Football worth ‘£330m a year’ to Manchester

FOOTBALL contributes around £330m a year to Greater Manchester’s economy.

That’s according to a new report on the wider financial benefits of the sport which is being launched today at the Soccerex European Forum at Manchester Central.

Produced by the Sport Industry Research Centre and Cambridge Econometrics for the city council, it claims four seasons of football has the same economic impact on Greater Manchester as hosting the Olympics.

The researchers found that football contributed around £330m in gross value added (GVA) – a measure of goods and services – to Greater Manchester’s economy in 2010-11.  

It is also estimated that the global profile that Manchester receives from football could be worth over £100m a year on an advertising-equivalency basis.

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “It’s clear that Manchester’s two table-topping Premier League clubs and its host of other clubs make an enormous contribution to the life of the city. In a global environment where we are competing with cities around the world for investment and jobs, this is an enormous competitive advantage.

“As this report makes clear, football also brings a considerable number of visitors to Manchester so whatever your allegiances the success of our clubs is a big win for our economy.”

Mike Emmerich, chief executive of think tank New Economy, said: “Football is by no means the only string to Manchester’s bow, and we are clear that being known for our strengths in areas such as science and innovation, as well as our sporting prowess, is critical for our further growth. However, this week’s Manchester derby has once again demonstrated how football has the power to put the city in front of an international audience.”