SAN JOSE/SANTA CLARA NAMED TO SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL’S BEST SPORTS BUSINESS CITIES: EVENT HOSTING 2023 LIST
SAN JOSE, CA – San Jose and Santa Clara were jointly ranked 2nd in California and 17th in the country in the Sports Business Journal’s Best Sports Business Cities: Event Hosting of 2023. This list focuses on cities that have been the most successful at attracting and hosting sporting events, which are major economic drivers for their communities.
The full article lists Silicon Valley’s impressive sports events resume, including the 2018 and 2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship, the 2019 NHL All-Star Game, the 2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, and the 2024 SportsETA Chief Executive Summit. The article also highlights this upcoming summer’s Copa America, as well as the massive upcoming slate for 2026, including Super Bowl LX, NCAA Men’s Basketball Regionals, and six 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.
Additionally, the article mentions: “Hosting events such as the U.S. Figure Skating and USA Gymnastics national championships — two Olympic sports events that drive significant room nights and TV exposure — helped boost San Jose’s downtown visitor numbers last year to 96% of what it was in 2019, according to the most recent “Downtown Recovery” report, a joint effort among Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, University of Toronto School of Cities and the University of Texas at Austin. Using location-based services data from mobile devices, the research shows that Las Vegas was the only major league city with a higher level of returning to pre-COVID business conditions (103%).”
“The San Jose Sports Authority is honored to have been recognized by the Sports Business Journal as the No. 2-ranked city in California and the No. 17-ranked city in the United States for hosting sporting events in the United States. Thank you to our incredible event partners who have contributed so much to our sports tourism sector. It all starts with our partnerships with Visit San Jose, SAP Center at San Jose, Sharks Sports & Entertainment, Team San Jose, and the City of San Jose for their collaborative spirit. They are the cornerstones in our efforts to secure sporting events for our city and region. Their partnership is the reason that our community thrives.” – SJSA Executive Director John Poch
“Sports and entertainment are thriving here in San Jose. We are extremely proud to be the first city to host both the U.S. Figure Skating and U.S. Gymnastics National Championships in the same year. And with Super Bowl LX , NCAA Men’s Basketball Regionals and the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to the capital of Silicon Valley, the best is yet to come!” – Mayor of San Jose Matt Mahan