India-Pak match at fever pitch as New York’s game for more; city set to reap economic benefits of over $78m

The India versus Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup on Sunday is expected to have a net economic impact of more than $78 million for New York city with thousands of cricket fans in attendance even as global brands are launching special campaigns. The match in Long Island is expected to bring $46 million in direct economic benefits and $32 million in indirect economic benefits to the city, a report by global economic consultant Anderson Economic Group LLC (AEG) said.

“We considered each dollar that is going to be invested or spent in the New York metropolitan area due to the match, and also looked at the power of that dollar and how it could be re-spent following the event,” Tina Dhariwal, senior analyst at AEG, said in a statement.This will include ticket sales, direct attendee spending from domestic and overseas travellers, and new stadium construction across the New York metropolitan region related to the game, the report said.

AEG said it expects the game’s economic benefits to leave a “positive spillover effect on cricket’s resurgence in the US”, which may also positively impact league cricket franchise values and cricket-specific infrastructure development in the US.

Some global brands, on their part, are looking to tap into the spending power of the South Asian diaspora in the US and even other countries by rolling out campaigns on the match day.

Luxury lifestyle management company RedBeryl, for example, has rolled out its #MakeItBlue campaign.

Blue Heart Emoji
In their campaign urges fans across the world to replace the red heart emoji in New York’s iconic “I love NY” logo with a blue heart emoji to represent team India’s jersey. “We launched the campaign #MakeItBlue where the primary idea is to transform New York city’s iconic red landscape into a vibrant sea of blue,” said Manoj Adlakha, CEO of RedBeryl. India’s largest dairy brand Amul, which announced its launch of fresh milk in the US this March, has teamed with USA Cricket as a primary sponsor for the tournament.

Amul, which sees this as a “significant partnership”, is aggressively promoting the tournament with a series of social media campaigns.

This is the first time the US is cohosting an international cricketing event. The Indian Hotels Companyowned 5-star hotel in Dubai, Taj Dubai said it is rolling out packages tailored for the India-Pakistan match at The Eloquent Elephant pub and lounge. “The India-Pakistan match is always a highlight of the tournament, and we aim to provide an unforgettable experience,” a hotel spokesperson said in a statement.

The Eloquent Elephant “will transform into a cricket haven” for the intense rivalry between the two Asian cricket giants, with high-definition screens and superior sound systems, the person said.

Preparations back home
Back home, too, bars and fine-dine chains and clubs including Out of the Blue, 12th Man Brewing, Social, Jamie’s and The Beer Cafe, are leveraging the day in lean season when families have either left the city for vacations or prefer to stay indoors.

Mumbai’s fine-dining restaurant chain Out of the Blue said it is offering “unlimited cocktails and beer packages” on the match day.