How much is the Sanremo festival worth?

That the Sanremo Festival is not only the Mecca of Italian music but also an event that moves vast sums of money like no other in Italy, is quite clear. This is confirmed by the record figures for the 73rd edition reported by La Repubblica: fifty million in advertising, as much as RAI's Ariston is worth. This a figure that rises compared to the previous edition (42 million) and exceeds the most optimistic expectations under the direction of the artistic director Amadeus, who can announce the success of Sanremo even during the pandemic. So the big show can aim to top last year's 60 million takings by a pretty big margin, considering it cost Rai about twenty. "It's our Superbowl" reports one of the main sponsors, while the mayor, Alberto Biancheri, who expects five million in rental income from the Rai, says: «All the beds in the province of Imperia are fully booked, those who want to come to turn to Nice to find accommodation». From hospitality to fashion to music, the turnover around the festival is a boon to Italian coffers. It is estimated that more than 40,000 guests will arrive by Sunday, joined by about 3,000 workers. Overnight stays are expected to bring in almost nine million, plus two million for food and the same amount for shopping. The total estimated induced revenue? 18 million.

Also because for some years now the festival has been held not only within the walls of the Ariston but also in Piazza Colombo, where this year the Suzuki stage will host concerts by Piero Pelù, Nek, Renga, Annalisa, La Rappresentante di Lista, and Achille Lauro, while the Costa Crociere will offer performances by Salmo, Fedez, Gué, and others in front of the lagoon, with over one thousand five hundred passengers on board. In addition to RAI and the town of Sanremo, the festival also seems to benefit the record industry, which is on the upswing despite everything. According to a study commissioned by Banca IFIS, the competing songs boost the market by 2.5%. Each singer's team receives 58,000 euros from RAI, but much more is invested by the 14 record companies participating in the competition (three majors and eleven independent labels).

Another aspect to consider is how the festival has helped change the mainstream perception of celebrity styling, with a growing media and public interest in a category that until a few years ago was the exclusive preserve of Hollywood and industry insiders. A movement of press offices, management, and stylists has turned the image of artists into a real business and the work of those who work behind the scenes is being recognized, but at the same time scrutinizing. Gone are the years when the festival was a boring representation of bourgeois Italy, without twists, without major highlights, and obviously without interest among audiences under sixty. And now that Sanremo is cool, the income is positively affected.