Raleigh, N.C. (Aug. 15, 2024) – Greater Raleigh stands out as one of the nation’s leading destinations for sporting championships and events, having successfully hosted major events like the 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series™, The Soccer Tournament (TST) in Cary and the visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series. In addition to holding these renowned events, the area excels in playing host to unique sporting events, boasting a diverse and inclusive environment for all athletes and fans. From events like the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series to the North Carolina Air Hockey State Tournament, Greater Raleigh goes above and beyond to welcome and advance sports of all kinds, showcasing the region’s versatility and passion for the sporting community.  

“The diversity and inclusivity of our community create the perfect environment for fostering a broad range of sporting events,” said Scott Dupree, Executive Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA). “The area’s ability to embrace and support these emerging sports in addition to our more traditional high-profile events is a testament to the region’s forward-thinking approach to the sports tourism industry.”

One of the region’s most prominent emerging sports is cricket, a bat and ball sport (like baseball) that is most popular in the South Asia region of the world. Cricket ranks among the world’s most popular sports and boasts a rich global history. The game is most notably emerging in Greater Raleigh because it’s home to the newly renovated Church Street Park. The facility holds up to 3,500 spectators and hosts numerous Major League Cricket games and tournaments throughout the year, supporting the area’s growing cricket fandom. In July, Church Street Park hosted the Cognizant Major League Cricket tournament and was one of only two hosts for the Major League Cricket games in the United States.

The competition continues in Greater Raleigh with unique sporting events like the USA Roundnet National Series and the Raleigh STS Challenger Tour Stop. Roundnet (also known as spike ball) is a booming sport inspired by concepts from volleyball and dodgeball, where two teams of two have three touches to hit a ball off a round horizontal net. By hosting these notable roundnet events at world-class facilities like WRAL Soccer Park and Pleasant Park, Greater Raleigh continues to emphasize the importance of diverse sporting opportunities for both players and spectators to enjoy. The region is gearing up for another exciting addition to its sports calendar on September 19-22 with a major disc golf tournament, the 2024 PDGA Tim Selinske U.S. Masters Disc Golf Championships. The event is one of only 11 major championships in the world held annually for disc golf. With more than 500 players registered to compete, the event will take place at four world-class facilities in the area. Disc golf is a unique and rapidly growing sport that combines the precision of golf with the fun of frisbee. With top-level courses in a naturally beautiful region of North Carolina, Greater Raleigh has established itself as the perfect destination for disc golf enthusiasts.

While traditional sports continue to flourish in Greater Raleigh, the digital arena is also thriving. The area is home to numerous video game and esports companies, including leading developers like Epic Games, Ubisoft, NVIDIA, Cisco and Lenovo. With hundreds of innovative technology companies headquartered in the region, plus numerous world-class universities and colleges, Greater Raleigh has quickly become internationally recognized as a top global host destination for major esports events. With the help of the Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC), Raleigh hosts several major esports tournaments at the Raleigh Convention Center and PNC Arena, including the 2023 League of Legends LCS Spring Finals, the 2024 Esports Travel Summit and many more. GRELOC continuously works to bring esports events, leagues, tournaments and other related gaming activities to the destination to grow and support the local gaming community.

Visit this link for more information about sporting events in Greater Raleigh in 2024.

About the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA):
A division of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) – the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) markets and promotes Raleigh and all of Wake County in order to generate and/or retain sports-related businesses (tournaments, championships, special events and meetings) for the purpose of economic development. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes nearly 18 million visitors annually whose spending tops $3 billion. The visitor economy supports over 24,500 local jobs in Wake County and generates $287 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $601 in taxes annually. raleighsports.org

Media Contact:
Visit Raleigh
Dana Canby
Public Relations and International Tourism Manager
919.830.1289
dcanby@visitRaleigh.com

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