RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — It’s been a busy (and profitable) spring for sports in Raleigh.
From March Madness to NHL playoff hockey, Raleigh has seen a flurry of major sports events this spring, bringing packed venues and millions in economic impact. Fans flocked to the Lenovo Center to watch NCAA Tournament games featuring powerhouse programs Duke and UConn.
Over at Reynolds Coliseum, the N.C. State women’s team hosted early-round games, keeping the local buzz alive. With the Carolina Hurricanes who just played their first two Stanley Cup playoffs games in town, the momentum shows no signs of stopping. Scott Dupree with the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance says it was a tremendous success having big-profile teams in the Raleigh area.
“I’m certain the numbers will show in terms of economic impact, in terms of the branding and the exposure for Lenovo Center and for the city and for the region,” said Dupree. “Of course all concessions were sold out. The games were fantastic, and it could not have gone better from my perspective.”
This spring’s success is the latest in a long pattern of major events at the Lenovo Center, which hosts more than 150 events and over 1.5 million guests annually. Dupree emphasized that Raleigh’s efforts in presenting the NCAA Tournament received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
“We got, I can assure you, A+ grades across the board for the way N.C. State and the city of Raleigh and all the partners rolled out the red carpet for the NCAA,” said Dupree.
This excitement has continued into the NHL postseason, as the Carolina Hurricanes opened the Stanley Cup Playoffs with two home games. Dupree says that the Hurricanes selling out during the playoffs would be financially viable for the city of Raleigh
“A typical sold out home playoff game at Lenovo Center was something in the range of two-to-three million dollars per game. Of course all the canes games now are going to be sold out. As you know, one playoff series is roughly two weeks, four series is about eight weeks, so hopefully the canes will be doing a series of two-week playoff stints and hopefully there will be a lot of home games here,” said Dupree.
Lenovo Center has continually offered Raleigh, the Triangle, and the southeast an abundance of sports, major concert tours, and events year after year. Dupree says it’s amazing for him to think back to the status of the canes around 10 years ago.
“It’s just incredible to me how successful they are and what a model franchise the canes have become on the ice and off the ice in terms of winning and in terms of business. They’ve just been pressing all the right buttons. In a way, everything they touch turns to gold,”
With fans filling arenas and millions flowing into the local economy, Raleigh’s spring sports season has proven to be a powerful driver of both energy and revenue.
