TY - JOUR
T1 - When the Stadium Goes Silent
T2 - How Crowds Affect the Performance of Discriminated Groups
AU - Caselli, Mauro
AU - Falco, Paolo
AU - Mattera, Gianpiero
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Using a natural experiment induced by COVID-19, we test how the sudden absence of fans at football games impacts player performance in Italy. We find that African players, who are most commonly targeted by racial harassment, play better when fans are no longer at the stadium. A similar, albeit weaker, effect is detected among black players. Using official records of racist behavior by fans, we show that performance improves the most on teams that were subject to abuse before the lockdown. Our evidence suggests that racist pressure can harm discriminated groups and lower the overall quality of the game.
AB - Using a natural experiment induced by COVID-19, we test how the sudden absence of fans at football games impacts player performance in Italy. We find that African players, who are most commonly targeted by racial harassment, play better when fans are no longer at the stadium. A similar, albeit weaker, effect is detected among black players. Using official records of racist behavior by fans, we show that performance improves the most on teams that were subject to abuse before the lockdown. Our evidence suggests that racist pressure can harm discriminated groups and lower the overall quality of the game.
U2 - 10.1086/719967
DO - 10.1086/719967
M3 - Journal article
VL - 41
SP - 431
EP - 451
JO - Journal of Labor Economics
JF - Journal of Labor Economics
SN - 0734-306X
IS - 2
ER -