Delaware Tourism seeks sporting event grant applications
The Delaware Tourism Office announced applications are open for the second round of its grant program called Tournaments, Events and Athletic Meets Sponsorship Program, aka TEAMS.
Designed to expand the office’s resources in recruiting sporting events to Delaware, the program aims to attract new regional, national and international sporting events at amateur, collegiate and professional levels while ensuring that current sports events maintain their place in the First State and continue to grow for years to come.
“The TEAMS program plays a vital role in positioning Delaware as a premier destination for sports tourism,” said Jaimie Watts, Division of Small Business deputy director. “By providing targeted financial support and resources, we empower event organizers to bring high-profile tournaments and competitions to our state, driving economic growth, increasing visitor stays, and showcasing Delaware on a regional and national stage.”
The TEAMS program is open to both new events in the state and existing Delaware events seeking to expand or enhance their offerings. This initiative will continue Delaware’s efforts to support sporting events that increase the number of overnight stays, provide a positive impact on the state and promote regional or national media coverage of sports tourism in Delaware.
“Sports tourism is a major economic driver in our state,” said Ryan Wolfe, Delaware Tourism Office sports sales leader. “Last year alone, we saw over $75 million in estimated economic impact from our efforts. Programs like TEAMS help us attract bigger, bolder events that bring fans, athletes, and media from all over the country. By backing exciting new events and helping our established tournaments level up, we’re fueling big economic wins and putting Delaware in the spotlight in the sports scene.”
Applications for the TEAMS Program are available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be reviewed in the order in which they are received until available funds are depleted.
During the inaugural year, the TEAMS program received 43 applications from event owners encompassing 14 different types of sports. In all, 24 organizations were awarded a total of $500,000. The first year of this program brought an estimated economic impact of $75 million to the state, including more than 20,000 hotel room nights and 180,000 people.
Within the past few years, Delaware has been selected to be the home of many national events, including the 2025 Professional Bowlers Association Season Opener, WKA National Muay Thai & Kickboxing Championships, USA Lacrosse Youth Nationals, MEAC Volleyball Championship, U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships and the state’s first PGA Tour event, the 2022 BMW Championship, which saw nearly 130,000 attendees and contributed more than $30 million to the local and state economies.
To learn more, go to visitdelaware.com.
