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The St. Louis Sports Commission
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THE BIG DANCE:

STUDY FINDS ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WOMEN’S FINAL FOUR ON ST. LOUIS APPROACHED $21 MILLION

ST. LOUIS — May 10, 2001 — Economic impact of the 2001 NCAA Women’s Final Four: $20.9 million. Revenue generated for area hotel and lodging industry: $2.6 million. Spending on MetroLink tickets: $148,220. Area’s newly gained appreciation for women’s sports: priceless.

The legacy of the 2001 Women’s Final Four includes a little something of everything for the St. Louis community. Make that a lot of something of everything. According to a study completed by Dr. Patrick Rishe, assistant professor of economics at Webster University, the economic impact of the Women’s Final Four on the St. Louis region was as high as $20.9 million. That’s the most money generated by a local amateur sporting event since St. Louis hosted the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1994.

Rishe’s Final Four analysis also revealed that as many as 30,000 visitors traveled to the region for the event. This number includes ticket-holders, team travel parties, media, NCAA personnel, Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Convention attendees, and more than 9,000 fans (many with Southwest Missouri State ties) who came to St. Louis without tickets just to be part of the fun. St. Louis played host to the hoopla March 30 — April 1.

Besides the semifinal and national championship games at Savvis Center, the Women’s Final Four entailed various Championship Week activities around town, including the NCAA Hoop City fan-fest, open practice and autograph sessions, YES Clinics, "March to the Arch," WBCA All-Star Challenge, Game Face Symposium, and a Middle School Madness educational program. The host institution Missouri Valley Conference, the St. Louis Sports Commission, and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission (CVC) comprised the St. Louis Organizing Committee (SLOC) for the Women’s Final Four.

Rishe’s impact and visitor findings are based on a survey and study he coordinated during the event at Savvis Center. Fans in attendance were randomly selected to answer a questionnaire regarding their spending during the weekend. Rishe calculated the impact of the Women’s Final Four based on 736 surveys completed and other data supplied by the NCAA and SLOC. Survey results found that the event was responsible for:

• $2.61 million in direct spending on local hotels and lodging
• $2.44 million in direct spending at food and beverage establishments
• $1.43 million in direct spending at retail outlets
• $440,600 in parking expenditures
• $197,081 in rental car expenditures

• Trans World Airlines was the predominant carrier for the fans and participants that traveled by air to St. Louis. The event produced $521,088 in revenue for the locally headquartered airline. Combined with American Airlines, which acquired TWA, Final Four fans and participants generated $686,448 for the merged carriers.

• One in five fans attending the Women’s Final Four used MetroLink. Survey data reveals that fans spent as much as $148,220 on MetroLink tickets.

• The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association annual convention held March 27 — April 1 in St. Louis was responsible for $1.42 million in direct spending.

Of course ratings and dollars don’t tell the whole story. For many St. Louisans, the priceless elements of the Women’s Final Four made the event most meaningful. Whether it was the chance to get an autograph from Jackie Stiles — the all-time leading scorer in women’s college basketball, the opportunity to cheer Cor Jesu graduate Niele Ivey — Notre Dame’s senior guard, or the experience of dribbling a basketball down Market Street — with 2,600 other fans of all ages in the "March to the Arch," the Final Four left a legacy of images and memories special to area residents and important to St. Louis’ rich sports tradition.

Patty Viverito, tournament director for the 2001 Women’s Final Four and senior associate commissioner of the Missouri Valley Conference, said, "The excitement generated by the Final Four raised the consciousness of women’s basketball in St. Louis to a new level. It has permanently changed the way our region thinks about women’s sports. Our residents have gained a new appreciation and admiration for these athletes — something that is valuable in shaping how our community views and responds to women’s sports in the future."

Earlier this year, the Missouri Valley Conference, Sports Commission and CVC submitted a bid to host the Women’s Final Four in 2006 or 2007. St. Louis is one of five finalist cities for the event. A decision by the NCAA is expected this summer. The region is also a finalist for the 2004-07 NCAA Wrestling Championships, and intends to bid on the NCAA Frozen Four Hockey Championship for 2007, its next available year. St. Louis hosts the NCAA Men’s Final Four in 2005 at the Trans World Dome.

Grand Slams: A sample of recent St. Louis sporting events and their economic impact.