IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/jospec/v26y2025i5p589-623.html

Offside Urban Echoes: Exploring the Spatial Dynamics of Soccer and Crime in Medellin

Author

Listed:
  • Gustavo Canavire-Bacarreza
  • Catalina Gomez-Toro
  • Joaquin A. Urrego

Abstract

The emotions elicited by soccer matches, combined with the large crowds they draw, create an environment conducive to criminal activity. This article examines how significant sporting events, such as soccer matches, influence various types of crime in Medellin, a city historically associated with high crime rates. We use a spatial difference-in-differences approach, alongside a policy change that imposed stricter access controls to the stadium, to assess soccer matches’ spatial and temporal impacts on crime. Our findings reveal large heterogeneity across different types of crime, spatial reach, and temporal displacements. Physical altercations and auto theft are the most responsive to sporting events, effects that are mitigated after the implementation of stricter attendance regulations.

Suggested Citation

  • Gustavo Canavire-Bacarreza & Catalina Gomez-Toro & Joaquin A. Urrego, 2025. "Offside Urban Echoes: Exploring the Spatial Dynamics of Soccer and Crime in Medellin," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 26(5), pages 589-623, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:26:y:2025:i:5:p:589-623
    DOI: 10.1177/15270025251328251
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15270025251328251
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/15270025251328251?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniel I. Rees & Kevin T. Schnepel, 2009. "College Football Games and Crime," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 10(1), pages 68-87, February.
    2. David E. Kalist & Daniel Y. Lee, 2016. "The National Football League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 17(8), pages 863-882, December.
    3. Qi Ge & Ignacio Sarmiento Barbieri & Rodrigo Schneider, 2021. "Sporting Events, Emotional Cues, And Crime: Spatial And Temporal Evidence From Brazilian Soccer Games," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(1), pages 375-395, January.
    4. Ilaria Masiero, 2022. "Sports-based Entertainment and Crime Evidence from Football Games in Brazil," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 23(8), pages 1076-1095, December.
    5. Montolio, Daniel & Planells-Struse, Simón, 2016. "How time shapes crime: The temporal impacts of football matches on crime," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 99-113.
    6. David Card & Gordon B. Dahl, 2011. "Family Violence and Football: The Effect of Unexpected Emotional Cues on Violent Behavior," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(1), pages 103-143.
    7. Hyunwoong Pyun & Joshua C. Hall, 2019. "Does the presence of professional football cause crime in a city? Evidence from Pontiac, Michigan," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(36), pages 3958-3970, August.
    8. Nadia Campaniello, 2013. "Mega Events in Sports and Crime," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 14(2), pages 148-170, April.
    9. Justin Kurland, 2019. "Arena-based events and crime: an analysis of hourly robbery data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(36), pages 3947-3957, August.
    10. Olivier Marie, 2016. "Police and thieves in the stadium: measuring the (multiple) effects of football matches on crime," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 179(1), pages 273-292, January.
    11. Alex Edmans & Diego García & Øyvind Norli, 2007. "Sports Sentiment and Stock Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 62(4), pages 1967-1998, August.
    12. Andres, Leander & Fabel, Marc & Rainer, Helmut, 2023. "How much violence does football hooliganism cause?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    13. Ivandić, Ria & Kirchmaier, Tom & Saeidi, Yasaman & Torres Blas, Neus, 2024. "Football, alcohol, and domestic abuse," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    14. repec:dbl:dblwop:978 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Munyo, Ignacio & Rossi, Martín A., 2013. "Frustration, euphoria, and violent crime," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 136-142.
    16. Ryan Copus & Hannah Laqueur, 2019. "Entertainment as Crime Prevention: Evidence From Chicago Sports Games," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 20(3), pages 344-370, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hyunwoong Pyun & Brad R. Humphreys & Umair Khalil, 2023. "Professional Sports Events and Public Spending: Evidence from Municipal Police Budgets," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 24(1), pages 73-96, January.
    2. Chen, Yongqi & Riddell, Jordan R. & Hill, Joshua B. & Chen, Peng & Piquero, Alex R. & Kurland, Justin, 2022. "Gold, silver, and bronze: Measuring the impact of the Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics on crime," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Wenche Wang & Hua Gong, 2026. "The Impact of Legalized Sports Betting on Aggression," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 27(1), pages 116-146, January.
    4. Kikuta, Kyosuke & Uesugi, Mamoru, 2023. "Do Politically Irrelevant Events Cause Conflict? The Cross-continental Effects of European Professional Football on Protests in Africa," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 77(1), pages 179-216, January.
    5. Dennis Mares & Emily Blackburn, 2019. "Major League Baseball and Crime: Opportunity, Spatial Patterns, and Team Rivalry at St. Louis Cardinal Games," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 20(7), pages 875-902, October.
    6. Hyunwoong Pyun, 2019. "Exploring causal relationship between Major League Baseball games and crime: a synthetic control analysis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 365-383, July.
    7. Aubrey M. Stewart & Nicholas A. Wright, 2024. "Remote Viewership of International Sporting Events and Crime: Evidence From Jamaica," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 25(5), pages 610-633, June.
    8. Nils Braakmann & Andy & J. James Reade & Gennaro Rossi, 2025. "Football Matches and Policing: Evidence from London," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2025-07, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    9. Clay Collins, 2026. "Emotional Cues, Election Outcomes, and Intimate Partner Violence," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 107-135, January.
    10. Bagwell, Ryan & Leal, Wanda E. & Kondrat, Allison & Piquero, Alex R., 2025. "Variation in location and type of property calls for service in New Orleans on NFL and NBA Gamedays," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    11. Cai, Qingyin & Li, Qingxiao, 2026. "Emotional shocks and consumer spending," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    12. John Charles Bradbury & Dennis Coates & Brad R. Humphreys, 2023. "The impact of professional sports franchises and venues on local economies: A comprehensive survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 1389-1431, September.
    13. Minnich, Aljoscha, 2022. "Do fans’ emotions influence charitable donations? Evidence from monetary and returnable cup donations in German soccer stadiums," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    14. David E. Kalist & Daniel Y. Lee, 2016. "The National Football League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 17(8), pages 863-882, December.
    15. Qi Ge & Ignacio Sarmiento Barbieri & Rodrigo Schneider, 2021. "Sporting Events, Emotional Cues, And Crime: Spatial And Temporal Evidence From Brazilian Soccer Games," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(1), pages 375-395, January.
    16. Ivandić, Ria & Kirchmaier, Tom & Saeidi, Yasaman & Torres Blas, Neus, 2024. "Football, alcohol, and domestic abuse," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    17. Andres, Leander & Fabel, Marc & Rainer, Helmut, 2023. "How much violence does football hooliganism cause?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    18. Kikuta,Kyosuke & Uesugi.Mamoru, 2022. "Do politically irrelevant events cause conflict? the cross-continental effects of European professional football on protests in Africa," IDE Discussion Papers 866, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    19. Gabriele Pinto, 2025. "Sports nationalism and xenophobia: When cheering turns into violence," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 62(3), pages 595-612, May.
    20. Ilaria Masiero, 2022. "Sports-based Entertainment and Crime Evidence from Football Games in Brazil," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 23(8), pages 1076-1095, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:26:y:2025:i:5:p:589-623. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.