| Abstract: |
This paper analyses referee home bias due to social pressure with data from
the matches played in the First Division of the Spanish football league
between the 2002/03 and 2009/10 seasons. Finally, our main conclusion is that
the time the referee has to make a decision does affect the final outcome;
while there is no referee home bias when a free kick is awarded, in the case
of booking players, when the referee has more time to make a decision, social
pressure can influence the final outcome in favour of the home team. |