Club Sport National Tournament: Economic Impact of a Small Event on a Mid-Size Community

Recreational sporting events are big business and cities throughout the United States are competing fiercely to host events (Saayman, & Saayman, & du Plessis, 2005). March (1984) suggested that the reason why smaller sporting events have received relatively little attention is because it is assumed that they are economically less significant. The purpose of this study was to estimate the economic impact of hosting a club sport national tournament on a midsize community. The current study estimates the economic impact of hosting the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II National Championship. The survey consisted of 105 questionnaires that were completed during the three day tournament of which all 105 were used. The findings of the survey indicated that hosting a national tournament can have a positive effect on the local economy. It was estimated that nearly $2 million of new money may have been injected into the community of Fort Collins, Colorado. This research provides midsize cities with information to justify hosting one-time events and working favorably with the community university.

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