Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/268671 
Year of Publication: 
2023
Series/Report no.: 
Ilmenau Economics Discussion Papers No. 173
Publisher: 
Technische Universität Ilmenau, Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre, Ilmenau
Abstract: 
This comment addresses the opinion of the Advocate General (AG) of the European Court of Justice on the pending case European Super League versus UEFA/FIFA. It takes a critical perspective on selected aspects of the opinion's reasoning from a (sports) economics perspective. Highlighting the special characteristics of sports markets, the assessment of the AG Opinion raises questions such as (i) the (lack of) empirical evidence that the incumbent pursues and/or meets the legitimate objectives while the latter is still used as justifying reasons for anticompetitive conduct and arrangements (section III), (ii) the prohibitive entry barriers raised by the non-existence of a transparent and non-discriminatory authorization system preventing open competition for championships formats and organization by objective and effect (section IV), and (iii) the difficult search for a convincing theory of harm justifying the brutal enforcement of single-homing by the incumbent (section V).
Subjects: 
European football
sports economics
antitrust
competition policy
Super League
Champions League
abuse of dominance
market power
JEL: 
Z20
K21
L12
L40
L83
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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