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The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool made a tremendous impact on the local economy. Any time a big sporting event of any kind, be it a golf tournament, the Super Bowl, March Madness, or anything of that nature, travels to an area, money comes with it. The amount that the 151st Open added was pretty impressive.
Per reports, the event was able to generate more than $230 million in revenue for the local economy in Merseyside, England. The largest benefit came from the worldwide broadcast, which aided in marketing for companies.
The last time Royal Liverpool hosted the Open Championship was in 2014. That year, there was a significant boost to the economy, but 2023's version saw a 35% increase from even then.
R&A CEO Martin Slumbers said, via Mirror:
"The 151st Open generated a substantial economic benefit for the Wirral and wider Liverpool City Region with tens of thousands of fans travelling from far and wide to witness Brian Harman become the Champion Golfer of the Year and tens of millions more watching on television or digital platforms worldwide."
Slumbers noted that the major tournament continues to flourish, and specified their track record of infusing financial boosts into both the communities and local businesses and showing off the local region to worldwide audiences. He continued:
“We would like to thank Royal Liverpool and all of our patrons and partners for their support and commitment to helping us stage one of the world’s foremost sporting events.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, echoed the praise for the tournament that hosts PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf members alike:
“The Open is one of the sporting world’s crown jewels and to have the opportunity to play host to it not just once – but twice in the space of three years – is an incredible achievement for our area."
The wider Liverpool region also saw a 23% increase from 2017, when they were able to host the Open at the Royal Birkdale. Every time the Open travels somewhere, it brings in a lot of money, but it did so in tremendous fashion last year.
It is estimated that 261,180 fans were in attendance for the Open Championship. Of that number, 18,000 were children under the age of 16 thanks to the free attendance for young fans of the sport.
It is estimated that one in four fans traveled from outside England to attend, so it attracted a broad audience last year.
Where is the next Open Championship?
The next Open Championship, which will not be held until the middle of July, is heading to Royal Troon. This golf course is located in Scotland, so they will have a chance to boost the local economy there, too.
Many of the usual faces will be present, including Brian Harman (last year's winner), Cameron Smith, Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and more. The qualification hasn't changed much, so it's open to several golfers this year.
