LakePoint Sports Shines as Travel and Youth Sports Surge

ATLANTA, July 11, 2024 (Newswire.com) - LakePoint Sports, the premier travel and youth sports destination in the country, adds new line-up of initiatives, partnerships, media, and more to fuel momentum as the travel and youth sports industry and sports participation are experiencing rapid growth.

According to the 2024 Sports Events and Tourism Association (Sports ETA) Annual Report, the sports tourism sector reached a staggering $52.2 billion in direct spending in 2023, with a total economic impact of $128 billion. “Sports Tourism is a massive industry, growing exponentially, impacting local communities and state economies,” stated John David, President and CEO, Sports ETA. The industry supports over 750,000 jobs and contributes $20.1 billion in taxes, highlighting its vital role in the economy. “Sports ETA is working closely with city and county tourism leaders from across the country to realize the economic impact of sports tourism and the benefits of public private partnerships,” added Mr. David.

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.”

A significant increase in sports participation can be attributed to some of the industry growth. According to the 2024 Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Annual Topline Participation Report, in 2023 there was participation growth across major sport categories, including, baseball up 7.6%, basketball up 5.6%, cheerleading up 8.3%, football 7v7 up 9.1%, gymnastics up 4.1%, lacrosse up 5.5%, outdoor soccer up 8.1%, and court volleyball up 13.4%.

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.

LakePoint Sports led off 2024 with a plethora of new initiatives focused on elevating the guest experience inside and outside the lines. At The Baseball Village, all eight state-of-the-art baseball fields were re-turfed by Geo Surfaces, 120,000 square feet of hardwood was re-furbished at the Champions Center, as well as new additions coming to the recently re-turfed three-filed multi-purpose field complex, which will feature a new naming rights partner. “I promise you, there is never a dull moment on the LakePoint Sports campus,” stated Josh Laney, Co-Team Lead, Guest Experience. “Everyday the LakePoint Team is focused on delivering excellence in the guest experience, by sport, event and venue,” added Laney.

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.

While the travel and youth sports industry continues to surge through the first half of 2024, LakePoint Sports momentum accelerates. With a full slate of Champions Weekends, National Championships, Live Period events, LakePoint Live broadcasts, and a multitude of brand activations and real estate construction abound, exciting times, and opportunities remain at the forefront for LakePoint Sports for the back half of 2024.

To learn more about the growth and momentum at LakePoint Sports, click here.

About LakePoint Sports:

LakePoint Sports, the premier travel and youth sports destination in the country, encompasses a sprawling 1,300-acre campus featuring five premium venues: the Champions Center Indoor Pavilion, the Baseball Village, the Multi-Purpose Fields Complex, the Beach Pavilion, and Terminus Wake Park. Focused on delivering excellence in the guest experience and fostering world-class partnerships, LakePoint annually hosts millions of guests from across the globe and attracts athletes to compete against the nation’s best. Leveraging influential media platforms and pioneering innovative technology, LakePoint Sports is dedicated to setting the standard in travel and youth sports.

Source: LakePoint Sports