Football 'tourists' will have brought an extra £10 million into local economy

PAUL Williams, principal lecturer in marketing and tourism at Staffordshire University, is in no doubt of the value of Stoke City's Premier League status to the North Staffordshire economy as a whole.

"Paddy Power's Premier League opening-day prediction that Stoke City would be immediately relegated back to the Football League Championship was arguably the most important motivation the club needed. In an age of sporting commercialism, confirmation that Stoke City had not only survived their Premier League debut but are on track to finish in a respectable mid-table position is likely to yield a further jackpot pay day.

Furthermore, the Potters' well-publicised football exploits have consistently kept both the club and, more importantly, the city, in a global spotlight. Unprecedented positive exposure means that the estimated £60 million that the club earned in the short term from its on-field success is only the start of the continued good times to come.

Weekly UK television audiences of more than five million, together with overseas broadcasts of 600 million in 160 countries, has given the city the opportunity to present a new and exciting image.

As well as providing a showcase for regional industry and regeneration initiatives, more than half a million people attended Stoke City home games. This football-related 'tourism' not only provided a significant economic boost to the local visitor economy, but inevitably resulted in higher than average hotel occupancy rates.

Premier League status makes it a lot easier to promote the city to a wider range of inbound visitors. There is a remarkable difference between the Championship and the Premier League in terms of attracting supporters and other visitors to the Britannia on a regular basis, and to ensure that these then disperse to other attractions in the area. For example, if supporters come to the city to watch a match, have a meal and a drink, they might spend around £50-£75. If they can be encouraged to stay over this would increase considerably. On this basis it is feasible to suggest that irrespective of spending by local people on tickets, visitors to the city to watch the country's leading football clubs will have spent in excess of an additional £10 million."