Professional Asian Football Leagues and the Global Market
bs_bs_banner doi: 10.1111/aepr.12112 Asian Economic Policy Review (2016) 11, 16–38 Professional Asian Football Leagues and the Global Market Stefan SZYMANSKI† University of Michigan This paper considers the development potential for professional football (soccer) leagues in Asia. This is set in the context of a global market where playing talent is easily bought and sold, and fans are attracted by the highest quality of play which they mostly consume via screens. The paper highlights the relative underdevelopment of Asian leagues given the size and growing economic power of the Asian markets, and suggests some ways in which this might change in the future. Key words: football, professional league, soccer, sport JEL codes: Z21, Z28 1. Introduction Fifty years ago, if you were a supporter of Liverpool Football Club living in Asia, and you wanted to know how they had fared in the FA Cup played at Wembley in England, your best bet would have been to look in your local newspaper the following day (they beat Leeds 2-1 in 1965). Twenty-five years ago or so, in much of Asia you would still have needed to consult the newspaper, but in some countries at least you probably could have watched it live on TV, possibly in a local bar (they beat Sunderland 2-0 in 1992). In 2015, Liverpool lost the semi-final to Aston Villa, a game that you could easily have watched live on your mobile phone throughout most of Asia. Of course, you might not be that bothered, since the FA Cup is not the prestigious tournament it was even 25 years ago, and Liverpool fans care much more about qualifying for the Champions League, which did not exist a quarter of century ago.
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