Madison is no stranger to hosting unique sporting events, and we continue to draw athletes and spectators from all over the world. From the Tug-of-War International Federation (TWIF) Outdoor World Championships, which featured teams from 15 countries, to the Strongman Games where athletes lift cars weighing up to 1,000 pounds, the city has hosted some of the most exciting events.
Our variety of venues—combined with an abundance of city amenities and attractions athletes and their families love—complete the distinctive sporting experience. Keep reading for an inside look at the breadth and depth of 10 unique sporting events that Madison has successfully hosted.
1. IRONMAN Wisconsin
Venue: Madison and surrounding communities
IRONMAN is a full-distance triathlon series with a reputation for being one of most challenging endurance events in the world. Madison has been the host city for IRONMAN Wisconsin for 22 years and counting, and its course is often recognized as a triathlete favorite. In fact, IRONMAN Wisconsin was named “Best Swim Course” based on athletes’ post-event surveys from all 2023 races from around the world! The course consists of a 2.4-mile loop swim in Lake Monona, a challenging 112-mile bike course through Verona’s rolling hills and an exhilarating 26.2-mile run past iconic cultural landmarks like UW–Madison with a finish line framed up by the Wisconsin State Capitol in the background. Plus, it's one of the only IRONMAN races with an indoor transition area. Madison’s unique lake-city-lake landscape is a perfect backdrop to this large-scale, unique sporting event. Read accolades from IRONMAN Wisconsin participants on why they love competing in Madison. Spoiler: Our local volunteers and support crowds are phenomenal!
2. Tug of War International Federation Outdoor World Championships
Venue: Olin Park, Madison
The 2014 TWIF Outdoor World Championship was held in Olin Park, a family-friendly lakeside recreational area that hugs Lake Monona. It was an unexpectedly thrilling competition where teams from across the globe—including the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, England, Ireland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, Latvia and beyond—came together to pull their hearts out. The Madison Area Sports Commission (MASC), a division of Destination Madison, pioneered a payment plan to make meals and registrations work seamlessly for the event, providing next-level service for the event planners. In the end, the event brought more than $500,000 in local economic impact!
3. Boomerang National Championships
Venue: Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex, Cottage Grove
The specialized, aerodynamic boomerangs used in today’s official sport are a far cry from the simple toys of your childhood. Madison brought this exciting tradition to life in 2016, hosting the United States Boomerang Associations’ National Boomerang Championship and showcasing the sport’s long history and modern appeal. Competitors from across the nation gathered at the Wisconsin Rugby Sports Complex in Cottage Grove for events that tested throwers’ long toss, maximum time in the air, speed, accuracy, trick catches and more.
4. USA Climbing American Bouldering Series National Championships
Venue: Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison
USA Climbing’s American Bouldering Series National Championships, traditionally held in outdoor hotspots like Bend, Oregon, made a bold move to Madison thanks to MASC. Over several years, MASC built relationships with local active climbing groups and USA Climbing leadership, which helped secure the event drawing 1,200 competitors. Initially, the event organizers were reluctant about hosting an outdoor event in Madison during the winter, but MASC’s strong partnership with Monona Terrace allowed for a spacious 37,000-square-foot venue, accommodating 18-foot-high indoor climbing walls for the February event. It was an incredible feat—read the event case study here. Madison’s climate and distinctive geography were a delightful surprise. Kids absolutely loved walking on the frozen ice during the climbing event, transforming the lake into our largest park!
5. CrossFit Games
Venue: Alliant Energy Center, Madison
The CrossFit Games are a multi-day event, known as the ultimate test of fitness. What makes it truly unique is that athletes train for the unknown. Past events have featured challenges like distance swims, handstand walking and odd-object carries, with athletes discovering the specific challenges only when the competition starts. MASC collaborated closely with Alliant Energy Center to transform the 164-acre campus into an ideal competition space to host the CrossFit Games over several years. They created competition stages, stands for fans, hospitality facilities, a marketplace and more. The MASC sales and services team went the extra mile to enhance the attendee experience by working with local restaurants to provide special menus that would appeal to the athletes! These special touches and level of service are just some of the reasons why event planners love working with our team.
6. Quadball (formerly Quidditch) Midwest Regional Championship
Venue: Breese Stevens Field, Madison
According to U.S. Quadball, quadball is a “mixed-gender sport merging rugby, dodgeball and tag with brooms.” Yes, you read that correctly—the game (and critical broom element) was inspired by the airborne wizards’ game Quidditch from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Although U.S. Quadball has changed its name, removing any perceived ties to Rowling, the game’s popularity spans more than 600 teams in nearly 40 countries! U.S. Quadball hosted its 2017 Midwest Regional Championship at Breese Stevens Field in Madison, which has a total capacity of 9,333 in stadium plus private party spaces. The field is also home to Forward Madison FC, Madison’s professional soccer team with a flamingo mascot—a nod to Madison’s quirky official city bird.
7. USA Yoga National Championship
Venue: Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison
In 2018, USA Yoga hosted the USA Yoga Nationals, an invitational competition, at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, a 250,000 square-foot, multi-level facility featuring public promenades, meeting rooms with striking lake views and the attached Hilton Madison Monona Terrace. 144 competitors of a variety of age ranges and yoga lineages were rewarded for their technique and presentation, showcasing the athletic strength, stamina, balance, flexibility, breath and concentration required to pull off six complex postures in three minutes. In addition to the competition, a weekend-long yoga expo was held in the venue accommodating demonstrations, lectures and yoga classes led by some of the top instructors in the country.
8. Strongman Games
Venue: Alliant Energy Center, Madison
In 2024, nearly 400 of the top Strongman and Strongwoman athletes from 35+ countries gathered at Alliant Energy Center to compete for the “World’s Strongest” title across multiple divisions. From axle deadlifts to sandbag medleys and the infamous wrecking ball hold, these powerhouse athletes showcased unbelievable feats of strength. The four-day event also included teen/junior competitions and an adaptive exhibition. Alliant Energy Center, with 630,000 total square feet of functional space, pavilions and exhibition hall, was an ideal venue for Strongman Games due to its flexible spaces and proximity to downtown amenities.
9. World Ice & Snow Sailing World Championships
Venue: Lake Mendota and The Edgewater, Madison
Madison is a four-seasons outdoor paradise, and our five stunning lakes—Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa and Kegonsa—are at the heart of it all. The 2025 World Ice & Snow Sailing World Championships effectively demonstrated how these frozen lakes become a hub for winter sports and thrill-seekers. Riders from across the globe traveled to Madison to compete in windsurfing, wing sails and kite sailing on frozen Lake Mendota, participating in both Elite and Recreational divisions. International athletes were pleasantly surprised by the walkable city amenities, as they typically compete in rural or remote natural areas.
10. American Broomball National Championships
Venue: Bob Suter’s LEGACY20 Arena, Middleton
What’s the next unique sporting event heading to Madison? We’re excited to announce that the American Broomball Alliance is bringing their National Championships to the Greater Madison area in April 2025! Broomball is a fast-paced, non-contact sport played on ice with—you guess it—brooms and a ball. Unlike hockey, these players do not wear ice skates. The sport is popular in Canada and regions of the US, particularly in the Midwest and Northeast where there is a strong hockey culture and cold winters. Find more info about this upcoming event here.
Madison Area Sports Commission Team
If you’re looking for the perfect venue to host your (conventional or unconventional!) sporting event, contact our team with 50+ years of experience bringing sporting events to Greater Madison.
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