| Abstract: |
This paper investigates the effect of counter-violence measures, adopted by
Italian Government in 2007, on Italian Serie A gate attendance. Starting from
the evidence of a negative trend in the average stadium presences, experienced
by Italian football since the first 80s, an econometric analysis is proposed
to investigate short period determinants of tickets sale at single match
level. In the light of the potential detrimental role of football violence, we
focus on recent counter-hooliganism policies. These measures, grounded on a
‘fidelity card’, were designed to keep out the violent part of committed fans
in favour of the uncommitted. According to our econometric investigation the
expected substitution effect failed, and the ‘fidelity card’ strategy did not
turn to be successful if evaluated on the average attendance perspective. |