With a New Soccer Season Already Upon Us, Reflecting on the Impact of MLS CUP in Portland — Sport Oregon Voices

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Sport Oregon Voices: Portland’s first MLS championship hosting opportunity in December produced a host of benefits to the area

As the 2022 Major League Soccer season kicks off this weekend, it’s understandable if it feels a bit soon. After all, it was just a little over two months ago that Portland rolled out the red carpet for the North American soccer world when it hosted MLS Cup, the league’s championship game, for the first time. And while it didn’t end the way fans of the Portland Timbers would have liked that chilly, sometimes-rainy Dec. 11 day – with New York City FC winning its first league title over the home side with a dramatic penalty kick shootout after the Timbers rallied to level the game in the dying seconds of regulation – the game was equally memorable and impactful.

In the world of sports tourism, planning and strategy are everything. Events, tournaments and special programs are mapped out years in advance, in most cases. That’s what makes an event like MLS Cup so interesting, from a planning and execution standpoint. Sure, you can monitor the home team – in this case the Timbers – on its journey through the postseason, weighing the likelihood of such a hosting scenario and setting proactive plans in motion as a result. But in reality and absolute terms, more times than not you’re given just a week’s notice to really make it happen.

While there is a great deal of theoretical scenario planning along the way, one certainty is that hosting an event like MLS Cup produces substantial economic benefits for the host city.

In Portland’s case, the estimated economic impact for the game was in excess of $9 million. While it is always difficult to fully quantify the total financial impact of any event, it is safe to say MLS Cup happening in Portland came at a critical time for the city. But importantly, the game was equally important in the civic spirit it once again instilled. It proved to be an energizing rally point for the entire community, an opportunity to showcase Portland and the surrounding area, this time on the ultimate national stage for soccer.

“The 2021 MLS Cup in Portland once again showcased the power of sport in our community, and not just from an economic impact and global exposure standpoint,” said Jim Etzel, CEO of Sport Oregon. “The Timbers’ dramatic tying goal in the waning seconds of regulation was a cathartic moment for Portland unto itself, and the event, overall, was exactly what the city needed to boost its civic pride and its collective emotional connection.”

The Timbers are no stranger to MLS Cup, having contested in the title game three times in the last seven years. But the previous two instances were on the road, with the club winning its first MLS championship in Columbus, Ohio, in 2015, and falling short of their second in Atlanta in 2018. Finally, Portland had the chance to truly showcase “Soccer City USA” on the biggest stage. And, boy, did it deliver.

“In a city that has not seen downtown foot-traffic or visitor counts come close to pre-COVID numbers, the event lifted the spirits of Portlanders, but it also restored faith in what the city could look and feel like on a weekend when shops, hotels, restaurants, bars and sidewalks were full of energy,” said Megan Conway, chief strategy officer for Travel Portland. “Events like this are always credited with having a significant economic impact on a city. There is no question MLS Cup had a meaningful effect on Portland’s economy. Arguably, what was even more important for Portland was to see the return of civic pride from residents and a shared excitement around the city having a positive moment in the national spotlight.”

The game, which sold out in quick fashion and was in high demand on the secondary market, drew fans from all corners of the country to the city. More than 2,500 supporters of NYCFC, alone, made the cross-country journey to attend the game and experience all that Portland has to offer, leading up to, during and after the game. It brought back a variety of former players and club dignitaries, dozens of national and international media, hundreds of league and broadcast personnel, and legions of out-of-market supporters of the widely-supported Timbers.

From a broadcast perspective, the game on ABC, according to ESPN Networks, averaged 1.14 million viewers, making it the most-watched MLS Cup match on ABC and ESPN Networks since 2009, and the fifth-highest league championship broadcast for the networks since the inception of the league in 1996. The broadcast audience was 38 percent higher than the last MLS Cup broadcast on ABC in 2019, when Seattle Sounders FC faced Toronto FC. Included among the top 10 markets to watch the 2021 version of MLS Cup were Portland, New York, Seattle, Cincinnati, Atlanta and Philadelphia.

As far as the tourism impact is concerned, the event provided a significant boost in overnight guests, producing numbers significantly higher than what Portland has seen in recent months, according to Travel Portland data. Revenue on the hotel side, alone, for two nights at the three contracted affiliate hotels that housed NYCFC players, coaches and support staff; families of the teams; MLS league and team representatives; and ESPN broadcast personnel topped $1.6 million, with additional impact stretching from downtown into the surrounding area hotels.

Those numbers don’t even begin to touch on the additional spending at local restaurants, bars, shops or through taxis and local rideshare companies throughout the weekend, and in many cases during extended stays from game attendees and visitors. According to Travel Portland data, the hotel metrics for Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 were higher than any other day during the month, with the exception of the ever-in-demand New Year’s Eve. And while staffing shortages can present challenges these days, Conway says from a customer service standpoint, demand was met and Portland delivered in terrific fashion.

“The energy from partner businesses, hotels and residents was palpable – the timing couldn’t have been better as the city was decked out with holiday lights, hotel lobbies were festively decorated, and restaurants and bars were ready for Timbers and NYCFC fans, alike,” she said. “Businesses delivered on what customers expected and city partners and agencies stepped in to streamline processes and ensure a safe event for all who attended.”

The Timbers open their 12th MLS season this weekend when they play host to the New England Revolution. It’s hard to believe the new season already is upon us, but now with one successfully executed and hosted MLS Cup at Providence Park under the city’s belt, might as well aim for another one in 2022.

If You’re Going
The Timbers open the 2022 MLS campaign on Saturday, Feb. 26, when they play host to the New England Revolution at Providence Park at 4:30 p.m. For tickets, click here. If you can’t make it, the game will be aired live locally as part of a national broadcast on Fox 12 Oregon.