Colorado Cashes in on the First USA Pro Cycling Challenge

A report conducted by the USA Pro Cycling Challenge reports that the race brought $83.5 million to the state of Colorado in August.  More than one million spectators watched the race.  It’s estimated that 22% came from out of state.

$67.4 million of the total was spent by spectators on food, lodging, transportation and entertainment.  The balance was spent by teams, staff, sponsors and vendors as well as jobs created by the race.

The report was done by IFM, a sports research company on behalf of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.

They found cycling tourists from 39 states and 16 countries.  72% said the race was the main reason they came to Colorado.  94% of those spectators plan to return next year for the race.

“We have something here in Colorado that is nearly impossible to duplicate: beautiful scenery, great amenities, and many world-renowned destinations,” said Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper.  “Future USA Pro Challenge races will bring even more international attention to Colorado and lock in the state as the place to be in the summer.”

More Highlights:

• Spectators made this event a family affair.  Party sizes for traveling spectators were large, averaging five+ people per party. 
• The average household income of attendees was $113,918.
• Spectators were satisfied with almost all parts of the race and the experience, especially impressive for a first-year event.  More than 94% answered good or very good when asked their satisfaction with the race.
• At 94% responding likely or very likely to return next year, the number of people who plan to watch the race again is solid, a good preliminary sign for the event’s future.
• Among out-of-state visitors, 71.6% said the USA Pro Cycling Challenge was the reason for their trip to Colorado.
• Nearly half of spectators in attendance reported themselves as cycling enthusiasts.  More than 30% reported they ride a bike for fitness, while roughly one quarter responded they ride a bike occasionally or not at all.
• This was an audience that watches major cycling events on television, and appreciates the world class level of competition at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.  It was also a dedicated audience, with a majority listing the race as a “very important” part of their trip planning.
• Spectators’ experiences with the USA Pro Cycling Challenge positively influence their view of the State of Colorado, and the likelihood of returning to the state in the future.  Nearly 85% of out-of-state visitors said they are more likely or much more likely to visit Colorado again based on their experience at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.

“The numbers speak volumes, but the enthusiasm I saw here in Denver alone really tells the story,” said Michael B. Hancock, Mayor of Denver.  “With 2 hours of live television and nearly one quarter million fans coming out to see the race in downtown Denver, this was a tremendous showcase for our true cycling town.”

How IFM conducted the survey:

• Time shifting. Colorado is an attractive destination for travel, so IFM deliberately filtered respondents to ensure they were not capturing data from spectators already in Colorado, independent of the UPCC, and also used elimination questions to remove those fans who intended to come to Colorado in the near future independent of the UPCC
• Large, deep sampling procedures. Large samples were taken at all stages, distributed across the race locations.