| Abstract: |
Attendance patterns at professional football matches in England and Wales over
three centuries are analysed, with particular attention paid to the loyalty,
or persistence, of spectators or fans at different football clubs over
different periods of time. We find that about half of an attendance can be
attributed to loyalty, and that patterns of loyalty have evolved considerably
over time, and vary across regions within England and Wales, although there is
little significant team-by-team difference. We also find that fans are not
necessarily concerned about how balanced matches are expected to be, and that
they are motivated by their own team's quality, and the geographic proximity
of the visiting team. |