Using reminders with different reward opportunities to reduce no-show behavior: Empirical evidence from a large-scale field experiment in professional sport

Dominik Schreyer, Sascha Schmidt () and Benno Torgler

CREMA Working Paper Series from Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA)

Abstract: Because no-show behavior typically leads to operational inefficiencies and thus diminishing returns for service firms, a growing number of authors have demonstrated the potential of using reminders to reduce no-show rates. In this study, by examining the behavioral responses of 13,911 season ticket holders of a professional football team in Germany, we assess whether reminders containing different reward opportunities reduce no-show behavior in professional sports. According to the results of our large-scale field experiment, the reminders have only a short-term effect that operates most effectively through a monetary gift reward with no persistent behavioral change in subsequent games. As regards individual characteristics, spectators who attended the stadium more infrequently during the season under study, who had front row seats, or had seated rather than standing arrangements were also more likely to respond to the treatment.

Keywords: attendance; field experiment; no-shows; probabilistic rewards; reminders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 D12 L83 R22 Z20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp and nep-spo
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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