Sports Marketing
Goals surpassed
The Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) exceeded annual sales goals, finishing the fiscal year with 115 assisted definite bookings. In total, the 115 bookings represent a projected 147,000+ hotel room-nights and more than $106 million projected in direct economic impact (visitor spending) in Wake County.
Events in the Raleigh area
Worked with local partners in hosting, supporting and servicing major events held throughout the year. Some of the highlights included:
- North Carolina FC (NCFC) Youth's visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series
- USA Baseball’s National Team Championships, National Team Identification Series Champions Cups, Futures Invitationals and National High School Invitational
- Southeast Showdown Youth Ultimate Tournament
- Atlantic Tire Tennis Championships
- John Wall Holiday Invitational
- Sir Walter Miler
- N.C. AAU Karate State Championship
- N.C. Boys LaxFest
- Butterfly Triangle Cup (table tennis)
- MAPL Raleigh Volleyball
- City of Oaks Volleyball Challenge
- UNC Health Golf Championship presented by Stitch
- Swimming: USA Swimming ESSZ Age Group Sectionals and Southern Zone Age Groups Championships, N.C. Swimming Age Group Championship, TITANS Long Course Closeout, N.C. Senior Games, TITANS Big Southern Classic, YMCA of the Triangle Area Capital Classic, Speedo Blizzard Blitz, N.C. Masters Short-Course Championship and Speedo Triangle Classic
- The Carolina Cup (gymnastics)
- BODYARMOR Winter State Games of N.C.
- Deep South Classic
- Phenom Hoops Live
- Senior Softball-USA Atlantic Coast Championships
- Oak City Swing Softball Tournament
- USA Lacrosse National Tournament
- IWLCA Southeast Cup (lacrosse)
- Carolina Clash (lacrosse)
- Multiple N.C. High School Athletic Association state championships
Future bookings
In partnership with local organizations and venues, GRSA helped secure key future events, including:
- 2024-2029 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship (WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary)
- 2024-2029 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship (WakeMed Soccer Park)
- 2024-2029 ACC Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships (Cary Tennis Park)
- 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2030 ACC Rowing Championship (Lake Wheeler Park)
- 2024-2026 Great American Cross Country Festival (WakeMed Soccer Park Cross Country Course)
- 2025 College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Annual Meeting and Convention (Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley)
- 2025 The Soccer Tournament (TST) (WakeMed Soccer Park)
- 2025-2027 Phenom Hoops Boys Basketball (Raleigh Convention Center)
- 2028-2030 City of Oaks Challenge Volleyball (Raleigh Convention Center)
- 2028-2030 Mid-Atlantic Power League Volleyball (Raleigh Convention Center)
Celebrating 25 years of GRSA
GRSA marked a significant milestone this year: 25 years of sports marketing efforts at the Greater Raleigh CVB. To commemorate the 25th anniversary, the department embarked upon a journey through a quarter-century of unforgettable sports moments and achievements that make up the rich history of GRSA. As part of the celebration, a 25-week social media campaign recapped event highlights, venue developments and other notable moments from each year since the department’s inception. In addition, GRSA released a brand-new, sparkling promotional video highlighting major sports venues in Wake County as well as the myriad of competitive events that Wake County is able to host.
Collegiate events and future NCAA Championship bids
The region’s distinguished reputation as the premier destination for collegiate events was highlighted throughout the past year.
- NCAA Championship events hosted included: Women’s College Cup, Women’s Lacrosse, Women’s Basketball First/Second Rounds, Men’s and Women's Tennis First/Second Rounds, Division I Baseball Regional and the Division II Baseball Championship
- ACC Champions were crowned in: Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Men’s and Women’s Tennis and Rowing
- Additional events included: adidas XC Challenge, SailPack Intercollegiate Regatta, ITA All-American Women's Championships (tennis), SAS Championship HBCU Invitational, William Peace University Triangle Classic (softball), Triangle Collegiate Classic (volleyball), Women's Match Play Invitational (golf), Stitch Intercollegiate (golf), MEAC Bowling Championship, MEAC Men's and Women's Tennis Championships and the Lake Wheeler Rowing Invitational
- Additionally, GRSA, North Carolina State University, Town of Cary and a host of key regional partners submitted 18 bids in the NCAA’s latest site-selection process for future championships events spanning the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 academic years
Emerging sports
This past year’s calendar was highlighted by a multitude of new and emerging sports for the region.
- In April, Cary Tennis Park played host to the electrifying PPA Tour, showcasing the pinnacle of men’s and women’s professional pickleball
- Last summer, Church Street Park in Morrisville played host to many of the world’s top cricketers as part of the inaugural season of Major League Cricket
- Competitive rowing has found a home in Lake Wheeler Park as a result of two incredibly successful collegiate events: Lake Wheeler Invitational and the ACC Rowing Championship
- Hosting the EsportsTravel Summit at the Raleigh Convention Center last May provided the opportunity to showcase our booming esports scene; from our state-of-the-art facilities, a dynamic community and local support from the Greater Raleigh Esports Local Organizing Committee (GRELOC), Greater Raleigh has emerged as a vibrant and thriving hub for the world of esports
- Other notable events hosted in Greater Raleigh included: Clash of Carolinas State Championship Flag Football Tournament, Bridge II Sports Sanctioned Wheelchair Boccia Tournament, N.C. Air Hockey State Tournament and the USA Roundnet National Championship
Soccer central
It was another big year for the sport of soccer in Wake County, and GRSA supported a winning team of local partners to solidify our reputation as the best destination for championship events.
- TST returned for a second year at WakeMed Soccer Park with two $1 million prizes up for grabs, including an expanded 48 men’s field and a brand new eight-team women’s tournament. Total attendance was 42,000, and the event was broadcast on ESPN platforms and featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays of the Day. The star-studded event included many well-known athletes and celebrities, and the Pat McAfee Show was broadcast live from WakeMed Soccer Park for three consecutive days, providing incredible national coverage for the venue, the Town of Cary and the entire area.
- A new champion was crowned in NCAA Soccer as the Women’s College Cup returned to Cary last fall.
- The visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series, the largest annual youth event in the region, attracted more than 1,300 teams to play over four weekends in Nov. and Dec.
- NCFC Youth, the largest youth soccer organization in the state and host of the visitRaleigh.com Showcase Series, celebrated the club’s official 50th anniversary on March 11, 2024. As part of the celebration, NCFC Youth announced the formation of an All-Star Commemorative Team, and GRSA was named a member of the starting XI.
Municipality partnerships
During the past year, GRSA worked with four of Wake County's parks and recreation departments to develop a first-ever marketing and hosting memorandum of understanding (MOU). The four participating departments are all located in the Southwest portion of Wake County and were Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs. The MOU is designed to encourage and assist the four departments in working together to identify, secure and host larger sporting events that would benefit from a multi-municipality hosting arrangement. With several premier sports venues in those four communities, this initiative helps to leverage the strengths of those top-tier facilities.
Industry involvement and tradeshows and conferences attended
GRSA remained heavily involved with the N.C. Sports Association (NCSA) as sports sales manager Jocelyn O’Sullivan served on the NCSA board of directors, associate director Jason Philbeck, STS, served on the Board Development Committee and executive director Scott Dupree served as chair of the N.C. Sports Leadership Council. Director Tori Collins served as co-chair of the GRELOC.
GRSA represented Raleigh and Wake County at the following meetings, tradeshows and conferences:
- TEAMS Conference and Expo
- U.S. Olympic Committee Sportslink
- Connect Sports Marketplace
- S.P.O.R.T.S. Conference
- American Baseball Coaches Association Convention
- United Soccer Coaches Convention/US Youth Soccer Workshop
- NCAA Annual Convention
- Sports ETA Symposium
- NCSA meetings
- WISE meetings
- N.C. Sports Leadership Council meetings
- GRSA Advisory Board meetings
- Simpleview Summit