The 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome wasn’t just a display of golfing excellence but also an economic powerhouse, raking in a staggering €262 million in economic activity.
This record-setting figure marks an 11% increase over the €235 million generated by the 2018 Ryder Cup held at Le Golf National in Paris, France.
According to an independent report by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC), this financial windfall is attributed to a combination of spectator spending, organisational expenditure, and various indirect or induced spending.
At Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, over 271,000 enthusiasts from 100 countries converged to witness Europe, under the leadership of Captain Luke Donald, reclaim the Ryder Cup with a 16½-11½ victory over the United States.
This event marked Italy’s debut as a Ryder Cup host, joining Spain and France in the elite club of continental European hosts.
Spectator Spending: A Key Contributor
The report’s findings highlight several significant economic impacts:
- Spectators staying in Rome’s paid accommodations generated more than 318,000 commercial bed nights, translating to €34 million for the local accommodation sector.
- Non-accommodation-related expenditure by spectators amounted to €72 million.
- Nearly 19% of event-specific visitors extended their stay in Rome, further boosting local spending.
- Almost two-thirds of international spectators expressed a desire to return to Italy within the next year, inspired by their Ryder Cup experience.
Guy Kinnings, CEO of the European Tour Group, commented on these impressive figures: “The figures highlighted in this independent economic impact report demonstrate the major benefits that Ryder Cup delivers for a host country through spectator and visitor spending, as well as an enduring legacy.”
Rome’s Bold Vision Pays Off
Kinnings also acknowledged the pivotal role of the Italian Government and the Federazione Italiana Golf in bringing the Ryder Cup to Rome.
He praised both the teams and the organizers: “From a sporting and fan engagement perspective, Rome 2023 has already gone down as one of the greatest Ryder Cup’s in history.
We can now confidently conclude that the 2023 contest at Marco Simone also generated record financial rewards, providing a significant direct boost to the economy in Rome and in Italy.”
The SIRC team applied the eventIMPACTS.com compliant methodology, previously used for estimating economic impacts in Scotland (2014) and France (2018), to assess the 2023 Ryder Cup’s financial influence across three geographical levels: Rome, Lazio, and Italy.
Future Ryder Cups
Looking ahead, the 2025 Ryder Cup will take place at Bethpage Black in New York, USA, with the 2027 edition set for Adare Manor Resort in Ireland, celebrating the event’s centenary.
