Swing into spring, the Cactus League has made its triumphant return to Arizona, featuring the likes of last year's World Series contenders, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers. According to the Phoenix New Times, the preseason festivities, stretching from Thursday to March 26 across ten Phoenix ballparks, is set to usher in tourists and their wallets under the idyllic Arizona sun.
The Diamondbacks and Rangers, who tussled on baseball's biggest stage just a season prior, are among 15 teams that'll be stepping up to the plate during this year's Cactus League, which promises a significant financial bump for the local economy. A whopping 1.5 million fans were in attendance last year, about 7,246 per game, according to Andrew Bagnato, the league's spokesperson. The economic windfall, as reported by a study from Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business, clocked in at $418.5 million for the state's gross domestic product, coupled with a hefty $36.6 million in state tax revenue and an added $8.2 million for local governments.
The buzz swarming around the Cactus League isn't just about peanuts and crackerjacks but the real impact on tourism and local business. Bridget Binsbacher, executive director of the Cactus League, waxed lyrical to Phoenix New Times about the event's evolution since the inception of the Peoria sports complex back in '94, touting it as "the equivalent of a mega-sporting event." Three-fifths of attendees hail from outside the dusty bounds of Arizona, and 22% of those surveyed apparently weren't shy about trekking to other parts of the state while in town.
For those wanting to catch the action, especially the big game between the D-backs and the Rangers or see Shohei Ohtani of the LA Dodgers, getting tickets early is crucial. Fans should heed advice from Binsbacher and Dave Dunne, general manager of Salt River Fields, by buying tickets directly from the stadium in the less crowded initial weeks to avoid higher prices on the secondary market. According to Dunne, "There's just so much interest in that team. The younger players have really caught on with the fans," suggesting another exciting season for Arizona, with ticket sales already 20% higher than last year's record figures.
