Welsh retailers expect a "rush of sales of red football shirts when shops open on Monday, after the country qualified for next summer's European football championships in France" -- the first time it has played in a "big tournament" in almost 60 years, according to John Murray Brown of the FINANCIAL TIMES. The Welsh economy has "already been boosted by staging the Rugby World Cup," with Barclaycard reporting last week that consumer spending in September -- before the contest even started -- was up 3.7%, a rebound from 3% in August. One of the reasons cited was a 30.5% increase in men's clothing spending "partially driven by a scrum for rugby shirts." Staging the Ashes cricket match for the first time at Cardiff’s Swalec stadium this summer brought an estimated £24M ($36.8M) to the region, according to Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Mandix Consultancy. Re-opening after a £12M redevelopment in '08, the ground has seen annual revenues more than double from £3M to £7.7M ($11.8M), even without the Ashes games. Research by Cardiff University shows a "similar impact from the success of the region's football teams." With Swansea City's promotion to the premiership in '11, the wider economy grew by £50M, with an estimated 400 jobs created or protected. Hotels, pubs, the council and chamber of commerce all reported increased activity (FT, 10/11).
