17.11.2022

Is there a competition between US networks for soccer viewers?

Utilizing audience data for Bundesliga telecasts in the US during 2016–2018, Georgios Nalbantis, Tim Pawlowski (both Institute of Sports Science) and Dominik Schreyer (WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management) explore the impact of scheduling clashes with games from three internationally expanding European soccer leagues, that is, the English Premier League, the Spanish La Liga, and the Italian Serie A.

European soccer leagues’ internationalization efforts have significantly increased the number of available telecasts abroad. In the US, this has fueled discussions about the degree of audience overlap between networks broadcasting international soccer. In light of the recent dispute between beIN Sports and Comcast that have led the two media companies to appear before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a new research project explores whether and to what extent telecasts of different leagues indeed constitute substitutes in a transnational setting.

Econometric demand models reveal that the Bundesliga viewership is adversely affected primarily by overlapping Premier League games, pointing towards a significant competition between the US networks for soccer viewers. This insight is highly relevant for regulatory bodies and contributes towards a better understanding of the international sports media market.

The research paper was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Sports Economics.

Nalbantis, G., Pawlowski, T., & Schreyer, D. (2022). Substitution Effects and the Transnational Demand for European Soccer Telecasts. Journal of Sports Economics, DOI: 10.1177/15270025221132234