The Mobile Sports Authority Reports a Successful Post-Covid Year

Dec 14th, 2021

Mobile, AL – The Mobile Sports Authority (MSA), the sports tourism agency for the City and County of Mobile, reported today the organization attracted, supported, and/or hosted 31 sports events during the recently completed fiscal year (October 1, 2020-September 30, 2021). Fiscal Year 2021, the first fiscal year post-Covid, generated an estimated $22.4 million for the Mobile area economy (see MSA Scoreboard for a complete breakdown). Eighteen different sports, involving all age brackets, comprised the event schedule which included everything from cross country and gymnastic meets, to volleyball, basketball, football, cycling, and even a turkey-calling championship and an Ultimate tournament, plus more.  Of the 31 total events, 17 were either first or second-time events for Mobile with 14 of the 31 events being youth-oriented.

These Fiscal Year 2021 results represent a substantial rebound from the FY2020 results (21 events hosted for a $7,610,720 impact in which several planned events were either postponed or outright canceled). Even with FY2020 included, over the last five fiscal years (2017-2021), the MSA has hosted an average of 30 sports events per year which have generated an estimated economic impact to the Mobile area of $18.6 million per year.

“Even though there were tremendous challenges over the last 21 months due to Covid, the sports events business came back strong in FY2021. The participation and spectator numbers are returning to pre-Covid levels and in some cases, exceeding pre-Covid numbers as competitions have flourished. Based on the trends, we believe that visiting sports events will continue to be an essential part of our future tourism activity. And we’ve been able to attract/host those sports events due to the continued strong support the MSA has received from the Mobile County Commission, Mayor Stimpson and the Mobile City Council, and a very sports-oriented Board of Trustees.,” said Danny Corte, Executive Director of the MSA.  “Since Fiscal 2012, the MSA has attracted, hosted, managed, or co-managed 284 sporting events, which have provided an estimated $184+ million economic boost for the Mobile area. As we continue to invest in our facilities, the future continues to look bright as we’re constantly engaging sports event owners about the advantages of coming to play in our beautiful area.”

To cap off this past MSA fiscal year, the 4th annual Gulf Coast Challenge Powered by the Mobile Sports Authority was played at historic Ladd-Peebles Stadium on September 25, 2021. The football game, featuring Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University, attracted over 17,000 fans, which included visitors from at least 10 states. Fans and guests enjoyed an event-filled game week that included a college and career fair for local high school students, two concerts featuring Ruben Studdard and the Ying Yang Twins in Cathedral Square, a team luncheon, a traditional Mardi Gras-style parade, and, of course, gameday tailgating.  The weeklong festivities generated an estimated $5.6 million economic impact for the Mobile area making this the most economically significant annual event hosted by the MSA or by its predecessor organization, the Mobile Area Sports Commission.  

About the Mobile Sports Authority

The Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) is a non-profit sports commission formed in 2009 by the Mobile County Commission. The main mission is to create a positive economic and public relations impact for Mobile County, the City of Mobile, and the region through attracting, hosting, managing, and supporting sporting events which attract visitors to the Mobile area.  The MSA is the main point of contact for sports and sports-related activities for the Mobile County area. For more information on the MSA, please visit www.mobilesportsauthority.com.

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