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The competition economics of financial fair play

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  • Budzinski, Oliver

Abstract

This paper provides an economic analysis of the competition effects of UEFA's financial fair play regulations. It concludes that the restrictive effects of the break-even rule cannot be justified by a legitimate objective defense (according to European competition policy) because significant financial problems due to overinvestment are not inherent to European football.

Suggested Citation

  • Budzinski, Oliver, 2014. "The competition economics of financial fair play," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 85, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:tuiedp:85
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oliver Budzinski, 2011. "The Institutional Framework for Doing Sports Business: Principles of EU Competition Policy in Sports Markets," Working Papers 108/11, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Sociology, Environmental and Business Economics.
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    17. Stefan Szymanski, 2012. "Insolvency in English professional football: Irrational Exuberance or Negative Shocks?," Working Papers 1202, International Association of Sports Economists;North American Association of Sports Economists.
    18. Markus Sass, 2012. "Long-term Competitive Balance under UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations," FEMM Working Papers 120005, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Faculty of Economics and Management.
    19. Paul Madden, 2012. "Welfare Economics of "Financial Fair Play" in a Sports League With Benefactor Owners," Economics Discussion Paper Series 1221, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    20. Coates, Dennis & Humphreys, Brad & Zhou, Li, 2012. "Outcome Uncertainty, Reference-Dependent Preferences and Live Game Attendance," Working Papers 2012-7, University of Alberta, Department of Economics.
    21. PEETERS, Thomas & SZYMANSKI, Stefan, 2012. "Vertical restraints in soccer: Financial fair play and the English Premier League," Working Papers 2012028, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
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    23. Egon Franck, 2014. "Financial Fair Play in European Club Football: What Is It All About?," International Journal of Sport Finance, Fitness Information Technology, vol. 9(3), pages 193-217, August.
    24. Oliver Budzinski & Stefan Szymanski, 2015. "Are Restrictions Of Competition By Sports Associations Horizontal Or Vertical In Nature?," Journal of Competition Law and Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 409-429.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gallagher, Ronan & Quinn, Barry, 2019. "Regulatory Own Goals: The Unintended Consequences of Economic Regulation in Professional Football," QBS Working Paper Series 2019/02, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's Business School.
    2. Budzinski, Oliver & Pawlowski, Tim, 2014. "The behavioural economics of competitive balance: Implications for league policy and championship management," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 89, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    3. Alabi, Mobolaji & Urquhart, Andrew, 2024. "The financial impact of financial fair play regulation: Evidence from the English premier league," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Budzinski, Oliver, 2017. "Four cases in sports competition policy: Baseball, judo, football, and motor racing," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 109, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    5. Angelo D’Andrea & Donato Masciandaro, 2016. "Financial Fair Play in European Football: Economics and Political Economy a Review Essay," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 1615, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    6. Ariela Caglio & Angelo D’Andrea & Donato Masciandaro & Gianmarco Ottaviano, 2016. "Does Fair Play Matter? UEFA Regulation and Financial Sustainability in the European Football Industry," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 1638, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    7. Oliver Budzinski & Stefan Szymanski, 2015. "Are Restrictions Of Competition By Sports Associations Horizontal Or Vertical In Nature?," Journal of Competition Law and Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 409-429.
    8. Budzinski, Oliver, 2017. "Market-internal financial regulation in sports as an anticompetitive institution," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 110, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    9. Budzinski, Oliver & Feddersen, Arne, 2022. "Should organizing premier-level European football be a monopoly? And who should run it? - An economists' perspective," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 166, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    10. Budzinski, Oliver, 2017. "Sind Wettbewerbe im Profisport Rattenrennen?," Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers 104, Ilmenau University of Technology, Institute of Economics.
    11. Richard Evans, 2024. "The S-Score of Financial Sustainability for Professional Football Clubs," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 25(3), pages 322-345, April.
    12. Ariela Caglio & Sébastien Laffitte & Donato Masciandaro & Gianmarco Ottaviano, 2019. "Does Financial Fair Play Matter? The Real Effects Of Uefa Regulation For European Football Clubs," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 19119, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    financial fair play; sports economics; competition economics; European competition policy; football; soccer; overinvestment; rat race;
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