Analysing Match Attendance in the European Rugby Cup

Using data from 1,226 matches played over 18 seasons, we analyse match
attendances in the group stages of the European Rugby Cup (ERC). We find that
short-run (match) uncertainty had little effect on attendances. This finding is
significant as the ERC has been replaced by a new competition which may be more
unbalanced due to differences in the distribution of revenue between the participating
teams. Medium-term uncertainty, i.e. the possibility of the home team reaching the
knock-out stages, had a significant impact on attendances. Measures designed to make
matches more attractive, e.g. bonus points for high scoring, had little effect.