Sports Define the Bay State and Support the Economy
Boston – Massachusetts, which prides itself on championship teams and iconic sporting events, has issued a calendar of top sporting events in 2016.
‘Sixteen in Sixteen: Signature Sporting Events in Massachusetts’ includes longstanding events like the Boston Marathon and the Head of the Charles Regatta, alongside incoming international events like the ISU World Figure Skating Championships and the Copa American Centenario soccer tournament. Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) and Massachusetts Sports Marketing Office (MSMO) compiled the list.
“These events contribute to our state’s economy while defining the spirit and pride of Massachusetts,” said Nam Pham, Assistant Secretary of Business Development. “For example, the 2015 Boston Marathon generated $180 million in visitor spending, while branding Massachusetts as a desirable sports tourism destination. That is a winning formula.”
“Massachusetts has long been a premier sports haven, with athletes and fans traveling here from around the world,” said Shannah McArdle, director of the Massachusetts Sports Marketing Office. “Our mission is to bring unique new sporting events to Massachusetts to strengthen our reputation as a state of champions.”
Among the special events in 2016 are the Polartec Big Air snowboarding event at Fenway Park; ISU World Figure Skating Championships at TD Garden; the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey at Worcester’s DCU Center; Copa America Centenario soccer match at Gillette Stadium; Babe Ruth Baseball World Series in Westfield; US Rowing Masters National competition in Worcester; and the Indy Grand Prix auto racing in Boston’s Seaport District.
Iconic sporting events on the list include the Beanpot Hockey Tournament at TD Garden; Boston Red Sox Opening Day at Fenway Park; the Boston Marathon; Pan-Mass Challenge; the Falmouth Road Race on Cape Cod; Deutsche PGA Golf Tournament in Norton; the Head of the Charles Regatta along the Charles River; the Gran Prix Cycling race in Gloucester; and the Harvard-Yale Football game in Cambridge.
Massachusetts attracts 22.9 million domestic, 735,000 Canadian and 1.5 million overseas visitors each year, according to MOTT. For more information on visiting Massachusetts, go to massvacation.com. For year round information on sporting events, visit masportsoffice.com.
