In 1878, “Bud” Fowler, from New Castle, Pa., first broke the color barrier in professional baseball. (Jackie Robinson’s 1947 breakthrough was in Major League Baseball.)
On Nov. 12, 1892, the first-ever professional football game was played in Pittsburgh between the Pittsburgh Athletic Club and the Allegheny Athletic Club. On July 8, 1933, shortly after Pennsylvania voters repealed the law banning sports on Sundays, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers (originally named the Pirates) were born.
Sports are true “common wealth” in Pennsylvania, long serving as a common rallying point and antidote to tough times. When Philadelphia was down in the ’70s, the Flyers, then the Broad Street Bullies, gave the city reason to cheer, just as the Steelers and football in general provided the ultimate distraction from the coal mines and steel mills.
Planners have a ready one-stop resource in Ready, Set, Go: PA Sports, an alliance of the Commonwealth’s largest CVBs, which along with that deep-seated sports culture, makes Pennsylvania prime turf for winning matchups.
Eastern Elites
With four major league patriarchs—MLB’s Phillies (1883), NFL’s Eagles (1933), NBA’s 76ers (1963) and NHL’s Flyers (1967)—Philadelphia is a sporting mecca within a four-hour drive from one quarter of the American population.
“Consistently named one of the country’s best cities for sports, our state-of-the-art facilities reflect our pride as a world-class sporting destination,” says Jack Ferguson, president and CEO of the Philadelphia CVB. “With our vibrant restaurant scene, nightlife, shopping, and historic and cultural institutions, we offer the quintessential fan experience for locals and visitors alike.”
Lincoln Financial Field (Eagles), Wells Fargo Center (Flyers and 76ers) and Citizens Bank Ballpark (Phillies) all offer up-close tours. Groups can also see University of Pennsylvania athletics at the legendary Palestra.
Venues in the four-county Countryside Region include PPL Park, home of the Philadelphia Union (MLS); USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame in Collegeville; IceWorks Skating Complex in Aston; and Spring Mountain in Schwenksville.
Lehigh Valley coordinates include Coca-Cola Park in Allentown and the Steel Ice Center in Bethlehem, plus Bear Creek Mountain Resort and Blue Mountain Ski Area.
Outdoor enthusiasts love Luzerne County for high-adrenaline adventures at Whitewater Challengers in White Haven and Montage Mountain Ski and Water Park in Scranton, plus events at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.
Water also flows through the Poconos. Following the opening this spring of the new 453-suite Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, Kalahari Resorts is slated to unveil a new 457-room waterpark resort this summer with 65,000 square feet of meeting space. Paintball is also big in the Poconos, plus trail rides, cattle drives and championship rodeo at the Malibu Dude Ranch in Milford.
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Central Champs
From Happy Valley, home of Penn State University, to Hershey Entertainment & Resorts and its three award-winning golf courses, Central Pennsylvania has options for a wide range of sporting groups.
Home of Penn State football, Beaver Stadium is the second-largest in the nation, offering function and event space at the Mount Nittany Club. As the region’s largest multipurpose arena, the 16,000-seat Bryce Jordan Center is equipped for all kinds of meetings and events, along with the LEED-certified Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, with luxury suites and an executive boardroom among its versatile spaces.
With several minor-league teams, the Hershey-Harrisburg region attracts sporting events of all levels, from youth to professional, along with sports meetings. Seating up to 12,000 people, the multifunctional GIANT Center in Hershey is complemented by the sprawling Spooky Nook Sports Complex, offering 130,000 square feet of meeting and event space; Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg; and Hersheypark Stadium and Hersheypark Arena.
Western Winners
Pennsylvania presently has the most players (31) in the NFL Hall of Fame, including a record six signal-callers from the state’s western reaches: George Blanda, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Joe Montana, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly. In this “Cradle of Quarterbacks” sits proud Pittsburgh, the “City of Champions.”
“Regional and national associations dedicated to all sports have all acknowledged Pittsburgh’s championship status when it comes to holding sports events,” says Craig Davis, president and CEO of Visit Pittsburgh. “Over the last 10 years, Pittsburgh has hosted over a dozen high-profile sporting events in our world-class facilities. With many making return appearances, this is a true testament to the commitment of our sports teams and culture.”
Tours of Heinz Field (Steelers) and CONSOL Energy Center (Penguins), the nation’s first environmentally friendly hockey arena, are hits with groups, along with Pirates baseball at picturesque PNC Park. Other venues include the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Heinz History Center, Roberto Clemente Museum and Highmark SportsWorks at the Carnegie Science Center. Groups can also kayak or paddleboard on Pittsburgh’s rivers, or bike on 24 miles of riverfront trails.
This summer sees the opening of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in scenic Butler County north of Pittsburgh. The multiuse venue, named for legendary Pittsburgh Penguin “Super” Mario Lemieux, is the team’s new training facility, offering event space and public skating.
Indiana County venues include S&T Bank Arena (formerly Indiana Ice & Expo Center) and Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s new Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.
The Erie region sports multipurpose venues such as the Erie Insurance Arena, which completed a $47 million expansion in October 2013; Lake Erie Speedway; and waterfront Liberty Park Amphitheater, hosting up to 5,000 people for events. Meanwhile, there are numerous activities available on Presque Isle Bay.
