Consumer Perceptions Matter: A Case Study of an Anomaly in English Football

Reade J. James () and C. van Ours Jan ()
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Reade J. James: University of Reading, Whiteknights, PO Box 217, Reading, England
C. van Ours Jan: Erasmus School of Economics, Tinbergen Institute and ECASE (Erasmus Center for Applied Sports Economics), Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), 2024, vol. 244, issue 5-6, 605-629

Abstract: In 1983 England’s fifth-tier football competition introduced a two-points-for-a-home-win and three-points-for-an-away-win reward system. This system was abolished after three seasons. The anomalous point system may have been introduced to reduce home advantage but the reasons are not fully clear and neither are the reasons for abolishing the system shortly after its introduction. We find that the new point system did not affect match outcomes but it did influence match attendance negatively. We speculate that the alternative point system was perceived as unfair to potential buyers of seasonal tickets or individual match tickets some of whom as a response decided to avoid watching the game in person. Consumer perceptions seem to matter.

Keywords: consumer behaviour; sports; football; performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 L83 Z21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:244:y:2024:i:5-6:p:605-629:n:1007

DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2023-0095

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