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Does Fair Play Matter? UEFA Regulation and Financial Sustainability in the European Football Industry

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  • Ariela Caglio
  • Angelo D’Andrea
  • Donato Masciandaro
  • Gianmarco Ottaviano

Abstract

In 2009 the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) launched its Financial Fair Play Regulations (FFPR) aimed at preventing professional football clubs from overspending in the quest of sporting success to the detriment of their long-run financial sustainability. The rationale and the effectiveness of the FFPR have both been questioned, but only on theoretical grounds. We make a first attempt at bringing empirical evidence to this debate exploiting an original dataset covering 156 clubs playing in the top five European Leagues (those of England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) in the period 2006-2015. We address two main questions: whether before 2009 there was indeed a problem of growing financial leverage for European football clubs, and whether after 2009 the financial leverage of European clubs has started decreasing. We find that the introduction of the FFPR is associated with changes in the financial sustainability of European football clubs that are consistent with the regulations’ intended effects. These changes are, however, rather weak and vary substantially across national leagues.

Suggested Citation

  • Ariela Caglio & Angelo D’Andrea & Donato Masciandaro & Gianmarco Ottaviano, 2016. "Does Fair Play Matter? UEFA Regulation and Financial Sustainability in the European Football Industry," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 1638, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:baf:cbafwp:cbafwp1638
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Egon Franck, 2014. "Financial Fair Play in European Club Football: What Is It All About?," International Journal of Sport Finance, Fitness Information Technology, vol. 9(3), pages 193-217, August.
    2. Markus Sass, 2012. "Long-term Competitive Balance under UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations," FEMM Working Papers 120005, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    3. Jonathan Michie & Christine Oughton, 2005. "The Corporate Governance of Professional Football Clubs in England," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 517-531, July.
    4. Paul Madden, 2012. "Welfare Economics of "Financial Fair Play" in a Sports League With Benefactor Owners," Economics Discussion Paper Series 1221, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    5. Thomas Peeters & Stefan Szymanski, 2014. "Financial fair play in European football [v. National Football League, 560 (The Supreme Court May 24, 2010)]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 29(78), pages 343-390.
    6. Budzinski, Oliver, 2014. "The competition economics of financial fair play," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 85, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
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    2. Sonin, Konstantin & Grabar, Vsevolod, 2018. "Financial Restrictions and Competitive Balance in Sports Leagues," CEPR Discussion Papers 13154, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Gema Lobillo Mora & Xavier Ginesta & Jordi de San Eugenio Vela, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Football Clubs: The Value of Environmental Sustainability as a Basis for the Rebranding of Real Betis Balompié in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-16, December.

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