scholarly journals Where to Go Next? Examining the Effect of Franchise Expansion and Location on Game-Level Attendance in Major League Soccer

2022 ◽  
pp. 152700252110677
Author(s):  
Dirk Semmelroth ◽  
Bernd Frick ◽  
Robert Simmons ◽  
Hojun Sung
Keyword(s):  
Large Population ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
Selective Approach ◽  
Major League Soccer ◽  
Major League ◽  
Game Attendance ◽  
Positive Impacts ◽  
Expansion Policy

Using a large dataset with over 4,000 game-level observations from Major League Soccer over the period 2006 to 2019 we investigate the determinants of attendance demand. Focusing on franchise expansion and location effects, we find that some decisions made by the organization had positive impacts on league revenues. While going to cities with a large population and already hosting nearby NFL or NBA teams is positively associated with game attendance, the presence of geographically close MLB and NHL teams is detrimental to MLS revenues. Our results suggest a need for a more nuanced and selective approach to MLS expansion policy.

scholarly journals Time to Say Goodbye: A Duration Analysis of the Determinants of Coach Dismissals and Quits in Major League Soccer

2021 ◽  
pp. 152700252110348
Author(s):  
Dirk Semmelroth
Keyword(s):  
Business Management ◽  
Duration Analysis ◽  
Head Coach ◽  
Performance Expectations ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
Sports Industry ◽  
Major League Soccer ◽  
Major League ◽  
Soccer Team ◽  
And Performance

This study investigates the determinants of voluntary and involuntary head coach turnovers using a large dataset of some 6,500 coach-game observations from Major League Soccer over 2004–2019. The duration analysis results show that team performance related to expected playoff qualification and performance expectations matter for both types of separations. Moreover, the findings reveal that coach reputation decreases dismissal probabilities, while coach age increases quit rates. The results of this study will be of particular interest to Major League Soccer team owners and managers as well as for business management outside the sports industry.

Financial Returns in Major League Soccer

2021 ◽  
pp. 152700252110227
Author(s):  
John Charles Bradbury
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
North American ◽  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Professional Sports ◽  
The United States ◽  
Professional Soccer ◽  
Major League Soccer ◽  
Major League ◽  
Sports Leagues

Major League Soccer (MLS) is the top-tier professional soccer league serving the United States and Canada. This study examines factors hypothesized to impact consumer demand for professional sports on team revenue in this nascent league. The estimates are consistent with positive returns to performance, novelty effects from newer teams, and varying impacts from roster quality and composition. Other factors hypothesized to be important for MLS teams (e.g., stadium quality and market demographics) are not associated with team revenue. The estimates are similar to findings in other major North American sports leagues, even though MLS operates with a unique single-entity ownership structure that has the potential to disincentivize individual team investments by league owners.

Returns to Stardom: Evidence From U.S. Major League Soccer

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 567-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd H. Kuethe ◽  
Mesbah Motamed
Keyword(s):  
Major League Soccer ◽  
Major League

Moments of Competitive Balance in Major League Soccer

2021 ◽  
pp. 152700252110510
Author(s):  
Hojun Sung ◽  
Brian M. Mills ◽  
Younghoon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Balance ◽  
Policy Regimes ◽  
Past Work ◽  
Major League Soccer ◽  
Major League ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Talent Acquisition

In this paper, we investigate competitive balance in Major League Soccer and compare balance across talent acquisition policy regimes with a bias-corrected measure from 1996 to 2019. We evaluate multiple moments of the league talent distribution, and we add to past work by using multiple levels of aggregation that reveal heterogeneous results with respect to the distribution of talent within and across seasons. We show that there has been little improvement in competitive balance over the league's history, though there has been an increase in year-to-year stability in balance and a lower propensity for teams at the extremes of performance.

Major League Soccer

2017 ◽  
pp. 177-215
Author(s):  
Frank P. Jozsa
Keyword(s):  
Major League Soccer ◽  
Major League

scholarly journals Timing and Reasons Behind Single-Sport Specialization in Soccer: A Survey of 64 Major League Soccer Athletes

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 355-360
Author(s):  
Derrick M. Knapik ◽  
Katherine H. Rizzone ◽  
James E. Voos
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
The United States ◽  
Injury Incidence ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
School Location ◽  
Major League Soccer ◽  
Major League ◽  
The Impact

Background: Single-sport specialization at the exclusion of other sports has become increasingly popular in youth sporting culture. The purpose of this study was to survey Major League Soccer (MLS) athletes to examine factors influencing the timing of single-sport specialization in soccer. Hypothesis: The majority of surveyed athletes will have participated in multiple sports prior to specialization and specialized primarily as a result of a coach’s recommendation, with no significant impact on specialization timing stemming from birth or high school location, obtaining a collegiate scholarship, MLS experience, or position. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Anonymous surveys were distributed to 3 MLS organizations and completed by MLS athletes during preseason physicals. Surveys evaluated the age and reason(s) behind an athlete’s decision to specialize in soccer, birth location, geographic high school location for US-born athletes, participation in a developmental league, college scholarship, years in the MLS, and position played. Results: Approximately 74% (64/86) of athletes returned completed surveys. Athletes reported beginning soccer at a mean age of 5.1 ± 2.1 years and specializing at age 12.6 ± 4.3 years. Athletes who participated in no other sports prior to specialization ( P < 0.001), athletes reporting soccer to be their first sport played at an advanced level ( P < 0.001), and athletes receiving a college scholarship ( P = 0.02) specialized at a significantly younger age. Internationally born athletes specialized at significantly younger ages when compared with US-born athletes ( P < 0.001). Conclusion: The majority of athletes participated in multiple sports prior to specialization and eventually specialized to focus exclusively on soccer. The timing of sport specialization in professional MLS athletes was not associated with multisport participation prior to specialization, playing soccer at an advanced level prior to other sports, receiving a college scholarship, or being born outside the United States. Clinical Relevance: Timing of sport specialization is associated with multiple factors prior to athlete promotion to the MLS that warrant further investigation to better understand the impact of specialization on injury incidence, performance, and career length.

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