Casper, WY: A Destination for Sports of All Sorts
From basketball to rodeo to mountain biking and billiards, the Casper sports scene is always abuzz with great activities and events.
When it comes to sports, they don’t just play ball in Casper, WY. Saddles, skis, bikes and even darts are used as well. That’s because the Casper sports scene if filled with a wide variety of youth and collegiate athletic activities.
Sure, plenty of the more traditional sports, such as basketball and soccer, take place in the region. But Casper also is home to an adventurous lineup of tournaments that includes rodeo, biathlon and mountain biking. In addition, events are regularly held in Casper for darts, billiards and cheer/dance.
“Because of Casper’s natural assets, with the mountain and the river and the four full seasons that we experience, we’re able to have some of the more niche sports that you can’t find in most places,” says Luke Gilliam, director of sales and development with Visit Casper. “So, Casper offers lots of opportunities to access all these different sports.”
Go to the Rodeo
One of the highlights is the annual College National Finals Rodeo, which in 2024 will be held in Casper for the 25th consecutive year. More than 400 athletes from nearly 100 teams compete for an entire week in what Gilliam calls “March Madness for rodeo.”
“It’s become a staple for our community,” Gilliam says. “We’ve become synonymous with championship-level rodeo, to the point that [the competitors] don’t say ‘I qualified for Nationals’ – they say, ‘I qualified for Casper.’ It’s a testament to the community’s willingness to support that event and so many others.”
Coming Soon: Wyo Sports Ranch
And even more events are on the horizon, thanks to the construction of the Wyo Sports Ranch, a 131,000-square-foot athletic complex that is expected to open in early 2025. The facility will contain basketball and volleyball courts, permanent indoor turf, a sports performance and training center, and spaces for gymnastics, dance and cheer.
“It’s going to be a facility in size and access that will be unlike anything else in our region,” Gilliam says. “This will enhance in a massive way access to indoor sports for all age groups.”
“For youth events that are typically held at five gyms across the community, this space will be able to host tournaments that will happen all under one roof. And the local school districts will be able to utilize it during the winter months when their outdoor sports teams want to practice.”
It is just another way, Gilliam says, that Casper is the place where champions are made.
“Casper is where these athletes can be recognized for all their effort and hard work,” Gilliam says. “And we work to make sure those events feel not just like another game, but like a championship.”
Get to Know Casper
Want to learn more about living and working in Casper, WY? Check out the latest edition of Livability Casper, Wyoming.
