Exploring the determinants of attendance in the Chinese professional baseball league

摘要

Purpose: This study examines the factors that contributed to the decline of attendance in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. Without major national or international corporate interest and support, ticket prices and attendance rates are critical to the economic profitability of the CPBL teams. Moreover, given that ticket prices are unlikely to change dramatically in Taiwan, the attendance acts as a major proxy to ball club's earning performance. Methods: This study uses unbalanced panel regression tests to perform the examinations. Three estimation methods (pooled ordinary least square, fixed effects and random effects) are tested and performed to ensure that all estimation results are unbiased. Results: Panel regression test results show that the game-fixing scandals in 1997 and 2008 had a significantly negative impact on CPBL attendance. In addition, the influences of real GDP per capita and the Major League Baseball (MLB) effect on the CPBL attendance were also significantly negative. Conclusion: The test results imply that the CPBL game in Taiwan is an inferior good and the change in ticket price has insignificantly positive effect on attendance. Empirical findings offer useful information and implications for league authority, team owners in the CPBL and the government.