Open Access
Comparing competitive balance for men's and women's leagues in European handball
(Routledge, 2024-08-09) Ayúcar Sánchez, Amaia; Lera López, Fernando; Iraizoz Apezteguia, Belén; Economía; Ekonomia; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
Research question: this paper contributes to research concerned with gender comparison in sport, considering handball, traditionally overlooked in studies of competitive balance. Research methods: we estimate measures of concentration and dominance to analyse the competitive balance in eight European handball leagues (both female and male) in four European countries (Denmark, France, Germany and Spain) during 15 seasons. Results and Findings: the results show statistically significant differences between the female and the male handball leagues. With the exception of France, the level of concentration is higher in the female than in the male leagues. In terms of dominance, there is less difference between the genders. In terms of evolution, the indicators reflect a deterioration of the competitive balance mainly in the female leagues. Implications: the analyses suggest that different measures should be put in place to increase the competitive balance in female leagues, through the transfer of resources from the male to the female leagues. To reduce the high level of dominance, a redistribution of resources among the teams should be considered to reduce the 'drag effect'. Research contribution: this is the first time that the most important European handball leagues have been examined to test the gender gap in competitive balance, with statistically significant differences being found.
Open Access
Valuing the contribution of sport volunteering to subjective wellbeing: evidence from eight European countries
(Frontiers Media, 2024) Kokolakakis, Themis; Schoemaker, Jelle; Lera López, Fernando; Boer, Willem de; Čingienė, Vilma; Papić, Alma; Ahlert, Gerd; Economía; Ekonomia
Introduction: Volunteering is a prominent and integral aspect of the activities undertaken by sports clubs in Europe. However, even with its growing importance, quantifying the monetary worth of this nonmarket activity, in terms of wellbeing, can present certain difficulties. Traditional approaches to valuing volunteering (i.e., replacement and opportunity cost approaches) do not fully capture the value of volunteering to individuals, as they do not consider the intangible benefits that individuals may derive from their participation. Methods: This research provides added value to the monetisation of volunteering in sport by applying the wellbeing valuation approach (WVA) for the first time to a cross-sectional data in eight European countries. A double instrumental variable approach was developed to correct for unobservable variables that may influence the pairs: income and subjective wellbeing (SWB), and volunteering and SWB. This allows to estimate the causal impact of volunteering and income on SWB more accurately and assign a reasonable monetary value to this non-market activity. Results: The results, based on a sample size of 1,091, show an income compensation for a volunteer, devoting on average 8.7 hours during a four-week period of €16 to €50 per hour, equivalent to between € 1,700 and € 5,200 per year, depending on the nationality of the volunteer. Discussion: With these estimations insights into the value of volunteering in sports are provided, contributing to a better understanding of how this activity can be valued and supported. By recognising and accurately valuing the contributions of volunteers, sport organizations and policymakers can develop more effective strategies for promoting and supporting volunteering in sports.
Open Access
Bordering dynamics in sports among Spanish and French border regions
(Taylor & Francis, 2024-10-17) Lera López, Fernando; Rapún Gárate, Manuel; Economía; Ekonomia; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
The role that sports play in cross-border cooperation still remains unclear and under-researched. This paper aims to address this gap by conducting a qualitative study on the impact of basketball and hiking/mountaineering on cross-border cooperation in the New Aquitaine, Basque Country, and Navarre (NAEN) Euroregion. The research identified some significant barriers to enhancing cross-border sports cooperation, primarily associated with regional and national sports legislation and structure. However, the evidence also revealed a lack of information among sports agents regarding opportunities for cross-border sports participation. Also, we present some differences in terms of border cooperation for each sport analyzed. Some policy implications are suggested to increase cross-border cooperation in sports, focusing on creating networks for shared information and establishing clear roles and responsibilities among sports agents to enhance cooperation. These changes should precede the development of targeted logistical and financial support for sports activities in these border regions.

Lera López, Fernando

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