PEORIA, AZ — Communities around Cactus League games are experiencing a big economic boost.
Millions of people flock to the ten MLB stadiums across the Valley for spring training which brings in millions of dollars for the local economy.
In fact, the economic impact is more than enough to pay the contract for one of MLB’s top international players.
Each time Shohei Ohtani steps into the batter’s box at a Cactus League game, the world watches what the two-way generational talent will do.
In his third-ever at-bat as a Los Angeles Dodger, he showed he may be worth that $700 million contract that spans ten years by hitting an opposite-field home run.
Ohtani’s contract is the largest in sports history.
So to put it in perspective, the Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University indicates Cactus League games generated more than $710 million for the local economy during the 2023 season — $10 million more than Ohtani’s decade-long contract.
See more ABC15 coverage of spring training and the economy in the video player below:
ASU measures more than 1.5 million fans attended 216 games last year.
The median Cactus League visitor attended three games, and spent four nights in the Valley, spending $412 a day.
The Cactus League 2023 season created more than 5,800 jobs.
“We’re seeing people in Dodgers jerseys, Padres jerseys,” said Michael Russello with Kasai Japanese Steakhouse's newer location in Peoria. He smiled when talking about spring training’s impact on his business.
” It’s really taken off in Peoria — numbers are way ahead of our projections. We’re not even that far off from the Scottsdale location, and we’re a smaller location,” said Russello.
Another new Scottsdale restaurant also talked about how spring training impacts its bottom line.
“We see a lot of Giants jerseys coming through our door. We love the energy they bring. We are so grateful for the Spring Training fans for checking out One Handsome Bastard. As a newly opened business, the support has been integral to our success,” said Trish Ritchie, the owner of One Handsome Bastard.
Check out current deals for spring training fans around the Valley, special discounts at Peoria Sports Complex, and more here.
