The Cactus League welcomes you to Arizona
It is my pleasure to welcome you to Arizona for the 2024 Cactus League season.
Spring training is a time to savor baseball in the sunshine and look forward to the upcoming season – six months of meandering storylines that conclude in the rush of October baseball. But before we dive into another season, I’d like to take a quick look back and congratulate the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks for reaching the 2023World Series, won by the Rangers in five games.
It was only the seventh All-Cactus League World Series. The first? It was way back in 1954, when the then-New York Giants defeated the then-Cleveland Indians. The Giants have since changed cities (to San Francisco) and the Indians have changed names (to the Guardians).
Of course, the Giants and Indians formed the foundation of the Cactus League. In 1954, the “league,” if one could call it that, bore little resemblance to the full-scale industry that is today’s Cactus League, with 15 Major League Baseball teams training at 10 facilities across Maricopa County. In 2023, 216 Cactus League games drew a total of 1,565,182fans, a big rebound after three seasons hampered by a pandemic and a labor stoppage.
We can thank you – the passionate baseball fan – for every bit of that growth.
The 2023 spring training season generated $418.5 million for Arizona’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and $710.2 million in total economic activity or gross output, according to a study by the Seidman Research Institute at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business.
That’s a lot of peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
The study also found that spending by Cactus League visitors created 5,893 annual jobs paying $271.9 million in 2023.
“While Cactus League games may not count, their economic impact certainly does,” Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs said when the study
was released last summer. “I am laser-focused on creating jobs and building businesses right here in Arizona, and the Cactus League is a critical partner in doing just that. I want to congratulate the Cactus League on your excellent work this past season and all you have done for communities across Arizona.”
The study only measured new dollars that poured into Arizona via out- of-state visitors. Six of 10 Cactus League attendees in 2023 came from outside Arizona, a number that has remained steady for years.
Some are fleeing the dark, damp Pacific Northwest, while others are escaping the frigid Midwest. You’ll know them by their tan lines.
When those fans come to a Cactus League game, they probably don’t think about the infrastructure of spring training. Nor should they. But Cactus League leaders think of little else.
To ensure the vitality of the spring training industry in Arizona, we must maintain our facilities and continue to provide the best possible experience for all involved. We are grateful to Major League Baseball and our eight host municipalities and the tribal community for their ongoing partnership. A special shout-out goes to the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority for its continuing strong support of Cactus League ballpark construction and renovation.
Finally, I salute Play Ball Magazine, a valued partner and the best source for all things Cactus League.
Here’s to the new spring training season – and dreams of another All- Cactus League World Series next fall.
Chris Calcaterra
Cactus League President
AZ League Connection 