Attendance to major sporting events in Vancouver is on the rise. The 2017-2018 year marked record-setting crowds, and the City of Vancouver is set to host even more sports events in 2019.

“We have the Vancouver advantage—a gorgeous spot to visit, enthusiastic fans, top notch technical expertise and wide range of world class facilities,” Michelle Collens, senior manager at Sport Hosting Vancouver, said in a city news release. “Vancouver residents love big public sporting events and they attend, participate, follow and watch them every chance they get and this support translates into a welcoming home crowd.”

The recent Canada versus USA women’s national soccer match turned out a record 28,000 attendees, while the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships produced a Skate Canada 15-year record high with 43,000 attendees.

City council approved the Sport Hosting Vancouver Action Plan on December 15, 2015. The city was authorized to partner with Tourism Vancouver, the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association, the University of British Columbia and the B.C. Pavilion Corporation. More recently, they also partnered with the Pacific National Exhibition venue.

Besides adding to the culture of Vancouver, more sporting events mean better local economy.

“Through the Sport Hosting Vancouver program we strategically target professional and amateur sports events that draw large numbers of visitors, athletes, officials and spectators to Vancouver who spend money on Vancouver hotels, restaurants, shopping, transportation and contribute to taxes,” Tourism Vancouver president and CEO Ty Speer said in the news release.

SHV aims to choose a balanced collection of sport events that will greatly benefit Vancouver both economically and socially. It's won bids for multiple upcoming high-profile events including the 2019 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix Final, the 2019 IIHF Junior World Championships for hockey, and the 2019 UCI Gran Fondo Qualifier Series and 2020 Gran Fondo World Championships for cycling.

“The program is a smart investment for our community and we look forward to future successes,” said Speer.