Sports Chipped in $146.5 B to Florida's Economy in Fiscal Year

The Florida Sports Foundation announced its recently commissioned study found the total economic impact of the sports industry on Florida's economy amounted to $146.5 billion in Fiscal Years 2019-20 and 2020-21.

The report, conducted by the independent research firm Tourism Economics, also showed that the billions injected into the economy by sports supported 978,200 part-time and full-time jobs on an annual basis and generated $13.9 billion in state and local taxes.

"We applaud Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the extensive steps he has taken to ensure Florida has remained open for sports throughout his administration," said Angela Suggs, President and CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation. "The findings of this report show the wisdom of the Governor's strategy to prioritize access to golf courses, beaches, hiking trails and other recreational venues."

Amateur and leisure activities were the largest contributors to Florida's sports economy over the course of the study. This category, which includes golf, hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities, accounted for $113.6 billion in total economic impact. Within the amateur and leisure activities category, golf was the largest contributor, generating $44.2 billion in impact.

Other highlights of the report include:

• Florida's sports industry accounted for nearly 28.1 million non-resident visitors to the state, representing 14 percent of all Florida tourism.
• Professional sports accounted for $10.2 billion in economic impact, while college athletics contributed $5.5 billion in impact.
• The efforts of the state's 36 sports commissions, supported by the Florida Sports Foundation, generated $24.9 billion in total economic impact.