Sports
Red Diamond Classic Soccer Tourney Has $6 Million Economic Impact
The 20th annual Red Diamond Classic soccer tournament posted a $6 million economic impact for the Birmingham metro.
BIRMINGHAM, AL - Soccer in Birmingham has continued to grow in popularity and participation, and for the last 20 years, the Red Diamond Classic soccer tournament has been on the forefront of that movement, with this year's event generating $6 million in economic impact for the Birmingham metro area. This year's tournament drew more than 255 of the region’s elite teams to Birmingham the past two weekends.
The annual tournament has brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region and generated more than $106 million in economic impact over the last 20 years from visitors staying in hotels, eating in restaurants and shopping at Birmingham stores. Tournament venues included Mountain Brook High School, Headmont Park in Shelby County, Rathmell Sports Complex in Vestavia Hills and Sports Blast Soccer Complex on Highway 280.
“At its heart this tournament is the culmination of the hard work and discipline of 5,500 exceptional young athletes, working as teams toward mutual success,” said Bill Bowron, Chairman, President and CEO of Red Diamond. “Initially we became involved because of the soccer—I coached my son’s team and saw young people come away with the discipline and team building skills that the sport instills. And as our involvement grew, the significant benefits to the region became obvious. We work to show everyone the best that Birmingham has to offer. We don’t want them to play soccer and then just go back to the hotel. We point them to our incredible food scene and to visit arts and cultural sites around town. We showcase our region through this widely attended tournament and generate significant revenue for the area in the process.”
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“When you consider the growth in Birmingham over the last 20 years, it’s remarkable,” said David Galbaugh with the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “The city these players travel to today has leapt forward from what it was in 1998. The hospitality is the same, but the number of amenities and restaurants has skyrocketed. And the Red Diamond Classic has created a host of return visitors who can speak to Birmingham’s amenities and hospitality.”
“The level of play is high, and that’s what’s given the Red Diamond Classic this kind of longevity,” said Kevin Laux, BUSA tournament director. “We have teams that return year after year to compete with the best teams from throughout the Southeast. We work to make sure they’ll have a good experience and want to come back.”Photo courtesy of Cayenne Creative
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