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GLENDALE, Ariz. – The 2023 Cactus League season generated $418.5 million for Arizona’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to a study by the Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business.
Overall, the 2023 season generated $710.2 million in total economic activity or gross output – a windfall for Arizona’s tourism economy as it emerged from the pandemic.
To measure the impact of Arizona’s oldest annual mega event, researchers conducted face-to-face surveys with 3,386 out-of-state visitors who came to Arizona for games at all 10 Cactus League ballparks and measured only new dollars that flowed into the state due to spring training. A GDP by State estimate is used by the Bureau of Economic Analysis as the primary indicator of the economic health of a specific geography.
“After three seasons impacted by a pandemic and work stoppage, the Cactus League in 2023 proved its resilience as a major tourism engine for Arizona,” Cactus League President Chris Calcaterra said. “To ensure the vitality of the spring training industry in Arizona, we must maintain our facilities and continue to provide the best possible experience for the teams and their fans. We are grateful to Major League Baseball and the host communities for their partnership and to the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority for providing grant funding for ballpark construction and renovation.”
The study found that spending by Cactus League visitors created 5,893 annual jobs paying $271.9 million in 2023. Spring training also directly generated a total of $36.6 million in taxes for the state ($28.4 million) and local governments ($8.2 million).
"The Cactus League is a home run for Arizona’s economy - an annual mega event that pours hundreds of millions into the state’s coffers,” Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs said. “Generations of baseball fans from across the country and the world have fallen in love with Arizona, and Arizona is thrilled to welcome them back for baseball in the sunshine each spring."
Founded with two teams in 1947, the Cactus League has grown to 15 Major League Baseball teams training at 10 facilities across Maricopa County. In 2023, 216 Cactus League games drew a total of 1,565,182 fans, an average of 7,246.
Attendance in 2023 jumped after three seasons impacted by COVID 19 and an MLB work stoppage. And because six out of 10 fans came from out of state, it provided a boost to Arizona’s tourism sector.
“As Arizona’s longest-running national sporting event, the Cactus League has developed an unmatched following of fans from across the country,” Cactus League Executive Director Bridget Binsbacher said. “And while those fans come to cheer for their favorite teams, they take the time to explore other attractions in our beautiful state. The positive financial impacts of spring training extend far beyond the Cactus League’s footprint.”
Indeed, the survey found that spring training benefits areas beyond Maricopa County; 22 percent of fans said that they would visit another part of Arizona during their trip. The two most popular destinations were North Central Arizona (including Sedona, Prescott, Payson and Globe) and Northern Arizona (including the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff and Monument Valley).
The median Cactus League visitor attends three games, spends four nights in Arizona and spends $421.25 per day, according to the study.
“These robust numbers are the dividends of longtime community investment in spring training facility construction and renovation – by the host municipalities, the tribal community, the clubs and the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority,” said Kim Sabow, Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority board chair. “Spring training is fun for everyone, but it’s also a competitive industry and we can never take it for granted as a state. We congratulate the Cactus League for consistently delivering on the promise made to Maricopa County voters when they approved Prop. 302.”
ASU researchers have called the Cactus League a mega event that occurs every spring and lasts a month. The study captures the strength of an enduring force in Arizona’s economy, according to the study’s author, Dr. Anthony Evans, Senior Researcher at the Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University.
“The Cactus League is a key annual driver for tourism and hospitality, and 2023 proved to be no different,” Evans said. “We estimate that out-of-state visitors alone directly spent around $345 million on lodging, in bars and restaurants, on retail and in-state transit, and on other local forms of entertainment. That’s a major infusion of new dollars into our local economy.”
Since 1947 the Cactus League Association has provided a forum to share operational efficiencies; establish and nurture business relationships with Major League Baseball franchises; and promote and fundraise for the Cactus League. The Cactus League consists of 15 MLB teams training in 10 ballparks across Maricopa County. The Cactus League Association is committed to strengthening and promoting this vital industry while serving our communities and contributing to the quality of life for Arizona residents and visitors.
