8 December 2014

Global Sports City Index ranking enhances Auckland’s reputation

Auckland’s reputation as a global sports city has been enhanced after being named in a major global sporting city ranking - a further international endorsement for the region’s Major Events Strategy and approach to driving economic growth.

The Global Sports City Index, which analyses the success of cities in attracting major sports events, has ranked in Auckland in 10th place. This represents a return to the top 10 for Auckland, following a 13th place ranking in 2013 and 7th place in 2012.

The Global Sports City Index was determined by the results of the Global Sports Impact (GSI) Project, an extensive study conducted by leading sports market research company Sportcal that analysed over 1,500 events in a 14-year period.

The 2014 rankings were topped by London, followed by Moscow and Tokyo. Other cities joining Auckland in the top 10 include Rio de Janeiro, home of the 2016 Olympics, and Russian city Sochi, which staged the 2014 Winter Olympics. Auckland is the only city in Oceania ranked in the top 20.

Events included in the study are those that are constantly rotated throughout the world and can be hosted in more than one continent, such as a major world championships or multi-sport games.

Auckland has played host or been a host city for a number of these events, including Rugby World Cup 2011, while future events taken into consideration for the rankings include the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015 and the World Masters Games 2017.

Brett O’Riley, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) Chief Executive, says Auckland’s improved ranking is testament to the work of ATEED, on behalf of Auckland Council, and its public and private sector partners, particularly Central Government.

“This ranking is a great endorsement for Auckland’s Major Events Strategy and approach to driving economic growth through major events.

“It shows that Auckland is able to compete with other global cities to attract major events from Rugby World Cup 2011 through to the World Masters Games 2017, which have and will continue to play a significant role in growing Auckland’s economy,” says Mr O’Riley.

Between 2011 and 2014 Auckland’s ambitious Major Events Strategy stimulated a 73 per cent increase in GDP impact for Auckland – growing from a $28.9 million return in 2011/12 and $39.1 million in 2012/13 to $49.9 million in 2013/14.

Over that time Auckland’s major events portfolio generated nearly 835,000 visitor nights for Auckland.

Mayor Len Brown welcomes the ranking, and says the 2015 major events calendar shows that Auckland has earned its spot in the top 10.

“Auckland has a non-stop summer lined up with global events like the Barfoot & Thompson World Triathlon Auckland, and as a host city for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. With the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015 also coming up in June next year, we are set to enjoy a bumper 2015.”

Background
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) is a council-controlled organisation tasked with the attraction and sponsorship of major events in Auckland, as well as focussing on the region’s economic wellbeing and marketing of Auckland as a destination.

The Auckland Major Events Strategy is available at www.aucklandnz.com/images/uploads/page_images/MajorEventsStrategy.pdf.

The Global Sports City Index ranking adds to previous accolades for Auckland, including winning the medium-sized Ultimate Sports City (1.3 – 3 million) category in the SportBusiness Ultimate Sports Cities Awards earlier this year, and placing second in the world in the 2012 International Sports Event Management Awards and third in the same awards in 2013.

Sportcal is the most comprehensive provider of sports market intelligence worldwide. It is the essential resource for anyone in the business of sport. Sportcal has been at the forefront of sports market news, data, analysis and insight for over 23 years. The product suite includes; news, calendar, directory, media, sponsorship, events and bidding. Sportcal also publishes a bi-monthly magazine and a range of publications.

Sportcal is also the lead partner of the Global Sports Impact (GSI) project. The GSI project aims to create an internationally accepted methodology for measuring the impact of major sports events across the globe.

ENDS

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