nep-spo New Economics Papers
on Sports and Economics
Issue of 2025–12–22
two papers chosen by
Humberto Barreto, DePauw University
  1. An Americanization of sports? Lived experience of a fan experience. The case of NFL and MLB games in London. By Boris Helleu
  2. The toys that made us: The role of game in gender gaps By Daniel Bianchi; Ã lvaro Choi; John Jerrim
  1. By: Boris Helleu (NIMEC - Normandie Innovation Marché Entreprise Consommation - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - ULH - Université Le Havre Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - IRIHS - Institut de Recherche Interdisciplinaire Homme et Société - UNIROUEN - Université de Rouen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université)
    Abstract: The fan experience, a central concept in sports marketing, refers to the full range of interactions experienced by a spectator before, during, and after a game. Fan satisfaction cannot rely solely on the performance or victory of their favorite team but must also depend on the quality of peripheral services: hospitality, catering, entertainment, comfort, etc. Since the early 2000s, the NFL and MLB have deployed brand globalization strategies by relocating regular-season games to London. The NFL has organized over 40 games at Wembley, Twickenham, and Tottenham, while MLB has staged six matchups at the London Stadium. The objective is twofold: to attract European fans and to provide American expatriates and traveling supporters with an experience as authentic as in the United States. This paper, based on a participant observation methodology, examines the modalities of globalizing the fan experience.
    Abstract: La fan experience, concept central du marketing du sport, désigne l'ensemble des interactions vécues par un spectateur avant, pendant et après un match. La satisfaction du fan ne peut reposer seulement sur la victoire de son club préféré, mais aussi sur la qualité des services périphériques : accueil, restauration, animation, confort, etc. Depuis les années 2000, la NFL (football US) et la MLB (baseball) ont déployé une stratégie de globalisation en délocalisant des rencontres à Londres. La NFL a organisé plus de 40 matchs à Wembley, Twickenham et Tottenham, et la MLB 6 confrontations au London Stadium. L'objectif est double : séduire les fans européens et offrir aux Américains expatriés ou en voyage une expérience fidèle à celle des États-Unis. Cette contribution, mobilisant la méthode de l'observation participante, interroge les modalités de globalisation de l'expérience du fan.
    Keywords: globalization, glocalization, Americanization, sportainment, spectacle sportif, américanisation, glocalisation, globalisation, fan expérience
    Date: 2025–11–13
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05368138
  2. By: Daniel Bianchi (Universidad de La Laguna); Ã lvaro Choi (Universitat de Barcelona); John Jerrim (University College London)
    Abstract: Early gender gaps condition future educational decisions and labor market and social outcomes. There is extensive evidence reporting the existence of significant gender gaps in mathematical and scientific competencies at age 15. It has been suggested these patterns may explain why men tend to make a clean sweep on STEM careers. This has led to a debate on which factors may be driving gender gaps in educational outcomes. While some authors point to the existence of differences in psychological traits by gender, others focus on external factors, such as socioeconomic characteristics, parental values and educational trajectories. Another factor which is sometimes claimed to be a relevant determinant of the gender gap in performance are socially determined gender roles. Evidence on this last point has been however rarely tested. In this paper we shed light on this issue. We do so by exploring the relationship between the use of leisure time in science-related activities at early ages and the emergence of gender gaps in performance and career expectations at age 15. We take advantage of intra and across country variation for a set of countries. Results show that game patterns at early ages are decisive for explaining gender gaps in performance. Boys have a higher likelihood of playing brick games when they are at preschool, as well as several science related activities at age 10. More time spent in science-related leisure activities influences performance in grade 4 and at age 15, and, in turn, STEM expectations. In this sense, childhood play patterns contribute to explaining gender gaps in mathematics and science achievement, as well as in STEM expectations. Gender-differentiated play dynamics from an early age can explain the widening of gender gaps several grades later. These results contribute to identifying how certain play practices and leisure activities in childhood may eventually bias mathematics and science achievement and preferences between girls and boys. The implications for an education policy committed to equal educational opportunities are discussed.
    Keywords: STEM, gender gap, game, academic performance
    JEL: I24 J16 J24 I21
    Date: 2025
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ewp:wpaper:491web
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