The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB and NCAA Win Economic Impact Award
12/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Sports Destination Management Magazine named Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism and the NCAA National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship recipients of the 2016 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism. The award recognizes players in the sports tourism industry that help drive revenue into host cities.
UAB hosted the inaugural NCAA National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship in Gulf Shores, Alabama, which made a $1,200,000 impact on the city. Last year, the NCAA introduced beach volleyball as a championship sport which made a substantial impression on Gulf Shores economy. This year's recipients are responsible for contributing over $800 million to the national economy over the past year.
The main factors in providing sufficient economic impact involve size, time of year, popularity, fan culture, location, population, economic and demographic characteristics. The economic impact of the NCAA tournament and its fans increased 246 percent over the last year.
Other small market organizations and their economic impact that were recipients of the award include: Speedo 2016 Summer Sectionals California-Nevada and Placer Valley Tourism ($226,088); 2016 ASA 14U Class A Girls Fast Pitch Eastern Championship in Prince George County, Virginia ($842,400); National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 2016 Men's & Women's Lacrosse National Invitational Championship in Greenville, South Carolina ($882,000) and the Stars and Stripes Gymnastics Invitational & Erie Sports Commission and Erie Gymnastics in Erie, Pennsylvania ($977,500).
For its outstanding hospitality, UAB will once again host the NCAA National Championship in 2017 in Gulf Shores.
