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U.S. Demand for European Soccer Telecasts: A Between-Country Test of the Uncertainty of Outcome Hypothesis

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  • Georgios Nalbantis
  • Tim Pawlowski

Abstract

Demand studies in sports relying on within -country settings are suggestive of cross-continental differences with regard to game uncertainty preferences. While North Americans seem to have a preference for tighter games, Europeans prefer games involving a favorite. Our study is the first to test this suggested pattern in a between -country setting with individual-level data. In contrast to the existing evidence from within -country settings, our demand models show that U.S. consumers do not value game uncertainty when watching European soccer. This finding suggests that, when examining the same sport, European and North American consumers’ preferences seem to be quite similar.

Suggested Citation

  • Georgios Nalbantis & Tim Pawlowski, 2019. "U.S. Demand for European Soccer Telecasts: A Between-Country Test of the Uncertainty of Outcome Hypothesis," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 20(6), pages 797-818, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:20:y:2019:i:6:p:797-818
    DOI: 10.1177/1527002518817598
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Travis Richardson & Georgios Nalbantis & Tim Pawlowski, 2023. "Emotional Cues and the Demand for Televised Sports: Evidence from the UEFA Champions League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 24(8), pages 993-1025, December.
    2. Tim Wallrafen & Georgios Nalbantis & Tim Pawlowski, 2022. "Competition and Fan Substitution Between Professional Sports Leagues," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 61(1), pages 21-43, August.
    3. Thomas J. Miceli, 2024. "A Note on the Preferences of Sports Fans: Partisanship Versus Uncertainty of Outcome," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 25(2), pages 155-168, February.
    4. Budzinski, Oliver & Feddersen, Arne & Kunz-Kaltenhäuser, Philipp, 2022. "Demand for TV broadcasts of UEFA Champions League games in Danish television - The impact of uncertainty of outcome, stardom, and local heroes," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 165, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    5. Anthony Macedo & Marta Ferreira Dias & Paulo Reis Mourão, 2023. "European Men's Club Football in the Eyes of Consumers: The Determinants of Television Broadcast Demand," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 24(5), pages 579-623, June.
    6. Georgios Nalbantis & Tim Pawlowski & Dominik Schreyer, 2023. "Substitution Effects and the Transnational Demand for European Soccer Telecasts," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 24(4), pages 407-442, May.

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