Optimal Tournament Design: Lessons From the Men's Handball Champions League. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Csató, László
• Is Part Of: Journal of sports economics. Volume 21:Number 8(2020)
• Page Start: 848
• Page End: 868
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: OR in sports -- tournament design -- handball -- simulation -- competitive balance; C44 -- C63 -- Z20; 62F07 -- 68U20; Sports -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; Sports administration -- Periodicals; 338.47796
• DOI: 10.1177/1527002520944442
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1527-0025

Abstract

This paper challenges the traditional seeding regime of round-robin tournaments that aims to create balanced groups. In particular, the design of the most prestigious European men's handball club competition is compared to two alternative formats with equally strong groups via simulations. We find that it is possible to increase the quality of all matches played together with raising the uncertainty of outcome, essentially without sacrificing fairness. Our results have useful implications for the governing bodies of major sports.