SURPRISE, AZ — While the baseball world's attention is on Chase Field this weekend, the Cactus League and the cities that host its teams have their eye on 2024.
For only the 7th time ever, two Cactus League teams are facing off in the World Series.
"It's a big deal for our city," Surprise Mayor Skip Hall says.
The City of Surprise hosts both the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals during spring training.
This World Series, Mayor Hall admits to divided loyalties when it comes to the Diamondbacks playing the Rangers.
"The last time one of our teams was in the World Series it was the Kansas City Royals in 2015," Hall said. "In 2016, they got a 20% bump in attendance. We expect that with the Rangers."
According to the Seidman Research Institute at ASU's W.P. Carey School of Business, the Cactus League generated $418.5 million toward Arizona's gross domestic product this year. It had a total economic impact of $710. million.
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"They stay in our hotels, so there's the bed tax," Mayor Hall said. "All the restaurants, they rent cars. There is even a retailer impact. They buy clothing here."
2016 was the last time two Cactus League teams, the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Guardians played one another in the World Series. In 2017, the Cactus League set an attendance record of 1.9 million fans.
"With 6 of 10 fans coming from somewhere else in the country, we know that to have two teams, and the Rangers from Texas, we know that's going to increase tourism for them and across the league," Cactus League Executive Director Bridget Binsbacher said.
Binsbacher is careful about making predictions, but she is hopeful that game attendance, the metric the Cactus League uses, will go up in 2024.
"Last year we were a little over 7,200. That number continues to increase. Hopefully, we can look at numbers of 8,000."
For Mayor Hall in Surprise, any opportunity to sell his city and possibly play host to a champion for a few weeks next spring works for him.
"I think the two teams this matchup is going to be fabulous for our city but also the state of Arizona."
Pitchers and catchers report mid-February.
