Joe GallopThe Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has contributed at least £870m to the UK economy, a new study has revealed.
The independent interim evaluation report found that the West Midlands economy received a significant boost, with more than half the economic impact generated (£453.7m) benefiting businesses and communities across the region.
Birmingham 2022 created 9,000 full-time equivalent jobs in 2022, with volunteers taking up 1.25 million hours of work.
A record 1.5m tickets were sold for the Games, the largest multi-sport event hosted in England in the last 10 years. Held between 28 July – 8 August 2022, the event brought hosted 6,600 athletes and team officials from across 72 Commonwealth nations and territories.
Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said, “Birmingham 2022 was tremendously successful in boosting the local economy and bringing people together. This report shows that new jobs and investments are just the beginning of the story, with the Games paving the way for future events in the region.
“The Games put the West Midlands on the global stage, and provided the region with world-class facilities. Thanks to Birmingham 2022, the city now has the industry know-how and venues to host the European Athletics Championships in 2026.
“Diversity and inclusion was at the heart of the ‘Friendly Games’, with the first fully integrated pride programme, more medals for women than men and the biggest para-sport programme in Commonwealth Games history.”
Since Birmingham was awarded the Games in 2017, the event has created roughly 15,410 years of employment in the UK. Over summer 2022, this equated to more than 9,000 full time equivalent jobs. Birmingham 2022 also delivered 5,188 weeks of apprenticeships, 2,000 work experience placements and training for 14,075 members of the Commonwealth Collective who contributed 1.25 million volunteering hours.
Almost three quarters of local businesses surveyed in the report said they had secured new investments thanks to Games contracts. Commonwealth Collective volunteers said participating in the Games had increased feelings of inclusion, pride and wellbeing.
Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said, “Birmingham 2022 was always about much more than 11 days of sport and our focus is now firmly upon realising the long-term legacy that being the Proud Host City will enable. The council will continue working with partners to ensure that the people and communities of Birmingham and the wider region continue to be Commonwealth Games winners for years to come.”
Sir John Crabtree, outgoing chair of Birmingham 2022, said: “One of the key parts of our Birmingham 2022 mission was to help the region to grow and succeed, an ambition which took on even greater significance following the impact of the global pandemic. This report, which outlines a beneficial boost for the West Midlands economy, is evidence that the Games successfully achieved this aim, and this is further demonstrated by the figures for employment, with approximately 7,440 net full-time equivalent jobs supported at the peak of the Games.”
Birmingham 2022 events had an estimated total global TV viewership of 834.9 million, more than 215 million digital views, 141 million interactions on social media and generated significant positive media coverage.
Birmingham and the West Midlands have benefited from a new aquatics centre in Sandwell, the redevelopment of Alexander Stadium and wider regeneration projects in Perry Barr including a brand new train station.
The full report can be found here.