Every autumn brings a new round of economic-impact estimates for marathons. Three came out in the past week, from very different races.
| Race | Estimated impact | Field | Who produced the figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. George Marathon (Utah) | $15 million | 10,000+ runners | City of St. George |
| Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon (2025) | $13.7 million | 13,000+ runners, 55 countries | Sunrise Events Vietnam (organizer) |
| Berlin Marathon (2024) | about €469 million in value creation | 86,000+ athletes over the 2026 race weekend | Race organizer |
St. George: a race that pays for itself
The St. George Marathon runs its 50th edition this year. The first race, in 1976, had 38 finishers; this year’s field passed 10,000 after selling out in three weeks.
The city’s own figures are unusual because they cover costs and revenue as well as visitor spending:
- The city invests under $500,000 in operating costs.
- It expects to make about $2 million this year.
- That revenue goes into youth sports and parks.
- The organizers are aiming for a $100,000 prize purse in 2026.
Hanoi: fast growth from a young race
The Hanoi International Marathon contributed $13.7 million to the city’s economy in 2025, according to its organizer. The figure comes without a breakdown by spending category. The field has nearly doubled in four editions:
- 7,000 runners at the first edition in 2022
- More than 13,000, from 55 countries and territories, in 2025
- More than 14,000 expected at the 2026 edition, held October 2–4
How to read these numbers
These estimates are not comparable with one another:
- Who produces them differs. St. George’s figure comes from the city, Hanoi’s and Berlin’s from the organizers.
- What they measure differs. Some count direct visitor spending, others broader “value creation.” None of the three articles publishes a full methodology.
They are still useful for something else: they show what organizers put forward when they negotiate with cities over road closures, police and public subsidies. As Dublin Marathon CEO Seán Ó Riain put it this week, “the commercial and economic impact on the city is massive.” That argument carries weight when entry fees go up.
Sources
- KUTV: St. George marathon to generate $15M economic impact for 50th year
- VnExpress International: Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon generates nearly $14M for local economy
- PressNetwork.de: Generali wird Titelpartner des BERLIN-MARATHON
- RTÉ: Dublin Marathon 'booming' but cost of entry to increase
This article was written with AI by the Hopone Newsroom, from the sources it cites. Figures marked “Hopone calculation” are our own arithmetic from those sources. Nothing here is investment advice.