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Any given Saturday: competitive balance in elite English rugby union

2012; Chapman and Hall London; Volume: 17; Issue: 2-3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/13606719.2012.674388

1466-450X

Peter Williams,

Sports, Gender, and Society

Competitive balance (CB) is a key consideration for those who administer professional sports leagues. This paper examines CB in elite rugby union in England since leagues were formed in 1987. Using a range of established and sport-specific metrics, results indicate that levels of CB have been broadly responsive to a combination of externally imposed and internally generated developments in rugby's competitive environment. The implications for policy-makers suggest that, while rugby union compares well, competitively, with other English professional team sports, reconciling the need to manage for a viable domestic league, while accommodating the aspirations of its strongest clubs, is likely to be problematic in the longer term.