by Daniel Stefanski | Apr 1, 2024 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the City of Phoenix are hoping for another extended postseason run from the boys of summer in 2024.
Just before the D-Backs kicked off their new season, Arizona State University’s Seidman Research Institute conducted a study to find the economic impact of the home team’s 2023 postseason run. The study found that the economic windfall was $107.6 million.
The study revealed that there were 336,370 individuals who attended D-Backs home playoff games during the National League Division Series against the Dodgers, the National League Championship Series against the Phillies, and the World Series against the Rangers. Most of those fans resided in the Valley, but outside of the City of Phoenix (63.4%). 21.3% of the attendees traveled from another state to watch baseball in the desert.
Bars and restaurants in downtown Phoenix observed a substantial economic boon during the D-Backs surprising playoff run. According to the analysis of the study from Downtown Phoenix Inc, “Sales at bars and restaurants Downtown were up 30.7% during home playoff games compared to non-playoff game nights,” and “17.8% of playoff game ticket holders visited a Downtown bar or restaurant before entering Chase Field and 28.2% visited a Downtown bar or restaurant post-game.”
Due to the increased number of out-of-town travelers to the City and State, hotels in the area also experienced an economic fortune. Downtown Phoenix Inc analysis stated that “total hotel revenue for seven home playoff games played at Chase Field was $625,422 more than the average daily collection for the 25 non-playoff game nights in October 2023.”
Both Downtown Phoenix Inc. and the City of Phoenix’s Community & Economic Development Department commissioned the study from the university research institute.
The Arizona Diamondbacks opened their season on Thursday, March 28, winning their first game in historic and decisive fashion, 16-1. The team started the 2024 campaign with a record payroll, thanks, in large part, to the extended 2023 postseason run. They hope to reciprocate that effort yet again later this fall, giving the team and its surrounding partners another windfall in October and November.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Nov 1, 2023 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A local team’s unexpected run to the pinnacle of the baseball world has given its city an economic boon.
The Arizona Diamondbacks weren’t expected to go too far during the 2023 Major League Baseball postseason, but the team has proven its doubters and detractors very wrong over the past few weeks, reaching the World Series for the first time since 2001. This journey through October provides an infusion of tens of millions of dollars to the City of Phoenix and the State of Arizona, giving the local economy millions of extra reasons to cheer on their team.
Glenn Farley, the Arizona Director of Policy & Research for the Common Institute, published a piece about the expected economic impact for the region based on the hometown team’s surge through the playoffs. He wrote that “because the events are unplanned and non-competitive, the typical costs associated with attracting and hosting a major event are largely missing during a World Series, and successful hosting depends on a cities natural economic base and infrastructure rather than disposable infrastructure developed specifically for the event.”
Farley pointed out that the State of Arizona’s sports and tourism sector “employs 167,000 people,” and that “those tourism and hospitality workers were already on hand to support visitors and consumers for the unexpected World Series windfall.”
The economic benefits of the World Series in Arizona follow a busier-than-normal year for the Valley’s national sports scene. Researchers from Arizona State University found that the January Fiesta Bowl for college football garnered $170 million, the February Phoenix Open for golf another $277 million, and the February Super Bowl for the NFL topped out at $1.3 billion. The first full Cactus League Spring Training season since 2019 also brought hundreds of millions of dollars to Arizona towns and cities. In addition, Arizona hosted an early round of the World Baseball Classic back in March.
Researchers also have shared that the two cities that hosted the World Series in 2022 earned $68 million and $78 million, respectively, from economic spending attached with their team’s individual trips to the Fall Classic.
In his post, Farley added, “The state’s impending successful hosting of a World Series, following a Super Bowl and during an ongoing recovery for the state’s conventions and tourism, is another opportunity to celebrate its success in cultivating a robust and diverse local economy – including young and healthy infrastructure, a large and perennial tourism industry, and an innovative approach to taxes and regulations that supports business development.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by AZ Free News | Apr 6, 2021 | News
The Arizona Diamondbacks will not be throwing their name in the hat for the relocated 2021 All-Star Game.
D-backs owner Ken Kendrick squashed the notion of the team potentially hosting this year’s event while on with Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday, calling the relocation of the game from the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park a sad state of affairs.
“No, we absolutely would not [pursue the All-Star Game],” Kendrick said. “We hosted one in 2011, we’re proud that we were able to do that but I view it as it would be an insult to my friends at the Atlanta Braves for us to take the game that was theirs.”
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