2023 Cactus League: The economic impact

Baseball was in full swing for the Cactus League this year, and now the 2023 Cactus League Economic Impact Release is ready.

Produced by Arizona State University’s L. William Seidman Research Institute, researchers interview out-of-state fans at all 10 Cactus League ballparks to measure the economic impact and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the 2023 spring training season.

ASU researchers have called the Cactus League a mega event, occurring every spring and lasting a month. The study captures the strength of an enduring force in Arizona’s economy, according to the study’s author, Dr. Anthony Evans, Senior Researcher at the Seidman Research Institute.

A Look at the Numbers

1,565,182 fans attended 216 games in 2023, according to Cactus League officials.

The 2023 Cactus League season generated $418.5 million for Arizona’s GDP, according to the study.

$710.2 million is the total economic activity or gross output the 2023 season generated.

The Cactus League’s 2023 season created 5,893 jobs by visitor spending. The jobs paid $271.9 million in 2023. Spring training directly generated a total of $36.6 million in taxes for the state and local governments.

According to the study, the median Cactus League visitor attends three games, spends four nights in Arizona, and spends $421.25 per day. 

Cactus League Ballparks

• American Family Fields of Phoenix: Phoenix, AZ
• Camelback Ranch: Phoenix, AZ
• Goodyear Ballpark: Goodyear, AZ
• Hohokam Stadium: Mesa, AZ
• Peoria Stadium: Peoria, AZ
• Salt River Fields: Scottsdale, AZ
• Scottsdale Stadium: Scottsdale, AZ
• Sloan Park: Mesa, AZ
• Surprise Stadium: Surprise, AZ
• Tempe Diablo Stadium: Tempe, AZ