About Spokane Sports

Sports Make Spokane Exceptional

We love sports. The adrenaline. The energy. The common vision to be one’s best. And this love shows in everything we do. But what drives us to blaze new trails in sports marketing; turn everyday events into exceptional experiences; to distinguish the region as a leader in sports event development and tourism, is our foundational commitment to our community. We know that when we succeed, so do local youth programs, regional commerce, and area families. Thanks to public and private funding, including many visionary sponsors, we can do what we do best for our community while providing premium services for our clients.

Our Purpose

Founded in 1989, the Spokane Sports Commission is a non-profit, economic development organization responsible for recruiting, retaining, and facilitating sports events for the Spokane region. As advocates for sports development, our efforts help our region realize the economic, social, and community development benefits of sports.

Our Clients

Olympic and Paralympic Sport Governing Bodies

There are 50 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sports Governing Bodies that work to support grassroots, competitive, and elite athletes. In Spokane, we have the opportunity to serve as a host city for Regional, National, and Olympic Trial events. For a select few, the journey continues beyond Spokane–their hard work culminates every 4 years at the Olympic Games.

Amateur Sports Governing Bodies

In addition to sports within the Olympic movement, we also work with Amateur Sports Governing Bodies within traditional and non-traditional sports. Each year, we welcome thousands of athletes along with their coaches, families, and officials to our city. Some travel to compete in well-known mainstream sports, but there is also a core of passionate, committed athletes for niche sports.

Collegiate Organizations

The Collegiate sector is vital to our success. We partner with Colleges, Universities, Athletic Conferences, NCAA, NAIA, and the NJCAA among other entities. We host Conference, Regional, National and Invitational Events for a number of collegiate sports. The dedication and grit we witness from student-athletes is incredible. They aim high, and chase major goals during their collegiate careers.

International Sports Federations

Pan American, World Championship, and International Invitationals have been contested in Spokane. Prestigious athletes from around the world have trained tirelessly, and traveled to Spokane for a marquee event. It is certainly a badge of honor to welcome the global sports world to Spokane.

Privately-held Sports Events

The Washington State Middle School Basketball Championships lays it mark on Spokane every March. It’s just one example of a tried and true event that is born in Spokane from the creative minds of entrepreneurs. We’re proud to partner with creative individuals to develop and launch new ideas.

Our Services

As your advocates, your personal ground crew, and your local eyes and ears, we support your athletes, coaches, officials, and fans with an unparalleled level of service and expertise. We know successful sporting events and will help you take care of every detail to ensure your experience is on a whole new level.

Sports Event Development and Recruitment
Travel & Housing Coordination
Event Promotion, Media, & Marketing
Event Logistics & Management
Financial Support & Incentives
Athlete Experience
Facility Development and Advocacy

It's not just fun and games—sports make a big difference to Spokane.

60+

sports events supported annually, bringing athletes from around the globe.

$100M

of direct economic impact to Spokane brought by traveling athletes and fans.

100K+

visitors welcomed annually to Spokane due to Spokane Sports' supported events.

60K+

hotel room night generated annually due to sports tourism.

We like to win. Check out a few of our accolades.

2017

Locally Created Event of the Year, presented by Sports ETA

2018

Locally Created Event of the Year, presented by Sports ETA

2019

Sports Commission of the Year,
presented by Sports ETA

How are we funded?

Spokane Sports is primarily funded through a variety of sources including Tourism Promotion Assessment (TPA), Lodging Tax Funds, and Rental Car Tax. These public dollars are strictly monitored and only used to recruit, incentivize, and develop sports events—all with the goal to grow tourism in the Spokane region.

We have also have private organizations and individuals who donate to our mission—supporting community events such as Spokane Youth Awards and the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame.