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Eliminating supportive crowds reduces referee bias
Author(s) -
Reade J. James,
Schreyer Dominik,
Singleton Carl
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
economic inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1465-7295
pISSN - 0095-2583
DOI - 10.1111/ecin.13063
Subject(s) - stadium , crowds , football , test (biology) , advertising , crowding out , crowding , marketing , economics , business , psychology , computer security , computer science , political science , law , mathematics , paleontology , geometry , neuroscience , monetary economics , biology
Abstract We use a series of historical natural experiments in association football to test whether social pressure from a home stadium crowd affected behavior and outcomes. The standout effect of an empty stadium was that referees cautioned visiting players less often, by over a third of a yellow card per match or once for every 22 fouls committed. Stadium crowds caused referees to favor the home team in their decision‐making. Empty stadiums appear to have reduced the overall home advantage in the final outcomes of football matches, but we cannot statistically reject no effect.