Hattiesburg was named one of seven U.S. cities recognized as a top destination for hosting sporting events in the 2026 SportsTravel Awards.
Visit Hattiesburg announced the honor and said the selection followed an open nomination and nationwide voting process conducted by SportsTravel magazine.
The other finalists listed were Houston, Texas; Miami, Fla.; Monroe–West Monroe, La.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Virginia Beach, Va. Miami received the top award in the category, Visit Hattiesburg said.
In its application, Visit Hattiesburg highlighted Southern Miss baseball hosting an NCAA regional and William Carey baseball hosting the opening round of the NAIA National Championship this past summer. The city also cited youth and community events including the Diamond Boys Baseball World Series, the Big Rip Classic disc golf tournament and a record-breaking Hattiesburg Half Marathon.
Combined, those events generated “tens of millions of dollars in visitor spending,” Visit Hattiesburg said.
Visit Hattiesburg CEO Marlo Dorsey said the recognition reflects growth in the city’s sports tourism industry and noted that “more than $85 million is currently being invested in sports-related facilities across the city,” including work at the Hattiesburg Sports and Recreation Event Center and at Reed Green Coliseum on the campus of Southern Miss.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
