Sports ETA and Northstar Meetings Group Expand Strategic Partnership

The Sports Events & Tourism Association, the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry, has announced the expansion of its industry partnership with Northstar Meetings Group, the leading multi-platform brand for dedicated meeting and business planners and sports event organizers, to serve as presenting sponsor of Sports ETA’s State of the Industry Report and other research efforts.

Under terms of the agreement, Northstar — the publisher of SportsTravel and organizers of the TEAMS Conference & Expo, TEAMS Europe and the EsportsTravel Summit — will continue its support of Sports ETA’s State of the Industry Report presented by Northstar Meetings Group, the most comprehensive analysis of the impact sports events have on the economy. In addition, Northstar will serve as the presenting sponsor of other Sports ETA research over the terms of the agreement.

“Sports ETA and Northstar Meetings Group have enjoyed a long-time relationship, and we look forward to a continued partnership to serve our members,” said John David, president and chief executive officer of Sports ETA. “Our industry-leading research, including the State of the Industry Report, provides the national benchmark for the sports events tourism industry.”

“We recognize the value of putting data into the hands of Sports ETA members and we are thrilled to help make that happen through our support of the State of the Industry and other research projects that the association will lead,” said Jason Gewirtz, vice president of the Sports Division of Northstar Meetings Group and the executive editor and publisher of SportsTravel. “As content providers and advocates for the power of sports, we know there is no better way we can support the industry than by putting essential information in the hands of industry decision makers through this research.”

The 2023 State of the Industry Report was released in 2024 and concluded that U.S. sports-related travelers, event organizers and venues totaled $52.2 billion in direct spending in 2023, an increase of over 7 percent from the previous year. Those travelers generated $128 billion in direct, indirect and induced business sales.

The study presented the most comprehensive and representative data quantifying the value of sports-related travel in the United States. Conducted by Tourism Economics with support from Longwoods International, the report built on two previous surveys that covered data through 2021. The report also included survey results from members of Sports ETA. It’s noted that in 63 percent of destinations surveyed, sports-related travel is the top generator of hotel room nights in their communities.