Sporting events are projected to generate $15.5 million in direct spending in Rhode Island during the first three months of 2026, according to the Rhode Island Sports Commission.
The 17 events scheduled for January, February and March represent more than 18,000 contracted hotel room nights and nearly 78,000 athletes, family members and fans traveling to Providence, Warwick and surrounding communities, officials said.
“We continue to prove that Rhode Island is a powerhouse destination for sporting events of all sizes,” said Jonathan Walker, executive director of the Rhode Island Sports Commission, a division of GoProvidence.
Indoor sports including cheerleading, dance, volleyball, basketball and ice hockey drive winter tourism and help stabilize hotel occupancy when leisure travel typically declines, the commission said.
Two cheerleading competitions at the Rhode Island Convention Center are expected to draw a combined 27,000 attendees and $5.5 million in direct spending. The Spirit Fest Grand Nationals alone is projected to generate more than $3 million.
Three volleyball tournaments — the Nike New England Winterfest, Nike Providence SnowBrawl and Nike VolleyFest-Providence — are expected to bring a combined $3.8 million in economic impact.
“Sports consistently account for the majority of our winter room nights and direct spending,” said Tom Riel, senior vice president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We see the impact statewide, as attendees travel to rinks, courts, and fields across Rhode Island.”