it’s about our community. And then when the event rights owner can see that our community is behind the move, it’s a lot easier for them to say yes, because now they believe.”

One of the 4S sessions included Morgan discussing how Chattanooga Sports formed its strategic plan, which includes development for an indoor facility in the region. Morgan says the venue is sorely needed not only for the sports tourism impact but for community impact to have basketball and volleyball courts during cold-weather months without extensive labor to set up in a temporary indoor setting. The final cost and finance plan is to be determined as plans take shape.

“When you combine driving tourism with a local residential need, it makes sense to make the investment because not only are we going to drive tourism in accordance with our mission, but the local residents will be able to benefit from this investment,” he said. “The return on the investment is going to be economic impact through sports tourism, but then it’s also going to be social prosperity for our local residents that actually get to utilize this indoor complex throughout the week.”

Local scene has teams at all levels

The sports scene is thriving in Chattanooga. UT-Chattanooga remains a recognizable name in the FCS scene as members of the Southern Conference (6-5 this year and third in the league). The basketball teams have history between them, with the women’s team having won the past two SoCon tournament titles and making 15 NCAA Tournament appearances since 2001; the men’s team has a 1997 Sweet 16 appearance on its ledger and four NCAA bids in the past 20 years.

The Chattanooga Red Wolves SC are a founding member of USL League One and play home games at CHI Memorial Stadium, Tennessee’s first professional soccer-specific stadium. The club also fields the Chattanooga Lady Red Wolves in the USL W League and the Dalton Red Wolves and Park City Red Wolves in USL League Two.

Perhaps most recognizable is the Double-A Lookouts, an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The Lookouts logo is popular throughout baseball and its club has a rich history, having been a Double-A affiliate since 1932 with a variety of MLB affiliations, including the Reds from 1988–2008 and again since 2019.

AT&T Field has a capacity of 6,382 people and was completed for the 2000 season. The team was briefly on MLB’s elimination list during its Minor League reorganization in 2021 before being saved. The Lookouts earlier this year started construction on a $120 million stadium to get up to MLB’s standards for minor league clubs. The venue is projected to be finished by 2026.

“We try to do as much business as we possibly can conduct with the Lookouts,” Morgan said. “They are a phenomenal community partner. Anytime we can do anything, whether it’s youth baseball, all the way up to collegiate baseball, they’re in as long as they can fit it on the calendar, as long as we can ensure that the business terms work for all. They are awesome and they are great to work with.”

Chattanooga’s location also allows for the recreational visitor to explore some natural attractions if in town for an event. Ruby Falls is home to America’s deepest commercial cave and tallest underground waterfall open for public viewing; it features a 145-foot waterfall located 1,120 feet beneath the surface of Lookout Mountain. The Lookout Mountain Incline Railway is the world’s steepest passenger railway with a 72.7% grade and Rock City’s Enchanted Trail features massive rock formations, a 140-foot waterfall that cascades down Lookout Mountain, a panoramic view of seven states and a Swing-A-Long Bridge that spans nearly 200 feet.

“Once you step foot in our market, so many times people have said they never knew Chattanooga was as gorgeous and as invigorating as it is,” Morgan said. “We let our destination do the talking, bringing people in for a visit and letting them see what Chattanooga is all about.”