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 and exploded in 2014 when the Cubs opened Sloan Park, a Wrigley Field-inspired complex dubbed "Wrigleyville West."
Why it matters: Hope springs eternal, and spring training means big bucks for state and local tourism.
Zoom in: For Chicago sports fans, the start of Cactus League play is like a baseball pilgrimage. The fans represent a mix of transplants, snowbirds, retirees and spring break vacationers.
- "There's a natural emotional letdown in the sports universe after the Super Bowl," The Score's Matt Spiegel tells Axios."Add a very cold winter, and you get Chicagoans racing to Arizona for both the vibes and the ballgames."
- "Everyone is just so damn happy to be here," Spiegel adds.
Yes, but: It's not just Cubs and Sox fans. Baseball lovers from around the country have the same idea.
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.
- "Over the years, the Arizona Office of Tourism has targeted the Chicago area in advertising campaigns because it is such an important market for Arizona," Cactus League Executive Director Bridget Binsbacher tells Axios.
Zoom out: The spring training vibes don't keep the locals from participating as well.
- Paula and Dan Hudalla live across the street from the Sox 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."
The bottom line: For Chicago fans, it's less about standings and more about sun, nostalgia -- and the promise that this might finally be the year.
- "It's a nice, sunny day to drink some beers and watch baseball," Dan Hudalla adds. "What could be better?"
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.