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UTRGV Athletics unveiled the impact of both the launch and inaugural season of the Vaqueros football program on Edinburg’s economy during The Business Playbook Conference Thursday at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance.
According to a Thursday media release, the findings were part of an economic impact analysis created by the UTRGV Data and Information Services Center.
During a presentation conducted at the conference, Chasse Conque, senior vice president and director of Athletics, announced that, when combined, the construction, annual operations and attendee spending supported 1,028 jobs, generated $41.1 million in labor income, and contributed $58.7 million in value added (GDP), which resulted in a total economic impact of $144.3 million in the local economy.
Conque added the football program itself and associated game activity is anticipated to have a recurring annual economic impact that supports 187 jobs, while also generating $5.9 million in labor income and adding $8.4 million in GDP, resulting in $17.7 million total.
“It’s the recurring annual economic impact, I think, that excites all of us,” he said. “To know that this was just year one, and we’re just getting started, who knows what this is going to look like in the next five or 10 years.”
In its inaugural season, UTRGV had seven home games. However, in a March 25 media release, Athletics announced the 2026 season will only feature five. Conque said it “certainly could” have an impact on the estimated numbers.
“I think you’ll see that but, as you look forward, we have a long-term plan,” he said. “This year will look a little different … but, in the years to come, we’re really going to get into that ‘sweet spot’ … making sure we have six home games here at the [Robert and Janet] Vackar Stadium.”
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UTRGV Athletics also announced the annual football program operating spending of $5.3 million supports 88 jobs while generating $2.7 million in labor income and adding $3.8 million in GDP which results in a recurring annual economic output of $8.4 million.
When talking about the numbers, Conque added the university is “really proud” of them.
“We’ve had a chance to work very closely with the [Edinburg] city council, city hall and our mayor,” he said. “We knew that, if we did this right, it was gonna have a significant impact on everybody … in the community that we love and live in.”
Mayor Omar Ochoa said the results far exceeded the city and the university’s expectations.
“The immediate impact on the city of Edinburg is mindblowing,” Ochoa said. “There were projections kind of early on … but I think what actually transpired was far above and beyond what people expected.”
The release further detailed the impact of attendee and visiting team spending from the home football games, along with hosting roughly over 100,000 individuals on stadium grounds during the inaugural season generated an estimated $8.4 million in direct visitor spending, $3.1 million in labor income, and added $4.5 million in GDP while supporting 100 jobs, resulting in an annual economic impact of $9.2 million.
That impact was especially visible to businesses around Vackar Stadium as Ochoa said businesses had some of their “best days” as a result of UTRGV’s home football games.
“Munchies, for example … it’s right across the street from there the tailgate area is,” he said. “Anecdotally, they said they sold out of everything in the store every time there was a home game. [Football] brings a lot of vibrancy to that particular east side of town, so you’re going to see more businesses going up and infrastructure investment by the city in that area as well.
Conque said UTRGV wants to use football as “the tide that all boats would rise.”
“We wanted to use football as a catalyst to make everything better, not just for our community but certainly our 18 programs and student athletes,” he said.
The Athletics director also encouraged businesses to co-brand with the university.
“We sit down and work with each individual business, that’s how we’ve built this, tailoring to each individual business and working with them on what’s going to be good for them, where are they going to see the [return on investment],” Conque said. “Their investment back in us helps build our program and the success of our student athletes.”
Ochoa said the early success signals continued growth for both the program and the city.
“The success of the football team, the success to the local economy … show that there is a ton of momentum for this activity,” the mayor said. “I think there’s nowhere else to go but up.”
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