Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP12341
Authors: Jan C. van Ours
Abstract: In the Netherlands, in the top tier of professional football some teams play their home matches on an artificial pitch while other teams play their home matches on natural grass. This paper investigates whether or not home teams who play on an artificial pitch have an additional home advantage to the regular home advantage. The main finding is, that this is indeed the case. This implies that artificial pitches generate an unfair home advantage in a competitive sport.
Keywords: professional football; unfair competition; artificial pitch; home advantage
JEL Codes: L83; Z21
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Home teams playing on artificial pitches (Z20) | Additional home advantage (Z29) |
| Regular home advantage (Z29) | Total advantage for teams on artificial pitches (Z23) |
| Artificial pitch effect + Regular home advantage (Z29) | Total advantage for teams on artificial pitches (Z23) |