Swansea City FC is worth £58 million to city economy
WHEN the Swans were promoted to football’s top table the city was buoyant on a wave of excitement at the prospect of its team being in the best football league in the world.
But the move brought with it more than a renewed sporting spirit — the first season alone was worth more £58 million to the local economy.
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Swans stars Michu and Danny Graham have been entertaining crowds at the Liberty Stadium
And it has helped create and protect an estimated 400 jobs — 360 of which have been in Swansea.
The figures have been released as part of an economic impact study of how Premier League status has affected Swansea and Wales.
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Nick Bradley, Swansea Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The Swans’ Premier League adventure has been an incredible success story for the club, for Wales and for Swansea.
“The value of the Swans success to the local economy is even greater than Chelsea’s widely-reported prize money for winning the Champions League this year.
“That’s an incredible achievement. I want to pay tribute to the joint effort between the Welsh Government, Swansea Council, their partners and, of course, the Swans for making sure the economic benefits have been felt alongside the tremendous feel-good factor that’s been generated right across the city.”
The report says that while the majority of the economic value was created directly by the football club, most of the jobs created and safeguarded were from non- footballing activity.
The most significant element of this was the spending power of visiting fans who visited pubs, clubs and restaurants and stayed in hotels as a direct result of attending games at the Liberty Stadium.
Hotels in Swansea have been repeatedly out-performing hotels in Cardiff when it comes to occupation rates in recent months.
Welsh Government Business Minister and Gower AM Edwina Hart said: “I welcome the results of this latest economic impact study, which tracks the local economic benefits of the thousands of football fans who attended Premier League matches at the Liberty Stadium last season.
“Swansea City FC’s promotion and success in the Premier League has also exposed Wales to a worldwide television audience and provided the Welsh Government with rich opportunities to promote our economic development and tourism messages, not just for the Swansea region, but for Wales.
“As a result, an audience of millions has been introduced to key messages about Wales that challenge perceptions and support our economic development campaigns.”
Mr Bradley said that the Swans’ success story, along with the success of the Ospreys, the Wales National Pool Swansea’s medal haul at the Paralympic games and the tens of thousands who turned out for the Olympic Torch relay had made 2012 a golden year for the city.
He said: “It has been a fantastic year for sport in our city.”
Comments
by westcoastswan
Friday, January 04 2013, 10:51PM
“there's endless visible benefits that premeir league football has brought to swansea .
thousands coming into swansea for games, liberty stadium packed out, people buying tickets/food/drink/programs/merchandise, spending money everywhere in swansea at restaurants/pubs/takeaways/hotels/taxis, buses/car parks full up, teams/media staying at hotels, lots of jobs at the liberty from groundsmen to doormen, lots of jobs everywhere for serving food and drink like bar staff and waitresses, food and drink being bought throug the supply chain, liberty stadium being shown nationally on match of the day, worldwide coverage of swansea on various channels, coverage in newspapers/radio/internet, footballers renting flats/driving flash cars/shopping/eating in restaurants locally,etc,etc,etc. plenty of visible benefits.”
by pyreneo04
Friday, January 04 2013, 4:53PM
“Lezz_T is entitled to an opinion, be it positive or negative in your own opinion, Philosoraptor. One man's negativity is another man's reality.”
by GSVale
Friday, January 04 2013, 2:10PM
“JohnSW4
"They must ease the congestion around the Landore area by using the now unused park and ride at Llansamlet !"
The reason thats its unused is that there is still a family of undesirable people living there and who in their right mind would ever leave a car near them. Aside from that the entrance is now barricaded by said family and even though the council have spent a fortune cleaning the place up, it still stinks and looks like a land fill.
I agree with Dan01, I cant see any visible benefits to Swansea, the city centre is still a dump full of crack heads and drunks, half the street lights don't work and they didn't even grit the roads last time it froze. Give me the 58 Million I'll sort things out lol”
by Philosoraptor
Friday, January 04 2013, 1:51PM
“Lezz_T, show me one post you made in the past where you have been positive about the city of Swansea. Until then sit down and be quiet.”
by hairofthedog
Friday, January 04 2013, 1:22PM
“I haven't had time to read all comments but welcome the additional income that a premier league team brings to Swansea. Unfortunately the football club is the only thing our city can be proud of at the moment, and to be honest I believe the local authority should be subsidising the club for this raise in profile the city is gaining around the world. Not just in terms of favourable planning decisions and rent but cold hard cash.
I just hope that the visiting fans give the city centre a wide berth and head straight down the Gower, or they won't be coming back in future seasons. Even the hotel manager interviewed on the news last night commented that "by default" he directs tourists west of the city when they ask where to visit.
The local authority need to improve the city centre significantly while this oppurtunity is available. Don't forget it looks like we will have competition in the form of another premier league side 40 miles east in August.”
by hafodsam
Friday, January 04 2013, 12:46PM
“So we have an academic report stating that having a team in the premiership is a good thing. What's next - a report saying that unemployment is a bad thing or that heart disease can kill you?
Unlike Philosorupture, I don't think the rent issue has been thrown out. It has been simply been kicked to touch.”
by StephenG11
Friday, January 04 2013, 11:10AM
“Lezz-T
V interesting - where can we download the report - i can't see any link in the article. It looks though from what you say as if most of the benefits were rather indirect. On the other hand, anything that helps make the City seem a more attractive destination is all to the good. I saw Nick Bradley spouting on the wales News last night too. Maybe perceived success leads to success.”
by Lezz_T
Friday, January 04 2013, 10:33AM
“swanseajock,
If you read the report from Cardiff University it states visiting fans generated just £7.9m of the total, that is less than gets spent in Cardiff for one six nations game.
As for Philosoraptor, just continue inhabiting your fantasy world of made up facts and figures.”
by Philosoraptor
Friday, January 04 2013, 12:17AM
“Swanseajock, you cannot expect any sort of optimistic or otherwise positive comment from LezzT. That person has been wronged somehow and never see's the brighter side to life, it is always moan, moan, moan with that one. You are best treating the comments from that user with the contempt it deserves.”
by Philosoraptor
Thursday, January 03 2013, 11:38PM
“The rent argument has been thrown out many times before, not sure why it is still being brought up.”