A Banner Year For The Mobile Sports Authority

Nov 27th, 2019

MOBILE, AL – The Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) recently reported that the organization attracted, supported, and/or hosted a record 40 sports events for the recently completed fiscal year ending September 30, 2019. The banner year generated an estimated $22.3 million for the Mobile area economy (see MSA Scoreboard for a complete breakdown).  Twenty-two different sports, involving all age brackets, comprised the event schedule.  From cross country and gymnastic meets, to volleyball, football, cycling, and even a turkey-calling championship.  Twenty-one of the 40 events were in Mobile for the first or second-time.

The Fiscal Year 2019 numbers represent one of the most successful years reported by either the Mobile Sports Authority or its predecessor organization, the Mobile Area Sports Commission, dating back to 1998.  Over the last four fiscal years (2016-2019), the MSA has hosted an average of 34 events per year, which represents an approximate 41% increase over the previous four years (2013-2015 / 24 events).

With the tremendous support we’ve received from the Mobile County Commission, Mayor Stimpson, the Mobile City Council, and a very sports-oriented Board of Trustees, we at the Mobile Sports Authority are proud to continue generating such a significant impact for the Mobile area economy,” said Danny Corte, Executive Director of the MSA.  “Since Fiscal 2012, the MSA has attracted, hosted, managed, or co-managed 232 sporting events, which have provided an estimated $154+ million economic boost for Mobile County. The future continues to look bright as we’re constantly engaging sports event owners to tell our story about the advantages of coming to play in our beautiful area.

To cap off an already successful year, the 2nd annual Gulf Coast Challenge Powered by the Mobile Sports Authority was played at historic Ladd-Peebles Stadium on September 28, 2019.  The football game, featuring Central State University and Alabama A&M University, attracted over 11,500 fans, which included visitors from 19 states. Fans and guests enjoyed an event-filled game week that included a college and career fair for local high school students, a concert in Cathedral Square, a team luncheon, a traditional Mardi Gras-style parade, and, of course, gameday tailgating. With an estimated $3.1 million generated for the Mobile area economy, the annual Gulf Coast Challenge is once again the most economically impactful event hosted by the MSA.