The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) generated a total economic impact of US$40,446,754 for Barbados during the 2023 tournament.
2023 was the first time that the CPL had returned to Barbados since 2019 and the first time the country had hosted WCPL matches.
There were six men’s matches and three Women’s matches played in Barbados between 30 August and 3 September with the games taking place at the world-famous Kensington Oval.
The total event impact is calculated by world-renowned research organisation, YouGov Sport with the final figure being based on several key metrics, including organiser and visitor spending on Island media as well as the commercial value generated from the extensive global TV distribution.
One of the main contributing elements was the CPL cohort, who were responsible for filling 10,951 hotel room nights in Barbados, made up of CPL’s players, coaches, administrators, TV and media crews, team owner groups, league and franchise event management teams. Other visitor groups associated with the tournament also made a significant contribution to Island spending during the tournament.
Barbados also benefited from the tournament being broadcast around the world with CPL’s audience reaching 853.5million total viewers in 2023. As always, the tournament worked closely with BTMI to create world-class content which promoted Barbados as the unique holiday destination we all know it to be. These exclusive features and vignettes were shown during the CPL matches, further promoting the tourism message.
Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “It was fantastic to be back in Barbados after four years away and the atmosphere at Kensington Oval was brilliant, highlighting the local and international appetite for CPL cricket. These results are great news for Barbados and we are looking forward to making an even bigger impact in 2024.”
Graham Clarke, Director of Caribbean for Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, said: “It is great to see the iconic Kensington Oval – the cricketing mecca of the Caribbean – hosting CPL matches again, after a brief hiatus during and immediately after the Covid 19 Pandemic. Cricket is much more than a game, it is an economy. For every dollar of revenue earned through the purchase of Bajan goods and services by visitors to our island during the week of CPL, there is a direct and multiplier effect on the people and economy of Barbados.”