Evidence on soccer-specific stadiums and attendance: The Major League Soccer case

Abstract

The aim of this study is to test the influence of soccer-specific stadiums on attendance figures in the Major League Soccer. For that purpose, we use a regression model that analyzes all regular season games from 2004 to 2014 (2538 observations). The logarithm of attendance is the dependent variable, while the type of stadium, uncertainty of outcome, performance of teams, weather conditions, year, month and game day are the independent variables. The results show a significant positive influence of the soccer-specific stadiums and the performance of teams.