After International Tournaments: Spectator Attendance at Domestic Professional Baseball Games in Taiwan

Abstract

Most people believe a good performance by a national team in an international sports tournament can enhance the domestic interest in that sport. By examining the case of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan, this paper investigates the follow-up influence of international tournaments on attendance at domestic games. It has been found that people react differently to tournaments held in and out of Taiwan and to mega and non-mega events. If the national team participates in a mega international tournament abroad, attendance at the CPBL games for the following season increases by 770 people or 24.3% per game. However, for non-mega international tournaments, the attendance effects differ based on how well the national team performs. If the national team cannot beat at least 78% of the teams in a non-mega tournament abroad or half of the teams in a tournament held in Taiwan, the average attendance may fall.