Wor. County joins MASSA to bring more sporting events

In an effort to use the region’s combined assets to attract and retain sports events, Worcester County has joined Ocean City and Wicomico County in the Mid-Atlantic Amateur Sports Alliance.

Donna Abbott, Ocean City tourism and marketing director, noting the agreement is the only one of its kind in the U.S., reviewed MASSA’s sports marketing work at the town’s tourism commission meeting on Monday, Jan. 11.

The crown jewel in the area’s amateur sports events is the United States Specialty Sports Association Girls Softball Eastern World Series. Held over a three-week period in July, the event draws nearly 400 teams to the region with an economic impact of just under $20 million, Abbott told the commission. It is also scheduled to return this year, she said.

Given time, newer sports events have the potential to grow into huge revenue earners for the region, just as the softball tournament has, starting as it did from humble roots, Abbott said.

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