Title: Marketing in sport leagues: optimising the product design. Intra-championship competitive intensity in French football Ligue 1 and basketball Pro A

Authors: Nicolas Scelles, Michel Desbordes, Christophe Durand

Addresses: UFR STAPS, Campus II, Universite de Caen Basse-Normandie, 2 boulevard du Marechal Juin, 14032 Caen Cedex, France. ' UFR STAPS, Universite Paris Sud 11, 15, rue Georges Clemenceau, 91405 Orsay, France. ' UFR STAPS, Campus II, Universite de Caen Basse-Normandie, 2 boulevard du Marechal Juin, 14032 Caen Cedex, France

Abstract: This article deals with the optimisation of the sport leagues product thanks to adequate rules. It features a new model called intra-championship competitive intensity which measures outcome uncertainty and reversals in the standings of a sport league. The model depends on the league product design and, in particular, on the number of sports stakes in the standings. Intra-championship competitive intensity was calculated in French football Ligue 1 (league without playoffs) and basketball Pro A (league with playoffs) over the period 2004-2009. The results show that Pro A intra-championship competitive intensity surpassed Ligue 1|s, whereas the latter benefits from a better competitive balance. Then, we propose a product design which maximises intra-championship competitive intensity and marketing and sponsoring efficiency in the European context. This design needs specific marketing actions to be optimised.

Keywords: intra-championship competitive intensity; ICCI; outcome uncertainty; product design; sports stakes; French professional leagues; French football league; basketball; competitive balance; sport management; sport marketing; playoffs; sport leagues; sponsorship; soccer.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSMM.2011.040255

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 2011 Vol.9 No.1/2, pp.13 - 28

Published online: 21 Feb 2015 *

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