The impact of uncertainty on fan interest surrounding multiple outcomes in open European football leagues

Garcia-del-Barrio, P. and Reade, J. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8610-530X (2025) The impact of uncertainty on fan interest surrounding multiple outcomes in open European football leagues. Economic Inquiry. ISSN 1465-7295 doi: 10.1111/ecin.70024

Abstract/Summary

This paper uses searches via Google to evaluate the importance of uncertainty in driving demand for entertainment events. We consider various dimensions of uncertainty of outcome in European football to examine whether the removal of uncertainty surrounding the winner of a competition before its conclusion reduces interest. We find a significant decrease in interest, although this appears mitigated by the existence of multiple objectives, such as qualifying for European competitions and avoiding relegation. We conclude that such a diversified and open structure (including promotion and relegation) is desirable in leagues that do not have a final play-off system.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/127050
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/ecin.70024
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Arts, Humanities and Social Science > School of Politics, Economics and International Relations > Economics
Publisher	Wiley
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item