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Does fan discrimination exist? Mixed-method investigation of customer discrimination in Chinese professional baseball league

Author

Listed:
  • Jye-Shyan Wang

    (National Taiwan Normal University)

  • Wen-Jhan Jane

    (Shih Hsin University)

  • Yu-Hung Cheng

    (National Taiwan University)

  • Pei-Hsin Fang

    (Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

This paper focuses on customer discrimination in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Using the 2005–2017 annual spectator attendance data, we first show that inverse customer discrimination exists for international players. We next explore the roots of customer discrimination from the perspective of economics alongside social psychology. We find customer discrimination in the CPBL a combined outcome of taste-based and statistical discrimination, and can be explained by reference group theory. This study thus aims to develop a sports fans’ customer discrimination scale, which is demonstrated to consist of three major elements: players’ characteristics, prestige and experience, and spectators’ confidence.

Suggested Citation

  • Jye-Shyan Wang & Wen-Jhan Jane & Yu-Hung Cheng & Pei-Hsin Fang, 2021. "Does fan discrimination exist? Mixed-method investigation of customer discrimination in Chinese professional baseball league," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(3), pages 477-496, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurasi:v:11:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s40821-019-00147-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s40821-019-00147-4
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Professional sports; Taste-based discrimination; Statistical discrimination; Reference group theory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism
    • Z28 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - Policy

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