@article{ref1,
title="An analysis of home advantage in the top two Spanish professional football leagues",
journal="Perceptual and motor skills",
year="2009",
author="Sánchez, Pedro A. and García-Calvo, Tomás and Leo, Francisco M. and Pollard, Richard and Gómez, Miguel-Ángel",
volume="108",
number="3",
pages="789-797",
abstract="This study examines the effect of the points system on home advantage in the two top Spanish professional football [soccer] divisions between the 1980-1981 and 2006-2007 seasons. From 1980-81, teams were awarded 2 points for a win. This was increased to 3 points starting in 1995-1996. Lower home advantage was expected with the 3-point system as a consequence of encouraging more attacking play from away teams. The results of an analysis of 20,992 games showed no significant differences in home advantage values between the First Division (66.3% before and 62.1% after the 3-point system) and the Second Division (65.6% before and 59.5% after). Nevertheless, there was a significant decrease in home advantage in both the First and Second Divisions after the introduction of the 3-point system. The results were compared with two similar studies of professional football in England.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0031-5125",
doi="10.2466/PMS.108.3.789-797",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.2466/PMS.108.3.789-797"
}