BATHURST Regional Council’s extended deal with the Penrith Panthers, to bring one National Rugby League game a year to the city until 2028, has the potential to put $7 million into the city’s economy, according to council estimations.
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Council estimates that holding an NRL game in Bathurst creates six full-time equivalent jobs, $340,000 in household income and $710,000 for the city’s economy each year.
This year’s game between the Panthers and Canberra will be the fourth in the original five-game deal.
The 10-year extension announced last week was hailed by both council and the Panthers as a great result for the city.
In addition to the economic impact of visitor expenditure in the city, council general manager David Sherley said there were a number of other economic benefits from the deal.
“These benefits include value of advertising of Bathurst through televised coverage of the game on Fox Sports,” he said.
“Bathurst also receives coverage on national television, radio, newspaper and online coverage before and after the match with local newspapers in Penrith and in the region of the away team.”
Mr Sherley also said the NRL game increases the reach of the Bathurst brand, increases the likelihood of tourism visitation and increases participation in rugby league in the region through the presence of professional athletes.
He also pointed to the benefits of “improved sporting facilities for local use and the potential increase of revenue for local sporting clubs”.
Mr Sherley said council expects the economic benefits to the region will grow over the next 10 years.
Council has never revealed the cost of bringing the Penrith Panthers to Bathurst each year, but it is believed to be around $250,000 per match.
Mr Sherley said the NRL game does not only bring economic benefits to the region, but also significant social benefits through Panthers’ community engagement activities such as school visits and coaching clinics.
The Panthers will host Canberra Raiders at Carrington Park on June 10 in a rematch of last year’s thrilling but controversial match.
The Panthers played the Cronulla Sharks in the first year of the Bathurst deal in late July, the Gold Coast Titans in mid-March in the second year, which drew the smallest crowd of the deal so far of just over 6000 people, and the Raiders in late April in the third year in 2016.
The return to a winter fixture this year has raised some eyebrows given the weather in June in the Central Tablelands.
The game against the Sharks in 2014 attracted the best crowd – 8824 – of the three NRL games played at Carrington Park.
Last year’s match attracted 6721.
Tickets are on sale at www.bathurstnrl.com.au.
