Tourism is big
business. If you think about it, depending on the size of the city,
soccer tournaments can be a pretty sizable part of that. Consider
the recent US Youth Soccer National Championship Series in Sioux Falls South Dakota. The tournament brought in $10 million dollars to the local economy, an record for a single local event of that type. If it had not been for the revenue sent down the highway (those who couldn't stay in the city), the numbers were expected to be $3-4 million dollars higher.
Barboursville,
West Virginia hopes to make $12 million hosting the next upcoming
regional. 280 youth soccer teams from 13 states will compete in the
Region I Championship. Hotels are already booked from Charleston to
Portsmouth. The area hopes to lure 10,000 players and fans for the
tournament’s start Thursday.
What goes into selecting a city
for these regional championships? The ability to accommodate the influx
of guests is number one. Is there enough lodging for all the players,
families, fans, and coverage? The track record for that area is
definitely a consideration; has this town/city done big events in the
past, and how did those go? The layout is important as well i.e.:
highways, facilities, fields, etc.
~Sam@bluesombrero.com
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