Fort Worth Knows Sports

Fort Worth, Texas has been named the #1 city for hosting sporting events in the ‘cities without a big 5 team’ category by Sports Business Journal. The award was based on the quantity of events secured and hosted in 2023, along with signature annual events, among other criteria.

“We are extremely honored to be recognized for our efforts in sports tourism here in Fort Worth and we are truly grateful to all of our partners and customers that have helped make Fort Worth a world-class sports destination,” said Jason Sands, executive director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission, a division under Visit Fort Worth.

The impact of sports tourism has been on a sharp rise in Fort Worth over the past several years – especially in the Olympic sports segment. In the last 4 years, the Sports Commission has secured or hosted major championship events with USA Track & Field, USA Gymnastics, USA Table Tennis, USA Karate, USA Wrestling, USA Fencing, USA Judo and USA Taekwondo. In 2024 alone, Fort Worth will host five USOPC-sanctioned championships in all with an expected 16,000+ room nights and $12 million in estimated economic Impact.

“I am so excited Fort Worth was named best city in its category to host sporting events by Sports Business Journal in 2024,” said Mayor Mattie Parker. “Our world-class venues, like Dickies Arena, our hospitality community, restaurants, attractions, and hotels elevate the visitor experience. This award really is a testament to our team here in Fort Worth and the collaborative spirit we bring to every event our city hosts.”

Fort Worth has recently played host to some of the largest sporting events in the country, including the 2021 USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials, the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships (2019 – present), the USA Gymnastics US Gymnastics Championships (2021 & 2024), the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball 1st & 2nd Rounds, The Bassmaster Classic (2021 & 2025), The PBR World Finals (2022 & 2023), the 2022 Women’s Tennis Association World Finals and the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships.

“We realized early on that sports was an opportunity for the city, so we invested resources and watched it grow over the years to a point where it has exceeded all of our expectations,” said Bob Jameson, CEO of Visit Fort Worth. “We are honored and excited about this award. We are truly grateful for the work everyone has put into making Fort Worth a world-class sports destination.”

More high-profile events are on the way with the return of Team USA for the 2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships in May, the Major League Baseball Draft in July and the CrossFit Games in August. Fort Worth is also slated to host the NCAA Women’s Basketball Regionals in 2026.