Cristiano of Arabia: Did Ronaldo increase Saudi Pro League attendances?

Dominik Schreyer and Carl Singleton

Contemporary Economic Policy, 2025, vol. 43, issue 2, 260-270

Abstract: In December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo, five‐time Ballon d’Or winner and the most‐followed person on Instagram, signed for Al‐Nassr in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This marked one of several expensive, recent interventions by the kingdom in global sports markets. We exploit the timing of this event to estimate superstar effects. Ronaldo alone increased stadium attendance demand, even before the influx of further stars in the summer of 2023. On average, Ronaldo filled an additional 20% of the seats in his home team's stadium when he played, 15% in the stadiums he visited, and 3% where he did not even play.

Date: 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1111/coep.12661

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Working Paper: Cristiano of Arabia: Did Ronaldo increase Saudi Pro League attendances? (2023)
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