In this contribution, we try to investigate, based on a simple theoretical model, what the optimal number of teams in a league is, taking into account the most important determinants of club revenue and fans’ utility. The number of teams fixed by a monopoly league representing the interests of the participating clubs is clearly smaller than the number of teams in the competitive free-entry market equilibrium. We have also tested, using European football data, whether the long-term equilibrium number of teams in the national top divisions has been determined by the market or by the insiders of the monopoly leagues.
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Paper provided by University of Antwerp, Faculty of Applied Economics in its series Working Papers with number
2008017.
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