Hartford’s Sports Events Gaining Following, Earning National Notice

/

by David Griggs

Hartford's sports scene is earning national attention.

In September, Sports Business Journal ranked Hartford No. 10 on its list of the best minor league sports markets in the country, based on attendance, venue investment, tenure, and other factors. It is Hartford's first appearance in the top 10 and a remarkable climb from No. 60 in 2007. Combined attendance for our teams has grown at a 6.9% compound annual rate, faster than all but four markets in the study.

Three professional franchises in three venues across our city drive that success.

  • The Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, our longest-tenured team, has played downtown since 1997. Along with UConn basketball, the Wolf Pack benefits from the $145 million renovation of PeoplesBank Arena.

  • The Double-A Hartford Yard Goats brought baseball back downtown at Dunkin' Park, which anchors the Downtown North mixed-use redevelopment.

  • And Hartford Athletic, which kicked off in 2019 in the USL Championship, calls the refurbished, 5,500-seat Trinity Health Stadium home.

This recognition matters because sports and events have become one of the most dependable drivers of economic vitality in American cities.

The Sports Events and Tourism Association reports that sports tourism now generates $274.5 billion in total economic impact nationwide, supporting 1.6 million jobs and $20.5 billion in state and local taxes. That market has two halves: spectator events that bring fans to town throughout the year and youth and amateur tournaments that fill hotels in slower seasons. Hartford competes in both.

This summer, USA Gymnastics brought the U.S. Classic back to PeoplesBank Arena. For two days, the nation's top gymnasts, Olympians among them, competed in the heart of our capital city. Fans and families filled Pratt Street, local merchants offered ticket-holder deals, and partners across the city worked together to keep visitors downtown between sessions.

Each January, the NIKE New England Winterfest volleyball tournament brings more than 30,000 players, families, and spectators to the Connecticut Convention Center over three weekends.

Visitor traffic is one of the most important measures of a city’s health, and Hartford’s office-centered downtown means that events and entertainment are vital. For our restaurants, bars and shops, a busy event calendar means more customers and more revenue.

Research shows that walkable, mixed-use districts around sports venues strengthen both surrounding real estate and attendance. The Urban Land Institute offers an important insight: these districts thrive when a venue is part of a larger, year-round strategy, and they can lose momentum without sustained programming and partnership.

Hartford already has the ingredients. Our arena, ballpark, stadium, and convention center all sit in or near the urban core. New apartments are rising across from Dunkin' Park, and PeoplesBank Arena has been renewed for a new generation of fans. Now we need to build a true district around them.

That is the purpose of the Alliance's $2 million Arena District Investment Fund. It is modeled on the successful Hart Lift program, where $9.5 million in ARPA funds leveraged over $12 million in private investment. The fund aims to activate the vacant retail space surrounding the arena. Its priorities include:

  • Storefront grants for retail, food and beverage, and entertainment operators on Trumbull, Asylum, Pratt, Anne Uccello, Allyn, and Main streets

  • Expansion of the Front Street dining and entertainment district along the riverfront

  • A live music and entertainment cluster that keeps visitors downtown after events

  • Public improvements such as lighting, streetscaping, wayfinding, and outdoor gathering spaces

Alongside the fund, we are working to grow sports tourism through:

  • Targeted tournament recruitment with CTMEETINGS that leverages the Convention Center and PeoplesBank Arena together

  • Hosting partnerships with UConn Athletics

  • Expanded programming at Dunkin' Park beyond baseball

Every one of these efforts is strengthened by your support. I encourage you to host clients and colleagues at games and events downtown, bring your industry's conferences and competitions to Hartford, explore potential opportunities in the Arena District, and share your ideas with our team. When our investors show up, visitors follow, and our streets come alive.

Hartford has proven it can compete on a national stage. Working together, we can ensure our capital city has a vibrant, year-round downtown that benefits every business in our region.

David Griggs is President and CEO of MetroHartford Alliance.  This perspective was recently shared with MHA member companies and businesses in the region.