A new report from the NC Chamber Foundation examines the wide-ranging economic activity connected to sports across North Carolina and makes the case for sports as an important asset for the state’s economic competitiveness. 

Released as part of the Foundation’s Strategic Supply Chain Assets research series, North Carolina’s Sports Economy: From Cultural Identity to Competitiveness Asset looks beyond teams and major events to explore the businesses, infrastructure, workforce, organizations and industries that make up North Carolina’s sports economy. The report examines assets ranging from professional and college athletics to motorsports, golf, outdoor recreation, youth sports, and major events.  

“North Carolina has a remarkable sports legacy, but when you look beyond the games and events, you see an economic ecosystem supported by infrastructure, supply chains, businesses, and capabilities across the state,” said NC Chamber Foundation Sr. Director of Infrastructure Competitiveness Dana Magliola, who conducted the analysis and authored the report. “Looking at sports through a supply chain and competitiveness lens provides a clearer understanding of the economic assets already here and the opportunities to build on those strengths.” 

North Carolina Has a Robust Sports Economy 

The report finds that North Carolina’s sports economy is both broad and geographically distributed. Charlotte has developed a major professional sports and motorsports platform; the Triangle pairs major sports organizations with a deep pipeline of youth and participant events; the Sandhills is anchored by Pinehurst and the USGA; and communities from the mountains to the coast support outdoor recreation, water sports, and destination events.  

While no single figure captures the full scale of the state’s sports economy, existing research demonstrates the significance of several major sectors: 

• Motorsports generates an estimated $3.82 billion in total economic output and supports nearly 20,000 jobs in North Carolina.  

• Golf generates approximately $2.3 billion in direct spending across 549 courses and supports close to 53,000 jobs statewide. 

• Outdoor recreation contributes roughly $17.7 billion in value added to North Carolina’s economy, representing about 2.1% of state GDP and supporting more than 155,000 jobs. 

• UNC System athletics carries an estimated $1.13 billion annual economic impact, before accounting for major private university programs across the state.  

The report cautions against combining these figures into a single statewide total because they measure different types of economic activity. Instead, it examines how sports generate value through visitor spending, infrastructure investment, business activity, workforce, media exposure, and community development.  

From Major Events to Year-Round Economic Activity 

The Carolina Hurricanes’ 2026 Stanley Cup championship run provides one recent example of sports-driven economic activity. Visit Raleigh estimated the full playoff run, including home games, watch parties, and the championship parade, generated more than $48.1 million in total economic impact in Wake County and $1.18 million in tax revenue. More than 192,000 people attended the downtown championship celebration.  

But the report emphasizes that North Carolina’s sports economy extends well beyond marquee events. Race-team engineering and manufacturing, youth tournaments, college athletics, golf operations, recreation businesses, sports facilities, and recurring visitor activity generate economic value throughout the year. 

Strengthening a Competitive Advantage 

The report places sports within a broader economic competitiveness context, connecting it to tourism, infrastructure, manufacturing, higher education, workforce, and quality of place. The facilities and capabilities that support sports often serve broader business and community needs, and these assets represent an important part of North Carolina’s competitive position and long-term economic growth. 

The full report is available here. 

About the Series 

The NC Chamber Foundation’s Strategic Supply Chain Assets research series examines the infrastructure, industrial, and economic assets that support North Carolina’s long-term competitiveness. Through the series, the Foundation is exploring how these systems connect to business growth, supply chain resilience, workforce, and investment across the state.