Hosting two near sell-out US baseball matches at the Olympic stadium delivered a £53m economic boost to London, research suggested on Wednesday.
About 110,000 fans attended the two Major League Baseball games between the St Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs in June – with 21,000 people travelling from the US and about 10,000 from mainland Europe.
This added about £53m to the capital’s hotel, travel and leisure economy – with knock-on benefits of about £7.6m to the rest of the UK.
It is the latest illustration of how sport is reinvigorating the economy – with Mayor Sadiq Khan claiming London was the “sporting capital of the world”.
Last month Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium was credited with generating an additional £500m.
Major League Baseball is due to return to the Olympic stadium next year – when the New York Mets play the Philadelphia Phillies twice – and again in 2026, under a deal signed in New York last year by Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Baseball was first played at the stadium – now renamed the London Stadium – in 2019 but was postponed during the pandemic. The 2029 series generated a £37m economic boost.
An impact study by Two Circles estimated the MLB London Series 2023 resulted in a boost of more than £60m to the UK’s economy as a whole.
The research was based on a survey completed by more than 6,200 fans over the two event days.
The study found that of those who travelled around the country before and after the event, 53 per cent visited England and 37 per cent visited Scotland. Greater Manchester and Merseyside were the top destinations in England.
Mr Khan said: “I am delighted that the return of MLB to the London Stadium this summer has been a huge success.
“London is the sporting capital of the world, and I am proud that we have been able to play host to a series that has boosted interest in baseball and benefitted the economy across the capital.
“Londoners and visitors can now look forward to next summer’s matches as we continue building a better and more prosperous London for everyone.“
Lyn Garner, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said: “The flexibility of the venue means we can host events as varied as Premier League football, music concerts, Major League Baseball and international athletics, all in the matter of a few weeks.
“London Stadium has one of the busiest and most varied programmes of any venue of similar size in the world and continues to deliver for London and the UK.”
