Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 sport management Alzahra University

2 Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

3 Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/jsm.2025.392631.3463

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to present an economic model for transferring Premier League clubs to the private sector using a game theory approach.

This paper follows a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, with a review of relevant documents, articles, books, and interviews with four experts. The most suitable and efficient strategies for the government and club buyers were selected from the proposed strategies based on the influential variables in the privatization process. The proposed game was designed, and the graph model was implemented in the decision-support system software GMCR PLUS, 64-bit version.

The research findings indicate that the government's strategy of providing infrastructure and revenue generation for clubs can benefit domestic and foreign buyers and investors. These benefits may include granting concessions such as economic objectives, tax exemptions, receiving facilities and loans from the government, and investment security, which constitute the Nash equilibrium point of this game. Additionally, the best suggested method for privatizing clubs is a step-by-step, gradual approach.

Competitive balance can be achieved through activities such as legal use of facilities and relationships by state clubs, credit assessment of banks for payment of bank facilities, use of experiences of successful countries and conducting comparative studies in the field of club transfers, introduction of controlled electronic tax systems, formation of technical and specialized committees in clubs, especially in the marketing and revenue generation sectors, establishment of large factories to support football teams, and design of competition applications via the Internet, etc.

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Main Subjects