(Tribune News Service) — The Army–Navy Game at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 13 is expected to deliver a significant boost to Baltimore’s economy, continuing a trend of strong financial returns from major college football and sporting events hosted in the city.

College football has proven to be a powerful economic driver for Maryland. The Navy-Notre Dame game played at M&T Bank Stadium in 2022 generated an estimated $18.9 million in total economic impact, according to a Maryland Stadium Authority report obtained by The Baltimore Sun through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Marty Conway, a Georgetown University adjunct professor who teaches sports business and a former Orioles marketing executive, said the Army-Navy matchup brings both substantial revenue and national attention to Baltimore.

“The leadership at the Naval Academy and West Point have done a remarkable job with the Army-Navy matchup,” Conway said. “At one point, it had become an afterthought as college football grew in media influence. They’ve reversed that trend, and now cities from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast compete aggressively to host it, knowing the millions of dollars in impact it can offer.

“Directly, there are travel, dining and transportation expenditures over several days. Indirectly, the media spotlight is invaluable for host cities.”

The independent analysis of the Navy-Notre Dame game, prepared by Crossroads Consulting Services and completed in March 2023, found that about 62,100 fans attended the Nov. 12, 2022, matchup. The event supported roughly 200 full- and part-time jobs and produced $8.6 million in labor income statewide.

Direct spending, including hotels, dining, retail and stadium operations, totaled $10.3 million, with another $8.6 million in indirect and induced spending, bringing the total to nearly $19 million. The event generated about $1 million in state tax revenue, including $550,000 in sales and use taxes, $370,000 in personal income taxes and $60,000 in corporate income taxes.

The Maryland Stadium Authority and the state contributed $300,000 to host the game, resulting in what the report described as a “significant return on its investment.”

Beyond measurable dollars, the game offered “regional media exposure and a unique entertainment option for residents, visitors and area businesses,” the consulting firm wrote.

The Maryland Stadium Authority, which oversees M&T Bank Stadium and Oriole Park at Camden Yards, works with state and local officials to attract large-scale sporting events to Baltimore, including NCAA tournaments and professional exhibitions.

Both stadiums are undergoing major upgrades, financed through bonds authorized under a $1.2 billion law passed by the General Assembly in 2022.

“The extension of the Ravens’ lease at M&T Bank Stadium is driving investments that can keep the facility a frontrunner for events like Army-Navy,” Conway said. “As event owners and sports governing bodies see the enhanced revenue opportunities now being built at the stadium, this location will be at the top of many lists.”

The Navy–Notre Dame rivalry, one of college football’s longest-running series, has been played 23 times in Baltimore. The 2022 game was the first at M&T Bank Stadium since 2014. This December matchup will mark the seventh all-time Army–Navy Game in Baltimore and the first since 2016.

Charm City Match also generated millions

A separate Maryland Stadium Authority report found that the 2022 Charm City Match, an exhibition between English Premier League clubs Arsenal and Everton, produced about $9.6 million in total economic output for the state.

The July 16 match drew about 39,200 fans to M&T Bank Stadium and supported 85 jobs, according to Crossroads Consulting Services. The event produced $3.9 million in labor income, with $5.6 million in direct spending and $4 million in indirect and induced spending.

State tax revenues from the soccer match totaled about $520,000, including $320,000 in sales and use taxes, $170,000 in personal income taxes and $30,000 in corporate income taxes.

The stadium authority and the state contributed $150,000 to host the match, which officials said delivered a strong return on investment while offering international media exposure and positioning Baltimore as a destination for major global sporting events.

The authority also estimated that a 2022 Paul McCartney concert at Camden Yards generated between $700,000 and $800,000 in tax revenue.

Conway said the outlook for hosting high-profile events in Baltimore remains strong. Over the next five to 10 years, the United States will host mega-events, including the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033.

“Those events will inspire teams and nations to tour the U.S. around those dates. M&T Bank Stadium should be a frontrunner to host more in the future,” Conway said.

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