European Leagues Research Articles

Factors that Influence Player Market Value in Different Position: Evidence from European Leagues

This research study delves into the intricate dynamics that influence player market values in various positions within European soccer leagues. Through the development and advancement of the soccer market industry and player health keeping. This study considered that soccer player's market value could be influenced by different factors or by different numbers of range nowadays compared with previous studies. By analyzing the newest version of player market value, influence factors of elite soccer players in season 2022/23 UEFA leagues. The analysis model analyzed a few key factors that influence the player's market value, such as age, goals, assists, and league. Simple/ Multiple regression models, T-tests, and ANOVA analysis are used in the examination. The research demonstrates that age plays a pivotal role, with players experiencing value growth during specific age ranges. League affiliation and performance metrics, particularly goals and assists, also emerge as significant drivers of market value. The study provides valuable insights for decision-makers within the soccer ecosystem, aiding in player management strategies and market navigation.

Money and Uncertainty of Outcome in Modern Sports Based on the Example of Football

One of the fundamental aspects of professional football is competition, which not only captivates fans but also drives its economic success. Money undeniably plays a significant role in determining sports outcomes, as clubs with larger budgets often possess better players. This article aims to examine the relationship between the market value of football clubs’ squads and their performance in the top 15 European leagues, as per the UEFA ranking. Among these leagues, Manchester City boasts the highest players market value in Europe, estimated at 1,110 million EUR, accounting for a mere 11.21% of the total market value of all English Premier League players. In summary, over the course of the last five seasons, out of 75 possible champions across the analysed leagues, the team with the most expensive squad has emerged victorious on 54 occasions. Consequently, it prompts consideration as to whether any measures should be taken to foster greater balance and to reduce the domination of wealthy teams in national football leagues.

Modelling dependence in football match outcomes: Traditional assumptions and an alternative proposal

The approaches routinely used to model the outcomes of football matches are characterized by strong assumptions about the dependence between the number of goals scored by the two competing teams and their marginal distribution. In this work, we argue that the assumptions traditionally made are not always based on solid arguments. Although most of these assumptions have been relaxed in the recent literature, the model introduced by Dixon and Coles in 1997 still represents a point of reference in the betting industry. While maintaining its conceptual simplicity, alternatives based on modelling the conditional distributions allow for the specification of more comprehensive dependence structures. In view of this, we propose a straightforward modification of the usual Poisson marginal models by means of thoroughly chosen marginal and conditional distributions. Careful model validation is provided, and a real data application involving five European leagues is conducted. The novel dependence structure allows to extract key insights on league dynamics and presents practical gains in several betting scenarios.

Comparison of The Turkish Clubs with English and German Clubs Toward The Modern Soccer Statistics

Aim: The purpose of this study is, in 2017-2018 season, to evaluate similarities and differences between teams in Super League, Premier League, Bundesliga according to parameters that collected under “Modern Soccer Statistics” which are expected goals, action value and possession value. Method: In 2017-2018 season; 18 teams of Super League, 20 teams Premier League, 18 teams of Bundesliga and whole matches of these teams included to this research. The datas of 992 matches were analyzed. Results: Findings are the highest in Premier League with 50.9 in terms of expected goals average across the Super League, Premier League and Bundesliga; Although it was the lowest in Super League with 46.4, it showed that there was no significant difference. Expected goals per game was determined 0.38 in Premier League, 0.29 in Bundesliga and 0.27 in Super League in proportion to the total score. Action value (3.87-3.99) and action value-offense (3.12-3.14) were examined, no significant difference was observed between leagues, but it was determined that the action value - defense average of Premier League teams was higher. It was determined that there was no significant difference in the possession value of the teams in leagues. Conclusion: Among the teams that have qualified to participate in the Champions League, expected goals, action value, possession value points, goals scored and goals conceded values are all at similar levels. Among the teams that have qualified to participate in the Europa League, only the teams in Super League have a higher average score, and among the relegated teams It was revealed that the teams relegated from Bundesliga had more ball than the teams relegated from Premier League. In the research, when all teams in the leagues are considered in general, regardless of category, the defensive action values of the teams in the Premier League are higher.

‘Brigate Verde…a terrible beauty is born': an exploratory examination of the social leadership of the Green Brigade

ABSTRACT The UEFA Europa League group stage clash on 24 October and 7 November 2019 between Celtic FC of Glasgow and SS Lazio of Rome offers fascinating insight into ultra social movements as forms of leadership. This exploratory research paper conceptualizes this tie as an Event that provides both a pivotal point of cross-cultural reflection on ultra fan groups as emergent social movements, and a means for the examination of forms of social leadership in contemporary society. In such terms, the paper initiates a critical consideration of The Green Brigade, a self-styled ultra fan group of Celtic FC as an emerging social movement, characterizes the group in terms of the differentiated ultra/ultraS binary, begins to qualitatively address the question as to levels of support for the group among the wider constituency of Celtic supporters, and as such, tentatively explores the groups’ leadership and organizational characteristics. The research concludes that a creative and action-oriented leadership style can be discerned. While organizational characteristics require further examination, intimations of a logic of development emerge.

Soccer Bubble: Is There a Speculative Bubble in the Price of International Soccer Players?

An exponentially increasing trend of players’ registration prices has taken place since 2012, and we test the hypothesis that this may be a speculative bubble, using a structural break test (Chow test) on a data set of international soccer players' registration prices, that ranges from 2007 to 2019. The test confirms the presence of an abrupt change in the trend of these prices since the year 2012, both for the whole data set and for subgroups based on the types of competition considered (Champions League, Europa League, and residual) and on the age of the players. We surmise that a possible root at the base of this trend is the need for soccer teams to cope with the Fair Play regulation, which has taken place exactly in the same years, and caused an excess of players’ trading as a means to comply with the obligation for teams to balance their books over time.

A multiple case-study investigation on the intersection between sustainability and reputation: An impact-driven framework for sport teams

The concept of impact, referring to short-term effects resulting from the implementation of sustainability practices and initiatives, and its connection to the longer term perception of sustainability for the brand, is becoming increasingly pervasive in various businesses, including the sports industry, attracting attention of different stakeholders, from scholars to practitioners, institutions, sport-teams, and their fans. A significant portion of extant theory indicates a direct link between sustainable practices and positive effects on the economic, social, and reputational fronts. Through the utilization of a multiple case study methodology, we initially investigated clubs belonging to the top five European football leagues. Subsequently, we developed a theoretical framework connecting the activation of sustainable practices to the development of corporate reputation, as perceived by multiple stakeholders. Moreover, we clarified how the interplay of various factors can either reinforce or weaken these cycles, serving as basis for both managerial plans and future research avenues.

Futbolda Kaydedilen Gollerin Zaman Dilimlerine Göre Analizi: Beş Major Avrupa Ligi ve Türkiye Süper Liginin Değerlendirilmesi

Avrupa’nın beş majör ligi İngiltere PrmLig, Almanya BLiga, İspanya LaLiga, İtalya Serie-A ve Fransa Ligue-1 olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu araştırmanın amacı, 2017-2018 futbol sezonunda Türkiye Süper Ligi ile 5 majör ligde kaydedilen gollerin analizini gerçekleştirmektir. Tslig (306), Bliga (306), Prmlig (380), Laliga (380), Ligue-1 (380) ve Serie-A'da (380) olmak üzere toplam 2132 maç analiz edildi. Sezon boyunca tüm Avrupa liglerinde ve her bir lig özelinde kaydedilen toplam ve ortalama gol değerleri, maçın ilk ve ikinci yarılarında, 15 dakikalık klasik zaman dilimlerinde ve uzatma dakikalarında kaydedilen goller (45dk+ ve 90dk+) kayıt altına alındı. Tanımlayıcı istatistik kullanılarak ortalama, frekans ve yüzde dağılımları ortaya konuldu. Ligler arası analizler için Kruskal Wallis testi uygulandı. Gruplar arası fark varsa Bonferroni düzeltmesi yapılarak Dunn Testi gerçekleştirildi. Araştırmanın sonucunda; TsLig (906gol), BLiga (855gol), PrmLig (1018gol), LaLiga (1024gol), Ligue-1 (1017gol) ve Serie-A’da (1033 gol) olmak üzere toplam 5853 gol kaydedildi. Gol ortalamasının en yüksek olduğu ligin TsLig olduğu tespit edilirken (2,96/maç); Gollerin %56’lık bölümü maçların ikinci yarılarında gerçekleşmiştir (p<0.001). Klasik periyotlamalara göre en fazla gol ise 76 dk - maç sonu diliminde gerçekleşmiştir (%23). Liglerin tümünde gollerin %7,4’lük bölümü ilk ve ikinci devrelerin uzatma dakikalarında atıldı (413gol). Türkiye Süper Ligi 100 gol ile hem her iki devrenin sonlarında hem de uzatma dakikalarının toplamında en çok gol kaydedilen lig oldu. Bu durum özellikle oyuncuların fiziksel kapasitelerinin yetersizliğine ve maç sonunda olası konsantrasyon kayıplarına bağlanabilir.

Eurocentric globalization of football. Coloniality, consumption, social distinction and identities of transnational fans in Latin America

ABSTRACT This paper examines the Eurocentric Globalization of Football (EGF), that is, the concentration of capital, broadcasts, players and coaches from around the world in the most powerful football leagues in Europe. It presents a historical analysis based on statistics and an ethnographic approach to three groups of fans of European clubs in Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. It is concluded that EGF is defined by an unequal international division of labour that mainly benefits the European clubs and contribute to the reproduction of a kind of (neo)colonial world system. In Latin America, transnational fans are often seen as mere imitators of the so-called ‘first world’ lifestyles and traitors of the national culture. On the contrary, transnational fans conceive the EGF as an opportunity to transit freely through different cultural references, distinguish themselves socially, and build trans-scale identities that creatively challenge traditional ways of building identity in the globalized world.

Становлення та розвиток змагань з професійного футболу (на прикладі Ліги Європи UEFA)

The long-term work of organizations, the creation of an economic competitive environment gave impetus to the formation and establishment of a number of competitions in professional football in Europe. This requires clarification of the factors influencing its development. The purpose is to find out the peculiarities of the formation and development of professional football competitions (on the example of the UEFA Europa League). Methods: theoretical analysis and generalization, systemic analysis, historical and logical, abstraction, comparison, formalization, modeling. The results. The UEFA Europa League is the second most prestigious competition in professional football among European clubs. The tournament was started in 1971, but it was preceded by another – the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1955-1971). During its existence, these professional competitions have seen a number of changes in the format of their holding. The most characteristic, in our opinion, relate to the 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2021/22 seasons (current stage). Despite the changes in the format of the competition, the quantitative indicators of the sports clubs involved in the competition were constantly growing. In the first season of 1971/72, 64 teams from 31 national associations took part in the tournament, in the 1994/95 UEFA season – 113 and in the 1996/97 season – 117 teams. In 1999, after the merger of two major competitions – the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Cup, the number of participating clubs expanded to 142 teams, and already in the 2005/06 season, their number was increased to 157. Now due to the scaling of the football competitions Europa League in the 2019/20 season 213 teams from 55 associations took part in the tournament. As of the 2022/23 season, 57 teams from all 55 associations are participating in the Europa League due to the appearance of another competition – the UEFA Conference League. Conclusions. The formula for the team’s participation in the various rounds of the Europa League (UEFA Cup) tournament has undergone several systemic changes. These changes the most reflected in the competition as of the 2008/09 season, (starting from the 2009/10 season) and the modern version (starting from the 2021/22 season years).

Starters vs. non-starters differences in vertical jump force-time metrics in female professional volleyball players.

As one of the fundamental volleyball skills, countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) has been commonly implemented in the applied sports setting as a non-invasive and time-efficient assessment of athletes' lower-body neuromuscular function. The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in CMJ characteristics between starters and non-starters within a cohort of professional female volleyball players. Nineteen athletes competing in one of the top European leagues (i.e., SuperLeague) volunteered to participate in the present investigation. Following the completion of a warm-up protocol, each athlete performed three maximal-effort CMJs with no arm swing while standing on a uni-axial force plate system sampling at 1,000 Hz. The following force-time metrics were used for performance analysis purposes: braking phase duration and impulse, eccentric and concentric duration, mean and peak force and power, contraction time, jump height, and reactive strength index-modified. Mann-Whitney U and independent t-tests revealed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) during both eccentric and concentric phases of CMJ between the players included in the starting lineup (n = 9) and their substitutions (n = 10), with the effect sizes being small to moderate in magnitude (g = 0.053-0.683). While further research is warranted on this topic, these results suggest that securing a position in a starting lineup at the professional level of volleyball play may be more contingent on the player's ability to proficiently execute sport-specific skills (e.g., blocking, attacking), rather than the performance on the CMJ assessment, considering that the observed values for both groups fall within the desired ranges for this specific population of athletes.

EVENT MARKETING AND FAN SATISFACTION IN WIN2DAY ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE USING AN EXAMPLE OF EC IDM WÄRMEPUMPEN VSV

The author associates the development of recommendations for improving event marketing and fan satisfaction with significant opportunities for the development of the league and clubs and for bringing the results in these areas closer to those of the leading hockey leagues in Europe. The study will also identify gaps and opportunities in current marketing practices. Ultimately, the goal is to develop actionable recommendations for clubs in the win2day ICE Hockey League (ICEHL), particularly EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV (EC VSV), to optimize their event marketing strategies, thereby improving fan satisfaction, increasing match attendance, and enhancing the league's overall appeal to fans and sponsors. Average attendance is one of the main indexes determining the success and profitability of the league and the teams participating in it.
 The research focuses on professional men's ice hockey and the point of view of event marketing and fan satisfaction in the ICEHL, focusing mainly on one of the league teams – EC VSV. The purpose of the research is to explore the league's functioning in terms of event marketing and fan satisfaction and to analyze the operations of the clubs within the league's framework.

Impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players’ match technical performance: a longitudinal study

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on 28 indicators of match technical performance (MTP) for football attacking players upon their return to play. Analyzing data from 100 players in the Big Five European football leagues, covering 1500 matches each before and after COVID-19 over 3 years (2020–2023), revealed significant differences in 76% of players’ MTP indicators. Notably, 14 indicators, particularly the five indicators linked to scoring, significantly decreased post-COVID-19. On average, players needed 3.09 matches to regain pre-infection MTP levels. The impact varied across player groups, with those in the elite group showing a milder effect; they required an average of 2.64 matches for recovery, compared to the control group’s 3.55 matches. We found that, with increasing age, the majority of players’ MTP indicators did not exhibit significant changes, both before and after they contracted COVID-19. In conclusion, the study highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players’ MTP. Players in the elite group experienced fewer adverse effects than those in the control group. This insight assisted coaches and managers in evaluating the impact of COVID-19 and similar virus-induced illnesses on players’ MTP, enabling them to formulate training regimens for recovery and specific match tactics upon players' return to play.

Video Analysis of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Male Professional Basketball Players: Injury Mechanisms, Situational Patterns, and Biomechanics

Background: Improving our understanding of the situations and biomechanics that result in an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in basketball players may support the design of more effective programs to mitigate the risk of injury. Purpose: To (1) describe the mechanisms, situational patterns, and gross biomechanics (kinematics) of ACL injuries in professional basketball matches using video analysis and (2) document the distribution of ACL injuries according to player position, phase of the match, and location on the court. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A total of 38 ACL injuries in professional male European basketball leagues from the 2013-2014 to 2019-2020 seasons were identified. There were 36 (95%) injury videos analyzed for injury mechanisms and situational patterns, while biomechanical analysis was possible in 32 cases. Overall, 3 independent reviewers evaluated each video. Data according to player position (n = 38), phase of the match (n = 38), and location on the court (n = 36) were evaluated. Results: More injuries occurred while attacking (n = 25 [69%]) than defending (n = 11 [31%]). There was 1 (3%) direct contact injury, 21 (58%) indirect contact injuries, and 14 (39%) noncontact injuries. Most injuries (83%) occurred during 3 main situations: offensive cut (n = 17 [47%]), landing from a jump (n = 8 [22%]), and defensive cut (n = 5 [14%]). Injuries generally involved knee flexion (with minimal hip/trunk flexion and reduced plantarflexion) in the sagittal plane and knee valgus loading in most cases (75%). A similar number of injuries occurred during the first (53%) and second (47%) halves of the match, with a higher prevalence in the second (37%) and fourth (34%) quarters. Half of the injuries occurred during the first 10 minutes of effective playing time. More injuries occurred in guards (58%), and 73% of all injuries occurred in the scoring zone. Conclusion: Indirect contact was the main injury mechanism found in male professional basketball players. The offensive cut was the most common situational pattern. Biomechanical analysis confirmed a multiplanar mechanism, with knee loading in the sagittal plane accompanied by dynamic valgus. More injuries occurred in the first 10 minutes of a player's effective playing time, within the scoring zone, and among guards.

Temporal features of goals, substitutions, and fouls in football games in the five major European league from 2018 to 2021

The “Big Five” European football leagues, comprising England's Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga, Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, and France's Ligue 1, command significant attention. While the occurrence of goals, substitutions, and fouls in football games is often considered random, of the presence of an inherent inevitability is unclear. To investigate, we analyzed a public dataset detailing timing of goals, substitutions, and yellow cards in regular time from WhoScored across three seasons (2018–2019, 2019–2020, 2020–2021) in the top five European football leagues. We employed various mathematical descriptive models (including linear, sigmoid, and gaussian functions) to measure the temporal tendency of goals, substitutions, and yellow cards. Our results indicate that, whether in the first or second half of the match, the temporal distribution of these elements exhibits evenness a (indicative of randomness). However, specific characteristics were discerned through distinct model parameters, capturing novel phenomena that were intuitively illustrated. Furthermore, we explored the interaction of the timing of goals, substitutions, and yellow cards. In this analysis we found that scoring in the second half leads to more substitutions and yellow cards. Changing players in the second half corresponded with more goals, while the impact of yellow card fouls showed no differences in goals in the first and second halves. Our research is the first to systematically study the laws of modern football matches, providing valuable guidance and reference for many football coaches.

Factors associated with match outcomes in elite European football – insights from machine learning models

AIM To examine the factors affecting European Football match outcomes using machine learning models. METHODS Fixtures of 269 teams competing in the top seven European leagues were extracted (2001/02 to 2021/22, total >61,000 fixtures). We used eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) to assess the relationship between result (win, draw, loss) and the explanatory variables. RESULTS The top contributors to match outcomes were travel distance, between-team differences in Elo (with a contribution magnitude to the model half of that of travel distance and match location), and recent domestic performance (with a contribution magnitude of a fourth to a third of that of travel distance and match location), irrespective of the dataset and context analyzed. Contextual factors such as rest days between matches, the number of matches since the managers have been in charge, and match-to-match player rotations were also shown to influence match outcomes; however, their contribution magnitude was consistently 4–8 times smaller than that of the three main contributors mentioned above. CONCLUSIONS Machine learning has proven to provide insightful results for coaches and supporting staff who may use their results to set expectations and adjust their practices in relation to the different contexts examined here.

Composite rating method: Application to European basketball leagues

ABSTRACT This paper introduces the Composite Rating Method (CRM), a novel approach for the integrated evaluation of basketball player and team performances across multiple leagues. Utilizing data from Euroleague, EuroCup, and Basketball Champions League, the presented method provides comprehensive and accurate rankings, including accounting for actions not included in personal statistics. Drawing inspiration from established methodologies such as ELO, PER, Offensive and Defensive ratings, CRM offers a balanced assessment of player and team capabilities. The paper delineates the data collection and preprocessing procedures, details the algorithmic framework of CRM, and showcases its predictive capacity. By presenting a well-rounded approach to ranking, this paper aims to contribute to the advancement of performance evaluation methods in basketball and sports in general.

A Comprehensive Data Pipeline for Comparing the Effects of Momentum on Sports Leagues

Momentum has been a consistently studied aspect of sports science for decades. Among the established literature, there has, at times, been a discrepancy between conclusions. However, if momentum is indeed an actual phenomenon, it would affect all aspects of sports, from player evaluation to pre-game prediction and betting. Therefore, using momentum-based features that quantify a team’s linear trend of play, we develop a data pipeline that uses a small sample of recent games to assess teams’ quality of play and measure the predictive power of momentum-based features versus the predictive power of more traditional frequency-based features across several leagues using several machine learning techniques. More precisely, we use our pipeline to determine the differences in the predictive power of momentum-based features and standard statistical features for the National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and five major first-division European football leagues. Our findings show little evidence that momentum has superior predictive power in the NBA. Still, we found some instances of the effects of momentum on the NHL that produced better pre-game predictors, whereas we view a similar trend in European football/soccer. Our results indicate that momentum-based features combined with frequency-based features could improve pre-game prediction models and that, in the future, momentum should be studied more from a feature/performance indicator point-of-view and less from the view of the dependence of sequential outcomes, thus attempting to distance momentum from the binary view of winning and losing.

The Impact of Corporate Governance on Financial Performance in Professional Sports Clubs: The Case of Italian Serie A

This paper explores professional football clubs' corporate governance challenges, recognizing them as symptoms of a deeper management crisis. The need for more effective managerial practices within these organizations is evident in the prevailing issues. This study aims to assess how corporate governance quality impacts the profitability and sustainability of Italian Serie A football clubs. Through the analysis of governance variables and financial indicators from the 2018/2019 season, the research identifies crucial factors. These factors encompass the business model, board composition, board age, control bodies, and internal procedure transparency. The results highlight the significant influence of corporate governance variables on club performance and insolvency risk. Enhanced governance quality is associated with higher profitability and viability, even among clubs facing financial difficulties. These findings hold significance for academics, practitioners, and regulators interested in understanding corporate governance practices within the competitive soccer market and their impact on financial performance. Future research should expand the sample and incorporate a comparative analysis of major European football leagues, accounting for varying legal frameworks. Moreover, the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the football industry must be considered in forthcoming investigations. The pandemic's financial consequences will likely differ based on each club's business model, international reputation, financial structure, and governance approach.

The competitive balance of UEFA and CONMEBOL football leagues: On managing the number of teams in league design

AbstractThis article augments the literature on the analysis of competitive balance, encompassing its measurement, comparisons across leagues and seasons, and ramifications for league management. Central to our examination is the notion of competitive balance, which is intimately tied to the concentration concept. This concept can be depicted as a dual metric—capturing both inequality and the number of competing teams. Historically, its magnitude has been gauged using standardised measures of inequality and concentration. Among these, the Herfindahl–Hirschman index and its subsequent refinements stand out. We employ the distance‐to‐competitive‐balance index, which, contingent upon the metric space chosen, qualifies either as an inequality or concentration measure. Our analysis spans the 2009/2010 to 2018/2019 seasons for both the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) championships in the pre‐COVID‐19 era. We discern a tangible and significant correlation between the competitive equilibrium of leagues and the performance metrics of national teams. Both the disparities in strengths of teams and the number of participating teams emerged as paramount variables shaping this competitive balance. Further, we delineate the elasticities of competitive balance relative to these determinants. Our insights bear implications for designing football championship structures and delineating sports policies; thus, they are valuable for relevant sports governing bodies and federations. The strategic decision to enlarge team count vis‐à‐vis curtailing discrepancies in team competencies is nuanced, varying across federations and confederations. The Big Five European leagues display heightened sensitivity to inequality factors (with interventions such as financial fair play, salary caps or revenue distribution yielding pronounced effects), whereas for CONMEBOL, elasticity in relation to team count holds greater significance.