New information launched by the DP World Tour, The R&A and the Girls European Tour has proven that the most important golf tournaments in Nice Britain and Eire have skilled a robust surge in recognition in 2023 in comparison with pre-COVID-19 pandemic ranges, as ticket gross sales and spectator numbers proceed to rise.
The DP World Tour has loved a 43% improve in its revenues for basic admission and premium hospitality tickets for its tournaments in 2023, in comparison with pre-pandemic ranges in 2019. For the Tour’s 4 most historic occasions in GB&I particularly, the numbers are as follows:
- The BMW PGA Championship noticed basic admission and premium hospitality ticket revenues improve by 41% in 2023 in comparison with 2019. A complete variety of 109,635 spectators attended the event this yr, a 22% improve on 2022.
- The Genesis Scottish Open noticed basic admission and premium hospitality ticket revenues improve by 117% in 2023 in comparison with 2019. A complete variety of 72,517 spectators attended the event this yr, a 5% improve on 2022.
- The Horizon Irish Open noticed basic admission and premium hospitality ticket revenues improve by 98% in 2023 in comparison with 2019. A complete variety of 70,672 spectators attended the event this yr, a 13% improve on 2022.
- The Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo noticed basic admission and premium hospitality ticket revenues improve by 8% in 2023 in comparison with 2019. A complete of 47,073 spectators attended the event this yr, in comparison with 49,787 in 2022.
- Attendance figures for all 4 tournaments stood at 299,897, an 11% improve on 2022.
The Open, organised by The R&A, has set report attendances at each venue since 2017, with all Championship days offered out since 2019. A complete of 261,180 spectators attended The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool this yr, which is the second highest attendance on report and a 30% improve on 2014 when the venue final hosted the Championship. The rising recognition of golf’s unique championship led to the introduction of a poll for basic admission tickets in 2022 to assist handle the rising demand.
The R&A is dedicated to making sure that The Open stays reasonably priced for younger folks with over 30,000 followers beneath the age of 25 attending the Championship this yr because of lowered worth youth tickets and free junior tickets. The variety of junior tickets distributed because the Youngsters Go Free initiative began at Royal Troon in 1997 surpassed the 400,000 mark this yr.
The AIG Girls’s Open at Walton Heath noticed comparable success. A complete of 51,000 followers had been in attendance through the week, up from 33,303 the earlier yr, displaying a 53% improve. The spectator expertise on the Championship was enhanced by the launch of a brand new fan village and staging of a music live performance by world famous person Ellie Goulding.
The Girls European Tour has additionally seen will increase in spectator numbers for its occasions in GB&I this yr. The KPMG Irish Open loved a formidable 20% improve in spectator numbers in 2023 in comparison with 2022, and the Aramco Staff Collection in London noticed a 12% improve this yr in comparison with 2022. The FREED GROUP Girls’s Scottish Open noticed its spectator numbers attain 10,000 in 2023, an analogous stage to 2022.
This follows on from the continued rise within the variety of folks enjoying golf in GB&I. Knowledge from The R&A[1], revealed in March 2023, reveals that golf participation sits effectively above the charges within the years previous to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, there have been 3.7 million on-course grownup golfers in GB&I. As of 2022, that has grown to five.6 million – a 50% improve.
Talking concerning the information Keith Pelley, Chief Government of the DP World Tour, mentioned: “Golf is booming in recognition and attracting a extra various following. The numbers again this up and the DP World Tour’s greatest occasions in GB&I’ve by no means been extra widespread. We now have additionally loved an analogous pattern for our historic nationwide Opens throughout Europe. Golf’s out of doors nature meant folks tried the game in report numbers in 2020, and the DP World Tour is now benefiting from this. Golfers of all ages wish to see the very best gamers on this planet showcase their abilities and we’re targeted on ensuring that our spectator expertise matches their expectations.”
Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, added: “The Open and AIG Girls’s Open are main world sporting occasions and we’re seeing folks attend our championships in higher numbers than ever earlier than. That is the results of a extra focused method to advertising and ticketing which has enabled us to deepen the connection with our followers and converse to them instantly via interesting membership initiatives like The One Membership.
“We regularly have a look at methods to boost the staging of our championships in order that they enchantment to folks of all ages, notably households and younger folks, and supply leisure and worth for cash. Individuals journey right here from all around the world to see the very best golfers on this planet compete for the game’s best championships and we place nice significance on guaranteeing that followers depart The Open and AIG Girls’s Open with reminiscences that may final for a lifetime.”
