An Economic Impact Analysis of a Sport Event using Big Data: The Case of Chuncheon Marathon

Sporting events have a significant social and economic impact on the host community. The purpose of this study was to assess the economic impact of the Chuncheon Marathon in Korea using input-output analysis. Big data on card transactions were collected by designating the area around the gathering place and the marathon finish line for each event day. A total of 1,983,722 card transaction cases were analyzed. The data showed that the card transaction amount increased by 1.6 billion KRW in 2017 compared to 2016, but decreased by 1.4 billion KRW in 2018 compared to 2017. The national input-output table published in 2015 by the Bank of Korea was used to calculate the event’s economic impact for the years 2016 through 2018. The findings revealed spending patterns during the event period and demonstrated the measurable economic influence of the marathon based on transaction data. Practical implications include the potential benefits of organizing marathon events across multiple dates and crafting marketing strategies that focus on engaging local participants to stimulate greater revenues in the food, beverage, and lodging sectors.