From Dallas to Melbourne, the hospitality industry is wooing sports travelers with exclusive promotions, game day events, and unparalleled access to the big show.
business district Dallaswas bombilate . It was April 2 , 2023 , and the American Airlines Center was packed from level to roof with college basketball fan , all eager to see LSU take on Iowa in theNCAA Women ’s Championship . It had been a tumbler pigeon coaster of a month — they call it March Madness for a grounds — and it palpate like the integral nation sour up to find what would go down as themost - watched women ’s college basketball plot in historywith 9.9 million viewers . Inside the stadium , lines snaked around conceding stands and attendees mobbed merch table , elbows flying as they scrambled to snatch up up their official NCAA branded hoodies and orchis caps before the starting whistle .
But my workfellow and I were n’t in the thick of it — instead , we were show up a serial of steps and into a broad private suite stocked with sandwich spreads , a full bar , and plenty of seating with prime views of the court below . From our vantage point , we watched Iowa ’s Caitlin Clark go point - for - point with LSU ’s Angel Reese ( a.k.a . Bayou Barbie ) , battle it out in a het struggle until LSU pulled onward and , after four action - packed quarters , claimed victory as theirs . Across the stadium , we spotted familiar side in the suites surrounding ours , from tennis smashing Billie Jean King and First Lady Jill Biden to a revolving mold of former and current WNBA stars . Directly below us , UCONN potassium alum and indisputable GOATs Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi were filmingThe Bird and Taurasi Showfor ESPN , their commentary occasionally interrupted by a handycam - wieldingUSWNT champMegan Rapinoe ( footage of us staring in fear definitely be somewhere ) .
Our suite , however , was n’t live by renown , pro athletes , or politicians . away from a handful of diarist and a publicizer or two , the rest period of the tourney - leaver washing their eggs salad down with aluminum - bottle Bud Lights were regular kinfolk — regular folks who occur to love stay on atMarriott Bonvoy hotelswhen they traveled .
Marriott’s NCAA partnership intends to bring fans closer to their favorite teams—in this case, maybe a little too close.|Photo courtesy of Marriott Bonvoy
As the prescribed hotel partner of the NCAA , the hotel chain ask for members of their loyalty political program to invite on special VIP Final Four slate software program via theMarriott Bonvoy Moments platform . As a part of the package , guests with the winning bids get a four - night stay at the nearbySheraton Dallas Hotel , an behind - the - scenes sports stadium hitch , and invitations to a autobus breakfast , welcome reception , and a adult male ’s semi - last viewing party .
“ Travel and sportsare both about connecting people and creating lasting store , ” said Julius Robinson , master cut-rate sale and merchandising ship’s officer for Marriott International ’s US and Canadian markets , in a2023 press release . “ Through Marriott Bonvoy Moments , we can connect members with a largeness of unequaled experience — something for every kind of lover — tailored to their interests , during March Madness events and beyond . ”
They ’re at it again in 2024 , having just found theirScore Big with Marriott Bonvoy Game Day Ritualscampaign in February . And while the dictation portion remains the same , they ’ve up the ante with a competition asking members to share their most “ outre game day rite ” in hope of win a baller head trip to2024 ’s Women ’s Final FourinCleveland , Ohio . The theme , of course , did n’t appear out of nowhere — rather , it was the product of extensive market research targeting both supporters and athletes .
By collaborating with sports leagues, hotels brands like Marriott Bonvoy are bringing fans closer to the action.|Ron Jenkins/Stringer/Getty Images Sport
“ When we dug into fan behavior , the custom of completing biz day rituals really stand out to us — eccentric or workaday , these are something sport enthusiast can relate to , ” explain Mandy Gill , frailty president of continent selling for Marriott International . “Both Marriott Bonvoy and the NCAA realise that traveling and sportsman have the unequalled ability to break down barrier and convey multitude together through shared experiences . It ’s a pure partnership . ”
As sports - motivate change of location surge around the ball , everyone from major brands like Marriott to boutique chains are cover sports fans like never before . There are even full - on mutant - theme hotels joining the mix . InLas Vegas , the giant - sizedCirca Resort & Casinopairs a 40 - foundation - tall high - definition screen devoted to circulate touchdown and rally poolside with what ’s been deemed the World ’s Largest Sportsbook , just in case you ’d like to make that next matchup a little more interesting . ( And yes , you best consider thatSuper Bowlwatch political party was light . )
Elsewhere , Sports IllustratedandTravel + Leisurerecently teamed up to loose “ the ultimate sports - theme and active lifestyle haunt internet ” upon the cheering masses . In gain to planned and subsist prop in resort - centric destinations like the Dominican Republic andOrlando , the sensitive human dynamo - sprain - hoteliers are now set their flock on college towns , announcing a Tuscaloosa , Alabama porta set for 2025 . This strategy is a secernate one , indicating that traveller are n’t simply look to add a sporty constituent to an otherwise un - sporty holiday — sport are in reality the sole propel factor behind the entire trip .
A rendering of a guest room inside an upcoming Sports Illustrated Resorts property.|Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated Resorts
IHG Hotels & Resorts , the parent company behind such wide-ranging and longstanding range of mountains as Holiday Inn , Kimpton , and InterContinental , is also stand out at the opportunity to romance mutation fans . As the prescribed hotel partner ofMajor League Soccer , the world hospitality fixture has further solidified the billowy value of sports travel — and made it a snap to book around a match — by designing aninteractive mapthat highlights the IHG property closest to eachMLS sports stadium . Additional incentives admit access to just the ticket packages , particular upshot , behind - the - scenes opportunities , post - match afterparties , and more , all up for grabs by spending spot accrued through IHG ’s loyalty programme .
If you remember this trend is firmly frozen in America ’s remarkable fixation with professional sports , imagine again . In addition to domestic partners like MLS , theUS Open , and theProfessional Pickleball Association , IHG has also officially paired up withSix Nations Rugby , European Professional Club Rugby , Rugby Australia , and Australia’sA - League Men’sandA - League Women’spro soccer league , among others .
utter of Australia , Sydney - basedboutique outfitQT Hotels & Resortsis also swinging for the proverbial fences when it add up to fan in transportation . With 10 belongings throughoutAustraliaandNew Zealandunder its belt ammunition , QT is a much belittled operation than US giant like Marriott Bonvoy and IGH , and thus contain a slenderly different approach . rather of focusing on a specific conference or organization , QT regorge a panoptic meshwork , hop to enamour everyone fromF1 diehardsto the nearly 2 million women ’s association football obsessive that descended upon cities like Perth , Melbourne , Wellington , and Auckland for last summer’sFIFA Women ’s World Cup .
In the ultimate live event flex, country superstar Luke Combs headlined BetMGM’s Super Bowl weekend bash inside Las Vegas’s Cosmopolitan Hotel.|Bryan Steffy/Stringer/Getty Images Entertainment
“ Our sports - related promotions go beyond just result tickets — they encompass the entire experience , ” tell QT Hotels & Resorts radical worldwide handler Callum Kennedy . “ During the Australian Open , we ’ve hosted the likes of Nick Kyrgios on our rooftop , allowing guests to be a part of the action . Similarly , we ’ve had the pleasure of hosting exclusive interview with motorsport superstar Daniel Ricciardo against the background of the Melbourne F1 . We see this as a fantastic opportunity to widen our range and engage with a diverse interview , and take superbia in transforming our venues into hubs of fervor and sumptuousness during sporting effect . ”
Throwing game - neighboring parties and meet and greets on hotel grounds is a sure - flaming way to solicit into this growing market — and forget it to Las Vegas to take this concept to the extreme point . Earlier this month , MGM Resorts ’ Cosmopolitan Hoteltreated traveling football game fan to the pre - Super BowlBig Game Bash with Luke Combs . The principal - studded concert kick back off on the Saturday before Kansas City and San Francisco stormedAllegiant Stadium , with slate sell exclusively through the BetMGM app in partnership with MGM Resorts International .
“ First - course entertainment and Las Vegas are at the core of the BetMGM brand , and this Luke Combs concert will be a highlighting of the weekend ’s marquise entertainment events , ” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatttold pressin January . “ It is part of our full - scale leaf efforts to fork out memorable experiences for fan who are in town for the momentous Big Game . ”
Not that long ago , hotel were seen as mere crashpads , the place to drop off your bags before heading out to the big game and the place to fall into bottom afterwards . But in a post - COVID mankind wheretraveling for in - person experiencesso often trumps lying on a beach and sipping pina coladas , it seem those same hospitality troupe are now compete for their very own spot in the starting lineup .
