Study Finds City of Omaha Receives $41 Million in Economic Benefit from College World Series

(OMAHA, Neb., Feb. 27, 2008) – Regardless of which teams qualify for the annual NCAA Men’s College World Series (CWS), the City of Omaha is a perennial winner as host city for the event to the tune of more than $41 million. This finding is the result of a new study titled The Impact of the College World Series on the City of Omaha, 2007-2018, which was prepared by Ernie Goss, Ph.D., an economics professor at Creighton University.

In 2007, spending by CWS patrons added an estimated $41 million to the Omaha economy; $1.8 million to City tax coffers; and $4.6 million total through state and local tax collections, according to the study.

“This study updates an earlier study from 2003, which confirmed what we already suspected about the economic impact of the Men’s College World Series on Omaha in terms of jobs and income creation,” according to Goss. “The study underscores the importance of the College World Series in bringing outside dollars to Omaha.  Economically speaking, these out-of-state sources represent new dollars to the area’s economy and are very powerful in generating jobs and income for the region.”

Other findings contained in the report show:

  • Between 2008 and 2018, the CWS will add $514.8 million to the Omaha economy; $25.7 million to city tax coffers; and a total of $66.5 million to state and local tax collections.
  • In 2007, the CWS drew almost 9,000 more fans per session than the NCAA March Madness basketball championship.  
  • According to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, 48.5 percent of the over 300,000 attendees to the CWS were from outside of Nebraska.
  • In 2007, an estimated 445 million viewers tuned in to the 45+ hours of national broadcast coverage of the tournament.
  • Other significant amateur events surround the CWS and add to its clout. In 2007, the SlumpBuster, sponsored by Triple Crown Sports, drew 325 teams and nearly 10,000 players, coaches and fans in 2007 to Omaha.

“In the course of viewing the Men’s College World Series, cameras transmit images of Omaha's changing skyline, riverfront and Omaha attractions,” acknowledged Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey. “When you add in all the announcer mentions about the hospitality of Omahans, the importance of Omaha to the Series and the world-class attractions the city offers, the Series represents visibility for our city that you just can't buy.”

“No other event elevates Omaha's profile to a national audience like the Men’s College World Series,” Fahey added. “The presence of the CWS increases the attractiveness of the community and encourages the startup and/or relocation of other businesses in the state.”

“The Road to Omaha is a journey that’s paved with wonderful memories and traditions,” said Jack Diesing Jr., president of College World Series of Omaha Inc. “We’ve watched some of the biggest names in baseball play here over the years. Barry Bonds getting eight straight hits in 1984, Roger Clemens not walking a single batter in 1983 and Dave Winfield pitching and striking out 29 batters in just two games in '73.

“In addition to the hundreds of thousands of fans who attend the Series each year, Omaha draws thousands of players and their families to youth baseball tournaments that coincide with the Series,” Diesing added. “And the success of the Series has been leveraged to attract other national sports events to Omaha.”

Ernest Goss holds the Jack MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University.  He is a member of the Editorial Board of The Review of Regional Studies and editor of Economic Trends, an economics newsletter published three times per year. He produces a monthly business conditions index for the nine-state Mid-American region and the three-state Mountain region. Survey results are cited each month in approximately 100 newspapers including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Sun Times and other national and regional newspapers and magazines.