CPL delighted at record economic impact in Guyana
By Brandon Corlette
The year 2022 has been a year to remember for the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ fanbase, as the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals were hosted for the first time in ‘the land of many waters’.
CPL 2022 generated a huge economic impact for Guyana, and the country evidently enjoyed a record viewership around the world. The total economic impact for Guyana in 2022 was US$84,425,587, a 186% increase on the figure from the last time the country hosted Hero CPL matches in 2019.
According to the CPL Head of Marketing, Chris Watson, “The Biggest Party in Sport” has been delighted with the positive impact. Watson also hinted that the schedule for the 2023 season would be announced shortly, and more countries would be hosting matches, with the final set to be hosted in Guyana for a second successive year.
“It was absolutely staggering numbers. It took the scale of it, with over 25,000 hotel room nights. More games in Guyana than ever before in CPL. We were absolutely delighted that after a few years without having CPL games, the people flooded back on that. Not just the response in Guyana, which was absolutely staggering. People from around the world booking travel and wanting to come from far and away to visit ‘The Biggest Party in Sport’.
“That has absolutely shown in those numbers that we are delighted that it was made into a proper economic impact. That shows a positive impact,” Watson said in a recent interview with this daily publication.
As it relates to scheduling of the 2023 tournament, Watson said: “Certainly, we love to be in a position to do that. We are not too far away from putting some announcements on the schedule, and we love for the CPL to be bigger and better.
“Last year was a huge success, where we were able to go to four different territories. And that was the first time we had an event of that scale since pre-COVID times. I think if we are able to increase that number for 2023, we will be very happy, and that will continue to the positive trajectory. The audience number 2022 was the most watched tournament around the world in the history of CPL,” Watson disclosed.
The total viewership for the 2022 Hero CPL also smashed all records, as it increased to 721.8 million. This is the third successive year that the tournament has generated a viewership figure of over half a billion.
During the 2022 CPL, Jamaica Tallawahs were crowned champions after defeating Barbados Royals at Providence. Additionally, the 2022 CPL saw the introduction of two new tournaments, the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League and the SKYEXCH 6IXTY, both of which further increased interest in cricket in the Caribbean. (GTimes)