Las Vegas’s sports-related workforce has more than doubled over the past decade, climbing from roughly 8,500 workers in 2015 to an estimated 18,816 in 2025, according to a newly updated dashboard from UNLV. The figures track everything from fitness centers to professional franchises, and they come alongside a nearly $860 million haul in direct visitor spending tied to sporting events last year.
The data, compiled by UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research, show fitness and recreational sports centers account for the largest share of that employment, as reported by News 3 Las Vegas. The same analysis, using Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority data, found sporting events generated about $860 million in direct visitor spending in 2025, with the city hosting nearly 2 million visitors for sporting events that year, per the seed report from FOX5 Las Vegas.
CBER Director Andrew Woods said the sports economy’s reach goes beyond paychecks tied directly to teams and venues. He said it also creates local business opportunities, develops related industries, and encourages amateur athletes and youth participation, according to the FOX5 report.
A Decade of Franchise Growth Behind the Numbers
The jobs boom has tracked closely with Las Vegas’s transformation into a major-league town. The Golden Knights took the ice in 2017, followed by the Aces in 2018 and the Raiders in 2020, as detailed by fDi Intelligence. That same outlet notes gaming’s share of total revenue at Clark County casinos has fallen to 34.2% in fiscal year 2024, down from 61.5% in 1990, underscoring how much the Strip’s economy has diversified beyond the casino floor.
Earlier CBER research had already captured the scale of that shift. The white paper found sports-teams-and-clubs employment in Las Vegas soared 1,930.5% from just 59 jobs in the first quarter of 2010 to 1,198 jobs by the third quarter of 2022. Clark County employment in facilities hosting performing arts, sports and similar events grew 461.5% over the same stretch, reaching 949 workers.
Venues, Events and a Growing Fan Base
As of April 2023, Las Vegas had 17 primary sports facilities and arenas with a combined seating capacity of 285,173, according to UNLV’s research release. In fiscal year 2022 alone, 41 sponsored sporting events drew nearly 1.8 million spectators, LVCVA data cited in the same CBER report show.
Researchers are projecting the growth to continue. CBER’s white paper forecasts a 12.4% increase in employment across performing arts, spectator sports and related industries between 2022 and 2030, equating to roughly 2,944 permanent jobs. The same research flagged a 151% jump in coaching instruction in Las Vegas as a sign of growing entrepreneurial activity tied to the sports boom.
Youth Participation Climbing Alongside Pro Sports
The rise hasn’t been limited to professional franchises and paid staff. Youth hockey participation among young women and girls in Southern Nevada jumped eightfold, from 67 to 573 players, between the 2017 and 2022 seasons, per UNLV’s research release. Nearly 3,000 Nevada youth hockey players age 18 or younger were registered with USA Hockey in the 2024-25 season, compared with just 539 players in 2016-17, News 3 Las Vegas reported.
UNLV Turning the Boom Into Career Pipelines
UNLV has built its own infrastructure around the trend. The university’s Sports Research and Innovation Initiative is designed to align research and resources with the needs of leagues, teams and other sports-related businesses. That mission has translated into hands-on opportunities, including a Super Bowl internship program that most recently embedded four UNLV students with the NFL in Phoenix to help run Super Bowl festivities and promote the following year’s game in Las Vegas.
Jay Vickers, UNLV’s associate athletics director for the Rebel Athletic Fund, said students can tap into paid internships, mentorship and experiential learning across sports, hospitality, technology and event operations. He said the goal is for sports growth to become lasting career and business opportunities for Southern Nevada residents, pointing to the Super Bowl internship program and UNLV’s partnership with the Sports Business Classroom at NBA Summer League as examples of connecting education directly with industry.
