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Revenue Divergence And Competitive Balance In A Divisional Sports League

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  • Stephen Dobson
  • John Goddard

Abstract

The North American model of resource allocation in professional sports leagues is adapted for English (association) football. Comparisons are drawn between the equilibrium allocations of playing talent under objective functions of profit maximisation and win percent maximisation subject to a financial constraint. Empirical revenue functions are reported for 1926–1999. These indicate a shift in the composition of demand favouring big‐city teams and an increase in the sensitivity of revenue to performance. An analysis of match results in the FA Cup suggests an increase in competitive imbalance between teams at different levels of the league's divisional hierarchy, as the theory suggests.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Dobson & John Goddard, 2004. "Revenue Divergence And Competitive Balance In A Divisional Sports League," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 51(3), pages 359-376, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scotjp:v:51:y:2004:i:3:p:359-376
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0036-9292.2004.00310.x
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    2. Rockerbie, Duane W, 2012. "Exploring inter-league parity in North America: the NBA anomaly," MPRA Paper 43088, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Barajas, Angel, 2004. "Modelo de valoración de clubes de fútbol basado en los factores clave de su negocio [Valuation model for football clubs based on the key factors of their business]," MPRA Paper 13158, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Cunniffe Nik J & Cook Alex R, 2009. "Cruel and Unusual Punishment? An Analysis of Point Deduction in European Association Football Leagues," Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports, De Gruyter, vol. 5(4), pages 1-20, October.
    5. Montes, Francisco & Sala, Ramón, 2012. "Equilibrio competitivo en Liga española de futbol de Primera División: Un test de Montecarlo basado en datos funcionales/Competitive Balance in the First Division Spanish Soccer League: A Montecarlo T," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 30, pages 513-526, Agosto.
    6. Łukasz Skrok, 2013. "Liczba widzów na meczach polskiej ekstraklasy piłki nożnej - metoda szacowania poziomu sportowego drużyn," Collegium of Economic Analysis Annals, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of Economic Analysis, issue 30, pages 273-290.
    7. Luca Ferri & Riccardo Macchioni & Marco Maffei & Annamaria Zampella, 2017. "Financial Versus Sports Performance: The Missing Link," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(3), pages 1-36, February.
    8. Åse Jacobsen & Morten Kringstad & Tor-Eirik Olsen, 2021. "Extraordinary Funding and a Financially Viable Football Industry—Friends or Foes? A Norwegian Football League Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    9. Antonio Samagaio & Eduardo Couto & Jorge Caiado, 2009. "Sporting, financial and stock market performance in English football: an empirical analysis of structural relationships," CEMAPRE Working Papers 0906, Centre for Applied Mathematics and Economics (CEMAPRE), School of Economics and Management (ISEG), Technical University of Lisbon.
    10. Michela Pierini, 2011. "Diritti Tv E Competitive Balance Nel Calcio Professionistico Italiano," Rivista di Diritto ed Economia dello Sport, Centro di diritto e business dello Sport, vol. 7(2), pages 87-113, September.

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