About the Cactus League & Arizona Spring Training

Arizona Cactus League Association

Founded in 1947, the Arizona Cactus League Association provides a forum to share operational efficiencies, to establish and nurture business relationships with respective Major League Baseball franchises and to facilitate and participate in activities to promote and fundraise for the Cactus League.

With 10 facilities hosting 15 Major League Baseball teams, the Phoenix metropolitan area is a baseball fan's paradise. Some facilities offer volunteer opportunities and nonprofit partnerships that generate meaningful contributions to various programs, charities and scholarships throughout the state. The Arizona Cactus League Association is committed to continuing its work to strengthen and promote the spring training industry while serving communities and contributing to the wonderful quality of life for all to enjoy in Arizona.

Image Credit: Mike Goad

An Economic Force

Cactus League games don't count. The money they generate for Arizona's economy does.

Here's a statistical snapshot of the spring training industry's impact in Arizona:

$710.2 million. The 2023 Cactus League season generated an estimated $710.2 million in economic impact for the state of Arizona, according to a study by Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business. The study, which surveyed only out-of-state visitors, also found that the Cactus League generated $418.5 million for Arizona's Gross Domestic Product.

$421.25 per day. The study found that the median spring training visitor spent four days in Arizona and that the median traveling party spent $421.25 per day.

1,565,182. The Cactus League 216 games drew 1,565,182 fans in 2023, a strong rebound from the previous three seasons. This attendance total does not include the 45,422 fans who attended games involving World Baseball Classic teams in our facilities or the 242,650 fans who attended WBC games at Chase Field.

5,893. The Cactus League created 5,893 annual jobs paying $271.9 million in 2023, the study found.

$36.6 million. Spring training directly generated a total of $36.6 million in taxes for state ($28.4 million) and local ($8.2 million) governments.

Image Credit: Parsons Villas

Take me out to the ballgame - and the mountains, golf courses and pools

Generations of baseball fans from across the country have fallen in love with spring training in Arizona.

About six in 10 Cactus League attendees come from out of state, ASU studies have shown. And about a third of those fans have been attending for five years or more.

It's no wonder people come back year after year. Start with the allure of sun-splashed afternoons at the ballpark at a time when much of the rest of the country is scraping ice off the windshield. The Cactus League's 10 ballparks are unique and easily accessible, making it convenient to follow your favorite team at home and on the road.

But the fun doesn't end with the final out. There are numerous adventures for visitors beyond the ballparks, including day trips to Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Southern Arizona. Others opt to hang out in the Valley of the Sun and take advantage of our spectacular mountain hiking and biking trails, championship desert golf courses and resort pools.