First in first win: Evidence on schedule effects in round-robin tournaments in mega-events
Journal
European Economic Review
ISSN
0014-2921
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2017-11
Author(s)
Abstract (De)
The order of actions in contests may have a significant effect on performance. In this study, we examine the role of the schedule in round-robin tournaments with sequential games between three and four contestants. Our empirical analysis, based on soccer FIFA World Cups and UEFA European Championships, and on two Olympic wrestling events, reveals that there is a substantial advantage to the contestant who competes in the first and third matches. Our findings are in line with the hypothesis that winning probabilities in multi-stage contests with sequential games are endogenously depending on the schedule of contests as predicted by game-theoretical models. We also discuss possible ways to reduce the effect of the schedule.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Elsevier
Volume
100
Start page
412
End page
427
Pages
16
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
260472