NFL-commissioned study: Mexico City game yielded $45M impact

The Texans-Raiders game in Mexico City in November generated an increase of $45 million in the city's gross revenues, the NFL said Thursday.

A league-commissioned study by the Sports Industry group of Ernst & Young used a range of sources, including the NFL's post-event surveys of fans who attended the game and wider economic data on Mexico's economy.

It determined that the Monday night game that drew a crowd of 76,473 included 9,500 international visitors, mainly from the United States, as well as 21,500 visitors who traveled from elsewhere in Mexico. On average, each international visitor spent more than five days in Mexico.

Total domestic and international tourist spending was $43 million, of which $32 million was incremental to the Mexico City economy.

"EY's research demonstrates the value to Mexico City from hosting the NFL game ..." said Mark Gregory, the group's chief economist. "By leveraging the interest and excitement that the league generates, the city gained a significant boost to its economy, with around 31,000 visitors bringing additional income for local businesses, supporting thousands of jobs and generating significant tax receipts for the national government."

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Fan engagement around the game included 205,000 people attending the NFL Fan Fest in Chapultepec Park and more than 55,000 people taking part in other community events in the city during game week.

The NFL, which had previously played a regular-season game at Azteca Stadium in 2005, will return to Mexico City next season, when the Raiders will host the Patriots.