Youth sports events generate $83.5M in 2025
Blue Chip Softball
Photo credit West Michigan sports Commission
The West Michigan Sports Commission (WMSC) reported that youth and amateur sports tourism generated an estimated $83.5 million in economic impact for the region in 2025 through 105 hosted events. The Meijer State Games of Michigan also saw a 17.1% year-over-year increase in estimated economic impact.
The WMSC also announced it will open the expanded Meijer Sports Complex this spring, hosting 20 weekend travel tournaments in 2026, as well as hosting the second year of The Hartford Nationals in July, the largest U.S. youth and adult sport competition for people with disabilities.
“Last year was healthy for youth and amateur sports from an economic impact perspective, which is impressive considering we had seven less events than in 2024 due to some cancellations,” said Mike Guswiler, President of the West Michigan Sports Commission. “Included in that success was an increase in visitor spending and estimated economic impact for our flagship event, the Meijer State Games of Michigan. We continue to see positive trends of sports tourism helping drive West Michigan’s economy.”
The WMSC was founded in 2007 as an economic generator to harness some of the $47.1 billion in direct visitor spending nationally by youth and amateur spectator sports travelers for the region. One of its key tenets is generating overnight stays from event visitors, which drives spending in area hotels, restaurants, and other businesses. Since its inception, the WMSC has booked 1,433 sporting events and tournaments that have attracted more than 2.7 million athletes and visitors and filled 632,601 hotel room nights, generating an estimated economic impact of over $822 million.
In 2026, the WMSC is focused on hosting the second year of The Hartford Nationals, the largest and longest-running national sports championship event for athletes with disabilities, July 10-16, and expects to host over 100 other events, while booking more in 2026 and beyond.
The WMSC will also unveil the expanded Meijer Sports Complex this spring, as well as bid on events to be held at Amway Stadium when it opens in 2027. Additionally, the WMSC will develop a sports facility master plan in 2026, in conjunction with key community partners and stakeholders, to determine West Michigan’s infrastructure needs and fill gaps in the region’s sports facilities to compete for more national tournaments. Some areas of focus will be how to build up infrastructure for rowing to attract high school, collegiate, and USRowing regattas; how to support the growing sport of disc golf; and how facilities like multiple rectangle fields can attract more soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, flag football, rugby and other tournaments for a greater share of the nearly $50 billion industry.
“This is an exciting time in West Michigan as we continue to strategize on how to build out our sports infrastructure to make the region even more competitive for hosting youth and amateur sporting events,” said Guswiler. “National rights holders and tournament directors are going to put Grand Rapids at the top of their bid lists when they see the expanded Meijer Sports Complex and new Amway Stadium, and we want to keep building facilities like these so our region is a top contender across all sports.”
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