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Wichita Named Best Sports-Event Host City in the Country in 2025 SportsTravel Awards
National honor underscores Wichita’s elite venues, seamless operations and community-wide support for major sporting events
Wichita, Kan. (Oct. 15, 2025) – Visit Wichita, in conjunction with Northstar Meetings Group, today announced that Wichita has been named the Best Sports-Event Host City in the 2025 SportsTravel Awards, presented by SportsTravel magazine during the TEAMS ’25 Conference & Expo in Columbus, Ohio.
The national recognition validates Wichita’s excellence in hosting and its proven ability to attract and deliver high-caliber sporting events with seamless operations, elite venues and a community that shows up.
“Wichita, Kansas, is a most deserving winner of our Best Sports Host City award and a shining example of what a destination can achieve when it puts thought and effort behind attracting the widest range of sports events,” said Jason Gewirtz, vice president and managing director of the Northstar Meetings Group Sports Division, and publisher of SportsTravel. “The body of work that Visit Wichita was able to achieve over the past year speaks for itself and is a testament to the effort the team has put into elevating its national profile through sports events — one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry. Over the past year, Wichita hosted national championships in the Olympic movement, every major collegiate organization and the largest youth sports organizations, which is an accomplishment few other destinations were able to achieve.”
Wichita earned the top honor from a field of six finalists — Atlanta, Boise, Charlotte, Des Moines, Milwaukee, and Wichita — following voting by SportsTravel readers. The award recognizes destinations that demonstrate exceptional performance in hosting events that generate significant economic and community impact.
“It’s incredibly exciting for Wichita to be named as the top sports host city in the country,” said Josh Howell, vice president of sports development at Visit Wichita. “We know now more than ever that Wichita doesn’t sit on the sidelines. We get in the game. From the residents, fans, business owners and hospitality workers to the volunteers and community partners who all played a part in turning national sporting events into unforgettable experiences, this recognition is a testament to our city’s heart and we’re ready for what’s next.”
From June 30, 2024, to July 1, 2025, Wichita hosted more than 100 sporting events, generating an estimated $61 million in total economic impact. That includes $33 million from 16 major events directly secured, hosted or supported by Visit Wichita, and another $28 million from additional events supported throughout the city.
Wichita’s 2024–2025 sports calendar featured a remarkable lineup of national competitions and championships, including:
- 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships (first time ever to be hosted in Kansas)
- NCAA Men’s Basketball Division I Championships – First & Second Rounds
- Athletes Unlimited Softball (AUX & Championship seasons)
- NAIA Men’s & Women’s Wrestling National Championships
- Professional Fighters League (PFL 6)
- The Basketball Tournament (TBT) – Wichita Regional, Semifinals and Championship
- AJGA Wichita Junior Championship
- US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup
- USA Lacrosse WCLA Championships
- NJCAA & NAIA Men’s and Women’s Soccer National Championships
In addition to drawing thousands of athletes, coaches and fans from across the country, the events brought widespread exposure to Wichita, reinforcing its reputation as a welcoming, centrally located hub with modern venues and world-class hospitality.
Wichita’s competitive edge
Wichita’s venue lineup and event infrastructure continue to be a competitive advantage, including INTRUST Bank Arena, SCHEELS Stryker Sports Complex, Wichita State University’s Charles Koch Arena and Wilkins Stadium, Park City Arena and more.
Strong community support and buy-in – everything from support from community leaders and businesses to hospitality partners trained for event surges – helps Wichita stand out as a great sports host city.
Additionally, the city’s central U.S. location, easy air and drive access, compact venue–hotel footprint, affordable services and strong volunteer corps help stretch rights-holder budgets while elevating the fan and athlete experience.
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About Visit Wichita
Visit Wichita markets the Greater Wichita area and advocates for the city as a destination, increasing travel and tourism as a key economic driver for the city, county, region and state. Visit Wichita is led by president and CEO Susie Santo, and in 2024 travel and tourism contributed more than $1.5 billion in economic impact to the greater Wichita area.
About the SportsTravel Awards
Northstar Meetings Group (a division of Northstar Travel Group) owns and publishes SportsTravel magazine. SportsTravel sits within Northstar’s sports portfolio alongside the TEAMS Conference & Expo and other events that Northstar produces for the sports‐events industry. Presented annually by SportsTravel magazine, the SportsTravel Awards are nominated and voted on by readers and recognize the best events, venues and host cities in the sports event industry. Criteria for the 2025 program covered events that occurred or venues that opened between August 1, 2024, and July 31, 2025. The awards were announced at TEAMS ’25, the world’s largest gathering for sports-event organizers and travel planners, held October 13–16 in Columbus, Ohio.
