Exploring the sports economic impact of COVID-19 on professional soccer

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has, among other things, a significant impact on the economic situation of sports in general and professional soccer in particular. Our paper points out the main effects of the crisis on professional soccer. To this end, the general effects of the pandemic on sports will be briefly outlined, followed by a discussion of matches played behind closed doors. Based on the general conditions and particularities of the team sports industry, possible solutions for dealing with any problems arising from the pandemic will be discussed from the perspective of economics. As a result, we prefer intra-industry market-based solutions such as a solidarity fund or measures of self-regulation to possible state subsidies.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest is reported by the author.

Notes

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13. Ibid.

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21. Reade, Schreyer and Singleton, ‘Echoes’.

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23. Daumann, Grundlagen der Sportökonomie.

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28. Ibid., 201.

29. Neale, ‘The Peculiar Economics of Professional Sports’, 1–14.

30. Franck, Die ökonomischen Institutionen der Teamsportindustrie.

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52. Zülch, Ottenstein and Manz, ‘The German Bundesliga Clubs and Their Future’.

53. See Article 52 of the UEFA Club Licencing and Financial Fair Play Regulations, Edition 2018.

54. Drewes, Daumann and Follert, ‘Sportökonomische Auswirkungen der COVID-19 Pandemie’.

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62. Drewes, ‘Fußball-Bundesliga’, 588–93.

63. European Union, ‘State aid’.

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65. Knight, Risk, Uncertainty and Profit.

66. Schumpeter, The Theory of Economic Development.

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