The World Boxing Championships boosted Liverpool’s economy by £4m, a new report has found.
It said hotels, shops and businesses benefited the most, with 96% of visitors rating the city as a good or very good host.
Nearly 8,000 tickets were sold for September’s event, which was the first elite-level global championships hosted by World Boxing – the international federation created to make sure boxing remained an Olympic sport.
More than 900 hours of action were broadcast around the world to a total audience of 5.32 million people, with the championships generating 831 million impressions on social media.
‘Lasting benefits’
“As a city, we are well-known for delivering huge, world-class events and we are always delighted to host prestigious competitions like the World Boxing Championships,” said Councillor Harry Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture.
“Not only did it generate money to boost to our economy, it also supported local businesses and our hospitality sector, and created lasting benefits for our people and our communities,” he said.
He added that the event brought economic and social benefits to thousands of people across the city through “wrap-around cultural activities, social impact programmes, and volunteering opportunities”.
The report said 127 volunteers were “the heartbeat of the championships”, with them contributing 3,142 hours across 483 shifts.
More than 1,200 primary school children also benefited from a boxing themed literacy programme.
There was also success for local boxing, as Odel Kamara and Callum Makin won bronze medals at the event.
Local clubs in Liverpool also received boxing equipment worth £50,000.
Gennadiy Golovkin, the president of World Boxing, said: “This was great event for Olympic style boxing.
“It was also a fantastic platform for our male and female boxers to showcase their skills and abilities to a huge global audience.”
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Related internet links
Read the full article here
