Major Sporting Events Bring Millions in Butler County Sports Tourism Revenue

BUTLER COUNTY, PA (April 10, 2025) – Experience Butler County PA (EBC) is excited to share that several major tournaments have selected county facilities for their major sporting events. This, combined with several other major events in Pittsburgh over the next two years, is expected to bring thousands of visitors and millions in tourism revenue to Butler County.

The United States Hockey League (USHL) Fall Classic will return to the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township, Pa., for the 10th consecutive season. The tournament is scheduled for September 17 - 22 with 16 USHL teams and over 80 Youth teams participating. The 2024 Fall Classic had an economic impact of over $1,000,000.

The 2026 Junior Disc Golf World Championships will use courses including Slippery Rock University and the Lakeview Course at Moraine State Park. Over 1,000 visitors are expected for this tournament.

Other upcoming major sporting events include the 2025 U.S. Open and the NFL Draft. The U.S. Open, June 9-15, will take place at the Oakmont Country Club, 30-minutes outside Butler County. The NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh from April 23-25, 2026, bringing an expected 500,00 to 700,000 fans.

The EBC sales team attends sports conferences and symposiums to promote Butler County venues and bid on hosting sporting events, such as hockey, baseball, pickleball, and disc golf.

Amy Pack, President of Experience Butler County PA, said "Sports tourism has had a continuous and significant impact on Butler County's economy." She added, "The ongoing growth of this sector is due to our office's collaboration with our venues and sports organizations."

Other notable upcoming events include Battle in the Burgh Softball Tournament and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship Pickleball Tournament

Photo assets for this story are available here. Credit: Experience Butler County