Location Intelligence in Sport Tourism Economics: Temporal Evolution and Sectoral Variation of Bassmaster Elite Series Fishing Tournaments

Abstract

This study examines the economic and spatial impacts of Bassmaster Elite Series fishing tournaments on host communities through a novel application of location intelligence data. Using Advan’s monthly patterns dataset from 2022–2024, visitation patterns, consumer behavior, and spatial dependencies are analyzed across multiple tournament locations in South Carolina. Our spatially aware difference-in-differences framework incorporates treatment intensity based on proximity to tournament venues and explicitly accounts for spatial autocorrelation effects. Results reveal significant increases in business activity near location of tournament sites, with spatial clustering (Moran’s I = 0.333, p < 0.001) that strengthens over time (2022: 0.122, 2023: 0.171, 2024: 0.203). Effects persist beyond the immediate tournament period, with statistically significant impacts observed up to three months post-event, particularly for hospitality, recreation, and retail sectors. Robustness checks using alternative distance specifications and placebo tests confirm the validity of our findings. This research advances the understanding of how professional fishing tournaments generate economic value through both direct spending and spatial spillovers, providing valuable insights for event organizers, destination marketers, and local policymakers. Our methodological approach demonstrates the utility of geo-behavioral data in quantifying the community-level impacts of sporting events beyond traditional economic impact assessments.