LakePoint Sports, the leading destination for travel and youth sports in the United States, has introduced new initiatives, partnerships, and media to maintain its momentum as the sports tourism industry continues to grow rapidly. The 2024 Sports Events and Tourism Association (Sports ETA) Annual Report revealed that the sports tourism sector achieved $52.2 billion in direct spending in 2023, with a total economic impact of $128 billion. John David, President and CEO of Sports ETA, emphasized the significant growth and impact of sports tourism on local communities and state economies. The industry supports over 750,000 jobs and contributes $20.1 billion in taxes, demonstrating its essential role in the economy. Mr. David also highlighted the collaboration between Sports ETA and city and county tourism leaders to maximize the economic benefits of sports tourism through public-private partnerships.
LakePoint Sports is experiencing first-hand the national trends playing out on its sprawling 1,300-acre campus. ”LakePoint is keeping pace with the tremendous momentum the industry is riding” stated Dean Keener, SVP, LakePoint Sports. “Over the past five years LakePoint’s top-line revenue has grown +149% and Operating EBITDA is +234%,” added Keener. “It’s been an exciting time and 2024 is proving to be another incredible year with new initiatives and events already making an impact.”
In 2023, there was significant growth in sports participation across various categories. According to the 2024 Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Annual Topline Participation Report, baseball saw a 7.6% increase, basketball saw a 5.6% increase, cheerleading saw an 8.3% increase, 7v7 football saw a 9.1% increase, gymnastics saw a 4.1% increase, lacrosse saw a 5.5% increase, outdoor soccer saw an 8.1% increase, and court volleyball saw a substantial 13.4% increase.
LakePoint Sports maintains a 90% retention rate for the events and programs across its campus driven by each of the same sports seeing growth nationally. “We continue to pursue opportunities to elevate the experience for the tournaments, showcases, camps, clinics and special events for the sports that are also growing nationally as they are the most popular on the LakePoint campus,” added Keener.
In 2024, LakePoint Sports kicked off the year with a wide range of new initiatives aimed at enhancing the guest experience both on and off the sports facilities. At The Baseball Village, all eight top-notch baseball fields underwent re-turfing by Geo Surfaces, while 120,000 square feet of hardwood flooring at the Champions Center were refurbished. Additionally, there are new enhancements in the works for the recently re-turfed three-field multi-purpose field complex, which will include a new naming rights partner. “I can assure you, there’s never a dull moment at the LakePoint Sports campus,” said Josh Laney, Co-Team Lead of Guest Experience. “Every day, the LakePoint Team is committed to delivering excellence in the guest experience across all sports, events, and venues,” Laney added.
LakePoint’s partnerships and media initiatives continue to be a momentum catalyst. With over sixty corporate partners, including global, national, regional, and hyper-local brands, guests can have an immersive LakePoint campus experience with a variety of brand offerings. LakePoint’s media platform, LakePoint Live powered by Pixellot will broadcast over thirty games in 2024 and provide access to hundreds more. Additionally, from a dynamic social media presence, ever-evolving content and storytelling initiatives, eight sold out Champions Weekends peppered throughout the year, Johnsonville’s “Keep It Juicy” national campaign activation platform to the award-winning Barnsley Resort where guests can enjoy a pre or post tourney vacation, a day of golf or a fine dining experience, there’s something for the millions annually visiting the LakePoint campus. “Brands like Yanmar, Coca-Cola, Audi, Body Armor, Rawlings, and Baseballism to name a few, have embraced the LakePoint Sports partnership platform to engage our shared customers in ways that build brand awareness, drive meaningful business results for their brand and elevate the LakePoint guest experience,” stated Greg Barckhoff, SVP, LakePoint Sports Partnerships and Marketing. “Other brands like Pomi Insurance, Amaryllis + Main Boutique, and multiple tech brands have seized the opportunity to grow their business while engaging a captivated audience,” added Barckhoff.
Equally exciting is the real estate transformation that is taking place across the LakePoint Sports campus and the immediate area surrounding the campus. The incredible views from the rooftop bar of the new Element Hotel by Westin, set to open this fall, highlight the real estate development boom in Bartow County as there is construction taking place in every direction of the campus with more on the horizon. “We created a LakePoint Sports, and I-75 hotel strategy based on the growth and momentum at LakePoint Sports and Bartow County,” stated Nim Patel, President and CEO, Horizon Hospitality. “Our new Element Hotel will create a new standard for the millions of LakePoint Sports guests visiting campus annually as well as our local community in this region of Georgia,” added Patel.
Throughout the first half of 2024, the travel and youth sports industry has been booming, and LakePoint Sports has been gaining momentum as well. They have a packed schedule of Champions Weekends, National Championships, Live Period events, LakePoint Live broadcasts, as well as various brand activations and real estate construction projects. This paves the way for exciting times and opportunities for LakePoint Sports in the latter half of 2024.
