NBA, FIBA events to deliver $11.8M, 4,300 room nights
Puerto Rico is projecting $11.8 million in combined economic impact and more than 4,300 hotel room nights as it prepares to host two international basketball events: the return of the NBA preseason and a qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Officials confirmed that negotiations secured both the Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic preseason game Oct. 4 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum and the March 11–17 women’s qualifying tournament for the World Cup in Germany.
At a news conference, Gov. Jenniffer González highlighted the significance of the NBA’s return after two decades. That event alone is expected to generate $8.3 million in economic activity, according to earlier reporting by News is my Business. It will also generate $1.8 million in media exposure. More than 16,000 fans are expected to attend.
González said the FIBA tournament will generate $3.5 million in economic activity and more than 2,000 hotel room nights.
Willianette Robles, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Co., called sports tourism a key growth driver.
“So far this year, the Tourism Company has sponsored more than 150 sporting events, with an estimated economic impact exceeding $4.3 million for Puerto Rico’s economy,” she said.
Julio Cabral, founder of Grupo DRDG, which is promoting the NBA event, noted the difficulty of competing with global destinations for these types of international sporting events.
“These events don’t happen because they’re incredibly expensive and cost a lot. We took two years and eight months, to be exact, in the negotiations,” he said. “We’re very proud of how this impacts Puerto Rico and the social impact, because we saw that the games sold out in 47 minutes.”
He credited the Tourism Co. for its role in the deal, saying it was involved for nearly seven months in talks with the NBA.
Yum Ramos-Perales, president of the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation, underscored the importance of the women’s tournament.
“These women’s basketball deserve support. The last time they played in Puerto Rico was in 2021, and now they’re returning home after achieving two consecutive World Cup qualifications and two consecutive Olympic qualifications,” he said.
Officials emphasized that beyond the direct spending, the island stands to benefit from global media exposure and the opportunity to showcase Puerto Rico as a premier destination for international sporting events.
