IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/jospec/v26y2025i7p842-866.html

Unveiling the Influence of Air Pollution on Sports Demand: Evidence from the Chinese Football Association Super League

Author

Listed:
  • Zhiqi Tian
  • Shyue Chuan Chong
  • Hui Shan Lee
  • Yiqi Qiu

Abstract

In the midst of China's football fervor, where fans’ roars fill packed stadiums, a hidden adversary emerges. Deteriorating air quality not only threatens the health of individuals but also casts a shadow over the very essence of sporting passion. This study dives into the Chinese Football Association Super League (CSL), unveiling the intricate relationship between air quality and stadium attendance. Bridging a gap in environmental economics and sports consumer behavior research, we employ a robust regression model analyzing 720 CSL matches from 2015 to 2017. The results reveal a significant inverse link between air pollution and spectator turnout. We establish a novel connection between air pollution and overall satisfaction and engagement in sports. Our findings suggest that addressing air pollution is not only a health necessity but also crucial for sustaining sports enthusiasts’ fervor. We advocate for strategic interventions to combat air pollution's impact on cherished sporting activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhiqi Tian & Shyue Chuan Chong & Hui Shan Lee & Yiqi Qiu, 2025. "Unveiling the Influence of Air Pollution on Sports Demand: Evidence from the Chinese Football Association Super League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 26(7), pages 842-866, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:26:y:2025:i:7:p:842-866
    DOI: 10.1177/15270025251348232
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15270025251348232
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/15270025251348232?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. Dominik Schreyer & Sascha L. Schmidt & Benno Torgler, 2018. "Game Outcome Uncertainty in the English Premier League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 19(5), pages 625-644, June.
    2. Fu, Shihe & Guo, Mengmeng, 2017. "Running with a Mask? The Effect of Air Pollution on Marathon Runners’ Performance," MPRA Paper 79473, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. James Archsmith & Anthony Heyes & Soodeh Saberian, 2018. "Air Quality and Error Quantity: Pollution and Performance in a High-Skilled, Quality-Focused Occupation," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 5(4), pages 827-863.
    4. Raúl Serrano & Javier Garc�a-Bernal & Marta Fern�ndez-Olmos & Manuel A. Espitia-Escuer, 2015. "Expected quality in European football attendance: market value and uncertainty reconsidered," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(13), pages 1051-1054, September.
    5. Christian Oltra & Roser Sala, 2018. "Perception of risk from air pollution and reported behaviors: a cross-sectional survey study in four cities," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(7), pages 869-884, July.
    6. Jeffery Borland, 2003. "Demand for Sport," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 19(4), pages 478-502, Winter.
    7. Schreyer, Dominik & Schmidt, Sascha L. & Torgler, Benno, 2016. "Against all odds? Exploring the role of game outcome uncertainty in season ticket holders’ stadium attendance demand," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 192-217.
    8. David Forrest & Rob Simmons, 2006. "New Issues in Attendance Demand," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 7(3), pages 247-266, August.
    9. Ying Li & Yung-ho Chiu & Tai-Yu Lin, 2019. "The Impact of Economic Growth and Air Pollution on Public Health in 31 Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-26, January.
    10. Yu Qin & Jing Wu & Rongjie Zhang, 2022. "Can Professional Football Players Adapt to Air Pollution? Evidence From China," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 23(3), pages 277-300, April.
    11. Chen Yuyu & Jin Ginger Zhe & Kumar Naresh & Shi Guang, 2012. "Gaming in Air Pollution Data? Lessons from China," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 13(3), pages 1-43, December.
    12. Lichter, Andreas & Pestel, Nico & Sommer, Eric, 2017. "Productivity effects of air pollution: Evidence from professional soccer," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 54-66.
    13. Jos頃uesta & Camilo Bohórquez, 2012. "Soccer and national culture: estimating the impact of violence on 22 lads after a ball," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 147-161, January.
    14. Allie D. LeFeuvre & E. Frank Stephenson & Sara M. Walcott, 2013. "Football Frenzy," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 14(4), pages 440-448, August.
    15. Buraimo, Babatunde & Simmons, Rob, 2009. "A tale of two audiences: Spectators, television viewers and outcome uncertainty in Spanish football," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 61(4), pages 326-338, July.
    16. Antti Iho & Jaakko Heikkilä, 2010. "Impact of Advance Ticket Sales on Attendance in the Finnish Football League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 11(2), pages 214-226, April.
    17. Holger Preuss, 2013. "The Contribution of the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games to Green Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(8), pages 1-20, August.
    18. Ghanem, Dalia & Zhang, Junjie, 2014. "‘Effortless Perfection:’ Do Chinese cities manipulate air pollution data?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 203-225.
    19. Men‐Andri Benz & Leif Brandes & Egon Franck, 2009. "Do Soccer Associations Really Spend On A Good Thing? Empirical Evidence On Heterogeneity In The Consumer Response To Match Uncertainty Of Outcome," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 27(2), pages 216-235, April.
    20. Jennifer D Roberts & Jameson D Voss & Brandon Knight, 2014. "The Association of Ambient Air Pollution and Physical Inactivity in the United States," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(3), pages 1-10, March.
    21. Ricardo Roseira Cayolla & Joana A. Quintela & Teresa Santos, 2023. "Analysis of Travel Behaviour of Professional Sports Organisation Members to the Stadium: Future Implications for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, April.
    22. Elise M. Beckman & Wenqiang Cai & Rebecca M. Esrock & Robert J. Lemke, 2012. "Explaining Game-to-Game Ticket Sales for Major League Baseball Games Over Time," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 13(5), pages 536-553, October.
    23. Adam Cox, 2018. "Spectator Demand, Uncertainty of Results, and Public Interest," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 19(1), pages 3-30, January.
    24. Nour El Helou & Muriel Tafflet & Geoffroy Berthelot & Julien Tolaini & Andy Marc & Marion Guillaume & Christophe Hausswirth & Jean-François Toussaint, 2012. "Impact of Environmental Parameters on Marathon Running Performance," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(5), pages 1-9, May.
    25. Dominik Schreyer & Sascha L. Schmidt & Benno Torgler, 2017. "Game Outcome Uncertainty and the Demand for International Football Games: Evidence From the German TV Market," Journal of Media Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 31-45, January.
    26. Jaume García & Plácido Rodríguez, 2002. "The Determinants of Football Match Attendance Revisited," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 3(1), pages 18-38, February.
    27. Carlos Mata & Catarina Pereira & Luís Carvalhinho, 2022. "Safety Measures and Risk Analysis for Outdoor Recreation Technicians and Practitioners: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-15, March.
    28. B Buraimo & D Forrest & R Simmons, 2009. "Insights for clubs from modelling match attendance in football," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(2), pages 147-155, February.
    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. Dominik Schreyer & Payam Ansari, 2022. "Stadium Attendance Demand Research: A Scoping Review," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 23(6), pages 749-788, August.
    2. Yiwen Xu & Ying Wang & Yang Yang, 2024. "The Impact of Air Pollution on Game Outcome," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 25(5), pages 557-582, June.
    3. Hojun Sung & Hyunwoong Pyun, 2023. "Disaggregated Attendance Demand: Comparing Daily Ticket Purchasers and Season Ticket Holders in K-League 1," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 24(6), pages 717-736, August.
    4. Dominik Schreyer, 2019. "Football spectator no-show behaviour in the German Bundesliga," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(45), pages 4882-4901, September.
    5. Dominik Schreyer & Daniel Däuper, 2018. "Determinants of spectator no-show behaviour: first empirical evidence from the German Bundesliga," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(21), pages 1475-1480, December.
    6. Besters, Lucas, 2018. "Economics of professional football," Other publications TiSEM d9e6b9b7-a17b-4665-9cca-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Schreyer, Dominik & Schmidt, Sascha L. & Torgler, Benno, 2016. "Against all odds? Exploring the role of game outcome uncertainty in season ticket holders’ stadium attendance demand," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 192-217.
    8. Dominik Schreyer & Sascha L. Schmidt & Benno Torgler, 2019. "Football Spectator No-Show Behavior," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 20(4), pages 580-602, May.
    9. Christian Gjersing Nielsen & Rasmus K. Storm & Tor Georg Jakobsen, 2019. "The impact of English Premier League broadcasts on Danish spectator demand: a small league perspective," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 89(6), pages 633-653, August.
    10. Dominik Schreyer & Sascha L. Schmidt & Benno Torgler, 2018. "Game Outcome Uncertainty in the English Premier League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 19(5), pages 625-644, June.
    11. Schreyer & Torgler Benno & Schmidt Sascha L., 2018. "Game Outcome Uncertainty and Television Audience Demand: New Evidence from German Football," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 140-161, May.
    12. Francesco Addesa & Alexander John Bond, 2021. "Determinants of stadium attendance in Italian Serie A: New evidence based on fan expectations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(12), pages 1-18, December.
    13. Wen-Jhan Jane, 2014. "The Relationship Between Outcome Uncertainties and Match Attendance: New Evidence in the National Basketball Association," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 45(2), pages 177-200, September.
    14. Dominik Schreyer & Sascha L. Schmidt & Benno Torgler, 2017. "Game Outcome Uncertainty and the Demand for International Football Games: Evidence From the German TV Market," Journal of Media Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 31-45, January.
    15. Alexander John Bond & Francesco Addesa, 2020. "Competitive Intensity, Fans’ Expectations, and Match-Day Tickets Sold in the Italian Football Serie A, 2012-2015," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 21(1), pages 20-43, January.
    16. Sang Hun Sung & Doo-Seung Hong & Soo Young Sul, 2020. "How We Can Enhance Spectator Attendance for the Sustainable Development of Sport in the Era of Uncertainty: A Re-Examination of Competitive Balance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-15, August.
    17. Luc Arrondel & Richard Duhautois, 2019. "Are French Football Fans Sensitive to Outcome Uncertainty?," Economie et Statistique / Economics and Statistics, Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE), issue 513, pages 5-26.
    18. Daniel Read & Aaron C.T. Smith & James Skinner, 2021. "A Comparative Analysis of Competitive Balance Between a Closed and an Open League in Rugby League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 22(8), pages 871-892, December.
    19. Stefan Szymanski, 2021. "On the Incidence of an Ad Valorem Tax: The Adoption of VAT in the UK and Cost Pass Through by English Football Clubs," De Economist, Springer, vol. 169(1), pages 37-61, February.
    20. Raul Caruso & Francesco Addesa & Marco Di Domizio, 2019. "The Determinants of the TV Demand for Soccer: Empirical Evidence on Italian Serie A for the Period 2008-2015," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 20(1), pages 25-49, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:7:p:842-866. 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.