<i>Spectators alone contributed to $209 million in economic activity in connection with April’s race</i><p>I like the Boston Marathon and have been a spectator on and off for years, but these self-serving research points are a bit much. Most local spectators don't spend anything - it's a free public event and remarkably non-commercial with the exception of the pavillions around the start and end points.<p>And: What about the loss of productivity on Marathon Monday, when roads and businesses are closed down and around a million people have a day off work?