Mayor Johnson showcases the growing economic impact of sports in Dallas at the Qatar Economic Forum
DALLAS — Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson on Wednesday participated in “The Future of Mega Sporting Events: Legacy and Impact” panel at the prestigious Qatar Economic Forum (Forum) in Doha, Qatar. The Forum features heads of state, global business leaders, policymakers, and technology innovators exploring economic trends driving global growth. Forum themes in 2023 include Managing Inflation, The Future of Globalization & Global Trade, The Energy Transition, and The Business of Sports.
The panel was moderated by Bloomberg’s Head of the Middle East & North Africa Stuart Livingstone-Wallace and featured Johnson and two others: The Honorable Jane Castor, Mayor, City of Tampa; and Nasser Fahad Al Khater, CEO, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC.
Johnson and the panelists discussed the role of large-scale sporting events in advancing social and economic outcomes, leveraging mega sports events to achieve sustainable growth and development, emerging technologies that will have a lasting impact on mega sports events, and trends in sports consumption.
“Dallas is the best sports city in the United States,” Johnson said. “We present amazing opportunities for any professional sports franchise or event and have increased our competitiveness internationally, nationally, and within our own region to win mega sporting events.”
Johnson highlighted that Dallas was named by Sports Business Journal in 2023 the top city in the United States for sports business, beating out New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. He also previewed future major sporting events coming to Dallas, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2030 National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Men’s Final Four, and the 2031 NCAA Women’s Final Four. Dallas anticipates the three events generating more than $600 million in economic impact for the city.
Johnson said the timing of his visit to Qatar “couldn’t be better” as Dallas prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In 2010, the United States lost its bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup to Qatar. However in June 2022, FIFA announced that 16 North American cities, including Dallas, will host matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Dallas is favored to host one of the final matches.
“Dallas is a growing, international city on the rise,” Johnson said. “We look forward to showcasing our great passion, pride, and hospitality in 2026 as we welcome fans from around the world.”
For years, Johnson has advocated for strategies for keeping existing sports franchises in the City of Dallas, attracting expansion teams, and winning relocations of professional sports franchises and major events. In March 2022, he established an Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Sports Recruitment and Retention to increase Dallas’ sports-related economic development opportunities.
In 2022, sports in Dallas produced more than $647,119,075 in economic impact for the city, supported 4,304 jobs, and generated $16 million in local tax revenue. This year, Dallas hosted for the second time the NCAA Women’s Final Four tournament, which was the most successful NCAA Women’s Final Four tournament to date and included one of the most watched collegiate basketball games on ESPN (men or women).
Watch the full panel discussion here beginning at 34:00.
