Springfield futsal tournament expected to generate nearly $1M economic impact

A futsal tournament coming to Springfield in early 2025 is expected to generate a nearly $1 million economic impact, according to local sports tourism officials.

The Springfield Futsal Shootout, which represents a partnership of the Springfield Sports Commission, Lake Country Soccer, SWMO Rush and Betty & Bobby Allison Sports Town, is scheduled to be held on two weekends in January, according to a news release. Futsal is a modified form of soccer that’s typically played indoors.

“It is exciting to work together with both Sports Town and Lake Country Soccer on this event. It has been a goal of ours to partner with Sports Town and Lake Country Soccer for championship events,” said Lance Kettering, executive director of the Springfield Sports Commission, in the release. “We hope this indoor futsal tournament will lead to many more opportunities to collaborate in the future.”

The girls’ tournament, scheduled Jan. 3-5, will feature around 70 teams, with the Jan. 10-12 boys’ tournament hosting 110 teams. Betty & Bobby Allison Sports Town will host the tournaments, which are expected to draw 50% of teams from outside the Springfield area.

Tournament organizers say the Springfield Futsal Shootout is projected to generate a combined $890,000 economic impact, with $393,000 in direct spending from the girls’ weekend and $497,000 from the boys’ weekend. Some 1,000 hotel room nights are expected to be generated over the two weekends, according to the release.

The event was hosted in Branson for the past 10 years as the Branson Shootout Futsal Tournament, said Stan Adams, director of sports business development for the Springfield Sports Commission.

"While we’ve always enjoyed hosting the event in Branson, we’re thrilled to bring it home to Springfield,” said John Markey, executive director of Lake Country Soccer, in the release. “Our partnership with the Sports Commission and Allison Sports Town has allowed us to deliver an outstanding event that will greatly benefit the Springfield community economically.”