Thousands of athletes arriving in Pittsburgh for National Senior Games

PITTSBURGH — Thousands of senior athletes are arriving in Pittsburgh for the National Senior Games.

They will compete in 20 sports categories over the next 12 days. The event is expected to boost Pittsburgh’s economy.

Carrie Fehringer is the National Senior Games Director of Athletes. She said Pittsburgh is a great hosting city.

“This year happens to be our 4th largest event, so we are very excited about that in terms of the registration numbers. So that is great for Pittsburgh,” says Fehringer.

Great for Pittsburgh in terms of revenue. Visit Pittsburgh says the National Senior Games will likely generate more than $30 million in direct visitor spending for the region.

Deb Smith and Janice Pendleton are already spending money in the city. They arrived Thursday to represent their Maine basketball team.

“We have 32 women here, so on average, people probably spend $2,000 in flights and driving,” said Smith.

All the athletes pay for their expenses which include, hotel, food and activities. So organizers say it’s a huge financial commitment that benefits Pittsburgh.

The last time Pittsburgh hosted the National Senior Games was in 2005. The 2023 National Senior Games has 10,000 senior athletes representing 50 states and eight foreign countries. Plus more than 15,000 family and friends will attend the games.

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