How outcome uncertainty, loss aversion and team quality affect stadium attendance in Dutch professional football

Lucas M. Besters (), Jan (J.C.) van Ours () and Martin A. van Tuijl ()
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Lucas M. Besters: Rabobank
Jan (J.C.) van Ours: Erasmus School of Economics
Martin A. van Tuijl: Tilburg University

No 18-082/V, Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers from Tinbergen Institute

Abstract: We investigate stadium attendance in the highest level of Dutch professional football for the seasons 2000/01 – 2015/16 focusing on outcome uncertainty, loss aversion and team quality. We find that for individual football matches, attendance is related to reference-dependent preferences with loss aversion dominating the preference for uncertain outcomes. Furthermore, team quality is an important determinant of stadium attendance. Towards the end of the season, outcome uncertainty regarding the final ranking becomes important. For this seasonal uncertainty, we find a positive and stable, but rather small impact of the introduction of a unique and large end-of-season play-off scheme for the qualification for European football.

Keywords: Stadium attendance; Professional football; Outcome uncertainty; Loss aversion; Play-offs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 L83 Z20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-11-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-spo and nep-upt
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tin:wpaper:20180082

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