Baseball's annual migration begins
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Fans relax in the lawn section of Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona, before a Chicago Cubs spring training game. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
Baseball fans from across the country are fleeing winter for the desert this week as the Cactus League season kicks off throughout the Phoenix area.
Why it matters: Hope springs eternal, and spring training means big bucks for state and local tourism.
The big picture: This year marks the 79th year of the Cactus League, which now boasts 15 teams training under the desert sun at 10 stadiums, just miles apart.
- The league surged after teams began building modern, centralized facilities in the early 2000s.
- Spring training tourism ramped up in 2014 when the Cubs opened Sloan Park, a Wrigley Field-inspired complex that can seat up to 16,000.
Zoom in: The start of Cactus League play is like a baseball pilgrimage. The fans represent a mix of transplants, snowbirds, retirees and spring break vacationers.
- The baseball on the field takes a backseat to the baseball experience at the ballpark.
What they're saying: "The Cactus League is a baseball fan's paradise," Cactus League executive director Bridget Binsbacher tells Axios. "Each park is intimate, and at many facilities, fans are welcome to attend workouts on the back fields."
By the numbers: Last season, the Cactus League generated $764 million in economic impact to Arizona, according to a study by Arizona State University.
- Nearly six in 10 attendees come from out of state, and the study also reports that a third of those fans have been attending for five years or more.
- In 2025, the league drew about 1.7 million fans.
State of play: The Cubs have led the Cactus League in attendance for 12 straight seasons, averaging 12,847 per game last season at Sloan Park.
- "You get the best of every baseball team here," Brandy Anderson tells Axios. Anderson lives in Arizona but grew up in San Diego, rooting for the Padres.
- "We have the best weather here while everyone else is covered in snow."
Zoom out: The spring training vibes don't keep locals from participating.
- Paula and Dan Hudalla live across the street from the Los Angeles Dodgers facilities in Glendale and come over to tailgate in the parking lot.
- "These spring training fields just popped up out of nowhere," Paula tells Axios. "It's Arizona. We live here for a reason, for days like today."
If you go: Ticket prices vary by park. You can get a $13 lawn seat for the Rockies in Scottsdale, but be prepared to pay $35 for a lawn seat to see the Dodgers in Glendale.
- Also, some ballparks charge for parking, while others are free.
The bottom line: For baseball fans, it's less about standings and more about sun, nostalgia — and the promise that this might finally be the year.
What's next: The World Baseball Classic. The global tournament will play some exhibition games in Cactus League stadiums next week before starting the actual tournament on March 5.