Sport

2024 Manchester Marathon raises £29 million for local economy and over £3.7m for charity

A great day for the region as a whole.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 27th April 2024

Just under a fortnight on from the 2024 Manchester Marathon and the numbers are finally, with the annual race generating nearly £30 million for the local economy and raising over £3.7m for charity.

This year’s Adidas Manchester Marathon saw record numbers of runners and spectators as over 30,000 took part in the popular race, up by roughly 6,000 from 2023, and more than 125k turned up to line the streets of Greater Manchester.

As a result, these huge crowds spent upwards of £29.2 million at business around the city centre and around the 10 boroughs last weekend, serving as one of the most significant contributions to the local economy on the annual calendar.

Not only was this an approximately £8m increase on last year’s tally but, most importantly, a sizeable chunk of that went straight into both regional and national charities.

The 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon was a spectacular day for the city and its economy.

Beyond the boost to local vendors, the hospitality sector and retail businesses, over £3.7 million were allocated to charities such as Alzheimer’s Charity, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and The Christie. 

Over £32,000 was also raised for the Trafford Active Fund, with £1 from every paid entry to the Adidas Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half donated directly to the initiative that benefits local sports clubs and organisations through Trafford Council.

Better still, with City of Trees selected as the chosen ‘Green Runner’ charity, the eco-friendly drive saw roughly 7% of participants opt out of receiving either a finisher t-shirt, medal or both.

The money saved in production goes towards maintaining woodlands and wildlife across Greater Manchester.

Fundraising from the Manchester Marathon is one of it’s biggest upshots.

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This year’s Manchester Marathon also helped produce some of the highest number of passengers on public transport in the city’s history, with a over 175,000 journeys made on Metrolink alone – the highest number of journeys ever recorded on a single day.

This was a 20% increase on 2023’s race day (145k), spotlighting how the event continues to be more environmentally conscious as years go by.

With the 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon confirmed to be taking place on Sunday, 27 April next year – and over 12,000 places already sold – the city can already look forward to reaping the economic and social benefits of hosting one of Europe’s largest, flattest, friendliest and most-loved marathons. 

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Adidas Manchester Marathon/The Manc Group

Sport

Manchester sandwich specialists Bada Bing strike up new sponsorship deal with local football team

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bada Bing now sponsoring FC United of Manchester

Beloved city centre sandwich shop Bada Bing has struck up a somewhat unexpected but exciting new partnership with local football team, FC United of Manchester, who are now sponsored by the sub specialists.

We can’t think of any better matchday scran than a massive butty, to be fair.

Confirming that they will be sponsoring FC United for the 2025/26 season, Bada Bing is taking its first foray into football, with their branding already up on the advertising boards around the ground.

While they’re yet to confirm any more specific details apart from that they’re joining forces with the Moston-based outfit, supporters are already licking their lips at the mere thought of their famous hoagies coming to Broadhurst Park stadium.

Having plenty of fun with the announcement online with a classic Sopranos reference (why break the habit of a lifetime?), Sam and Josh – both big footy fans, themselves – stood proudly beside the hoardings this week.

Although we still know very little about what FC United fans can expect from the latest Manc brand marriage, we’d bet on the odd game-defining hero appearing both on the pitch and in the hands of ‘Red Rebels’ stood watching and, hopefully, eating just beside it.

Of course, this is by no means the only noteworthy crossover Bada Bing has enjoyed since reopening last year; their viral merch is famously made by Stretford-based fashion label, UN:IK Clothing.

In fact, it isn’t even their sole step in sports, either. Regularly teaming up with outdoor content creator and trail runner, Sam Matthew – a.k.a. Peaks and Pubs – they’ve already held charity relays, pop-up events with New Balance, and we’re sure there is more to come with the Northern Premier League side.

They are, after all, the king of collabs and tapping into local, contemporary culture in the area just at the right moment.

It was only last month that we saw them working with Thatziki to create a Greek butty fit for the gods, and they’ve most recently teamed up with Indian street food favourites, Bundobust, too.

Commenting underneath the social media post, FC United simply replied: “Thanks for your support! Great to have you on board!”

Once again, please just give a hint—ANY kind of sign that Bada Bing menu items are coming to Lightbowne Road, because if so, Greater Manchester’s ‘Footy Scran‘ game is about to level up big time.

As for FC games, they’re still some of the most affordable in the region, and you don’t need to be a disillusioned Man United fan to get invested in the now 20-year-old phoenix club.

Go support a local grassroots team if you can, and fingers crossed, you can grab a Bing while you’re at it.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Bada Bing (via Instagram)/The Manc Group

Sport

Local LGBTQIA+ football team Manchester Laces are set to play in the FA Cup for the first time ever

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Laces playing in Women's FA Cup for the first-time ever

Inclusive football team Manchester Laces are set to break even more new ground as they prepare to compete in the Adobe FA Women’s Cup for the first time ever.

What a truly incredible few years it’s been for the club.

Set to play their maiden match in the female division of the sport’s oldest competition this weekend, Manchester Laces’ Yellows squad will be taking on rival Greater Manchester Women’s Football League (GMWFL) side, Northwich Victoria, in another historic milestone for the local outfit.

Announced last month, the game is now fast approaching, and they’re hoping that plenty of Manc natives will turn up in support.

For anyone unfamiliar with the story, Manchester Laces has grown to become the leading women’s, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ positive sporting bodies in the region.

In fact, as part of a wider family (which includes clubs in Hackney, South London and Limehouse Laces, not to mention players over in Canada too), they’re comfortably one of the biggest in the entire country.

Sticking with MCR Laces alone, founded by Helen Hardy, they have grown so much in reputation and size that they have six different teams besides just the Yellows: the other Manchester squads include the Blues, Greens, Oranges, Purples, as well as the budding new Reds and Blacks.

It’s this kind of impressive expansion and, crucially, representation that has seen them win two Football v Homophobia Awards and Grassroots Initiative of the Year back in 2023.

Side-note: they also happen to have one of our favourite fooy kits of the entire year so far…

Boasting a new regular stadium at Timpson Road and set to take part not only in the North West Women’s Regional Football League (NWWFL)/GMWFL, but now FA Cup and county cup games, 2025 could be their most momentous year yet.

Providing access to countless women and people from within the queer and non-binary community who love the beautiful game and may have otherwise struggled to find an outlet, their work has been crucial in and around Greater Manchester.

With that in mind, taking part in an inaugural run within the prestigious knockout tournament feels like yet another watershed moment for the organisation.

Posting ahead of the fixture, the club wrote on social media: “In 2021, we started our journey in Div 2 of the GMWFL with the aim of creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all. After winning consecutive league titles and earning back-to-back promotions, we are now a Tier 6 team.

Speaking to The Manc, they went on to add: ” A group of mates came together at a park in Wythenshawe for a kick about, feeling a little out of place at other clubs; ‘we should make our own team‘ was thrown out as a somewhat joke.

“A month later, a friendly was played where nine people turned up to start the game, somebody’s girlfriend who’d never kicked a ball played left wing, and a hungover mate turned up after half time to get us to 11 (somehow we won the game).

“Four years later – after becoming one of the largest LGBTQ+ clubs in the country, housing 8 teams – our Yellow side, after back-to-back promotions, will be competing in the FA cup for the very first time.

“We’re so proud as a club to be competing in such a historic competition, as a club that set up to focus on being inclusive and a safe space for people to play football, to achieve what we have is beyond what we could have ever imagined.”

Manchester Laces: the non-binary football club leading the charge on inclusivity in sport
Tickets for Manchester Laces’ debut FA Cup game are just £2 and can be purchased on entry

They signed off by quipping that their story is one that serves as “proof that you can, in fact, fall upwards”, but in all seriousness, what they’ve achieved in such a short time is nothing short of remarkable.

Playing at Ericstan Park, now both the home of Wythenshawe Town FC and the Yellows’ own new home ground too, they kick off at 2pm on Sunday, 7 September. It goes without saying that we wish them the best of luck.

Nothing like the magic of the cup, eh?

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Wythenshawe Town FC/Manchester Laces (via Instagram/Facebook)

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