2024 NIKE New England Winterfest Volleyball Tournament Brings 28,000 Visitors and $9.1M Economic Impact to Hartford-Area
HARTFORD, CONN., January 8, 2024 – More than 28,000 visitors from across the Northeast and Canada – including 8,000 young athletes and thousands of family members, friends, tournament officials, college coaches, fans and spectators – are coming to Greater Hartford this January over three consecutive weekends for the “2024 NIKE New England Winterfest Volleyball Tournament”. The projected economic impact to the Greater Hartford area is $9.1 Million.*
On Saturday, January 6, Hartford’s Mayor Arunan Arulampalam took the “official volleyball serve, alongside Dave Peixoto, Commissioner of the New England Region Volleyball Association, Inc. (NERVA), and Robert Murdock, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS).
During the tournament’s first weekend on January 6 and Sunday, January 7, organizers welcomed over 2,600 athletes (233 teams of 10 to 12 players), in five age group divisions for girls aged 15 to 18, and in seven age divisions for boys ages 14-18. At the largest of the three weekends on the three-day Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, from Saturday, January 13 through Monday, January 15, over 2,700 female athletes (237 teams), ages 16-18, will compete in Open/USA/American competition. On the final weekend, Saturday, January 20 and Sunday, January 21, organizers will welcome over 2,600 female athletes (236 teams of 10 to 12 players), ages 12-18, in 10 age group divisions for girls.
“This annual tournament is a great economic boost for the Greater Hartford region,” explains Robert Murdock, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS), the state’s official meetings and sports event sales and marketing organization. “The dynamic event is expected to generate over $9.1 Million in revenue over its three weekends as visitors stay in over 35 area hotels, dine in local restaurants, shop in the region, and enjoy nearby attractions.” Murdock reports an estimated 2,757 jobs in the region’s hospitality industry will be supported by this event, and over $584,532 in Connecticut taxes will be generated. (*Destinations International economic calculator)
“This year’s tournament will be the largest ever, as we are using the entire Exhibit Hall at the Connecticut Convention Center all three weekends,” explains Roxann Link, Junior Commissioner of the New England Region Volleyball Association, Inc. (NERVA). “It is an exciting spectator event where families come to cheer on their volleyball-playing daughters and sons. Since the Northeast has one of the largest concentrations of Collegiate Division II and Division III schools in the nation, with lots of NAIA schools here as well, many college recruiting coordinators to come and scout the athletes,” adds Link. “Players compete on 28 courts with 12 matches per court most days, each lasting approximately one hour.”
“The New England Winterfest tournament was the original convention center volleyball event in the Northeast,” adds Dave Peixoto, NERVA Commissioner. “And, since this event was established in 2010 at the Connecticut Convention Center, it has tripled in size. We look forward to returning to the facility this May 2024 with our “NIKE North Atlantic Championships”. The City of Hartford and its surrounding towns really make our volleyball players and fans feel welcome. Restaurants extend their hours and customize their menus, the Downtown dash shuttle bus adds hours of operation, and everyone is terrific about accommodating our group.”
“For the thirteenth year, the Connecticut Convention Center welcomes the New England Regional Volleyball Association for its Winterfest tournament in Downtown Hartford,” says Michael Costelli, General Manager of the Connecticut Convention Center. “We look forward to the incredible energy the thousands of NERVA athletes, coaches, and spectators bring to Hartford. We are proud to have been the host venue for Winterfest and are excited for the years to come.”
SPECTATOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND COSTS:
The tournament utilizes Scan & Go Assigned Admission via QR Code on electronic devices.
All Admission passes must be purchased on-line at www.SportWrench.com (select the event weekend).
https://jvctournaments.com/WinterfestWavesandSchedules
Working in partnership with the state’s businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and their surrounding communities, the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTMEETINGS) markets all of the state – convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues – as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conferences, conventions and major sports events. For more information about the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau, visit CTMEETINGS.org or call 860-728-6789.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura Soll, Communications – Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau, 860-688-4499, Cell 860-833-4466, Lauras@CTMEETINGS.org