Match Experience at the Danish Women’s Soccer National A-Team Matches: An Explorative Study
A summary of the research:
The article titled "Match Experience at the Danish Women’s Soccer National A-Team Matches: An Explorative Study" investigates the factors influencing spectator satisfaction during matches of Denmark's women's national soccer team from 2016 to 2019. The study, using survey data from over 4,000 spectators, employs multilevel regression models to explore how individual and match-specific factors affect the overall match experience. It finds that female spectators generally reported a more positive match experience than male spectators. Additional factors like kick-off time, match significance (e.g., qualifying matches for major tournaments), and game outcomes (especially wins) also played significant roles in enhancing satisfaction. However, the research highlights that initiatives to grow the audience and market value of women’s soccer, such as entertainment during halftime or free admission, have yet to produce long-term effects on attendance.
The study also shows that factors such as temperature, geographical location of the stadium, and regional differences did not substantially affect spectator satisfaction. Wins and high numbers of goals from the home team positively impacted match satisfaction, while away goals had a negative effect. Overall, the research suggests that enhancing the match experience could play a crucial role in promoting women's soccer and increasing its financial sustainability by improving fan retention and engagement.
Key Takeaways:
Female spectators are more satisfied with the match experience: Women tend to report a higher overall satisfaction at women’s soccer matches compared to men.
Match outcomes significantly impact satisfaction: Wins and goals scored by the Danish team positively affect spectators' experiences, while goals scored by the opposing team decrease satisfaction.
Kick-off time matters: Later matches tend to generate better spectator satisfaction compared to earlier kick-off times, likely due to reduced scheduling conflicts and travel strain.
Authors: Morten Kringstad, Tor-Eirik Olsen, Tor Georg Jakobsen, Rasmus K. Storm, Nikolaj Schelde
You can read the entire article here.
