Rockford, IL – GoRockford, the region’s destination marketing and management organization, has been named the 2025 Sports Tourism Organization of the Year by the Sports Events & Tourism Association (Sports ETA). The prestigious award was presented during the Opening Breakfast at the 2025 Sports ETA Symposium in Tulsa, Oklahoma, recognizing GoRockford as the best in class among U.S. communities with populations under 500,000.
Selected from more than 80 national entries, GoRockford was honored for its exceptional impact in recruiting and hosting sporting events, generating economic benefits and elevating Rockford’s profile as a premier sports destination. Lindsay Arellano, Vice President of Sales and Service, and Kara Davis, Senior Sales Manager, are representing GoRockford at the tradeshow meeting with existing and potential clients and accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
“I’m so proud of our team and partners for their hard work and support of sports tourism in Rockford. Our region offers world-class facilities that allow us to effectively compete to bring in regional and national sporting events and tournaments, including basketball, bowling, BMX, lacrosse, table tennis, soccer, volleyball and many more. Rockford’s recognition as a hub for destination sporting events will continue to grow,” said Arellano.
“This is a really big deal—not just for our team, but for Rockford and the region,” said John Groh, President/CEO of GoRockford. “It affirms that what we’re building here—a thriving, high-performing sports destination—continues to gain national attention. This recognition is a tribute to our hard-working staff and our board, partners and this community that supports and believes in the power of tourism to create opportunity.”
The recognition follows a long track record of excellence. GoRockford has previously received multiple national honors from Sports ETA, including being named Sports Tourism Organization of the Year in 2016 and 2018, Destination Branding & Marketing Campaign of the Year (2019), and dual wins in 2020 for Event Marketing Campaign of the Year and Locally Created Event of the Year. The 2025 honor adds another milestone to the organization’s growing legacy of sports tourism leadership.
In addition to its strong track record of events, in 2024 GoRockford launched its "Play Rockford" marketing campaign, continued expanding visitor support and on-site hospitality services, and secured high-profile future tournaments, including IRONMAN 70.3 Rockford-Illinois (June 22, 2025), NXT Pro Basketball, and the National Collegiate Table Tennis Championships.
“Our team is driven by service—to our visitors, our partners and our residents,” Groh added. “Each event we host helps make the Rockford region a better place to live and a more vibrant place to visit.”
About: GoRockford is the official destination marketing and management organization for Rockford and Winnebago County and is responsible for promoting the Rockford region as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the power of travel, GoRockford strengthens the economic position of the region and provides opportunities for people in our communities. www.gorockford.com
