000163113 001__ 163113
000163113 005__ 20251009145936.0
000163113 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.3389/fspor.2025.1649310
000163113 0248_ $$2sideral$$a145608
000163113 037__ $$aART-2025-145608
000163113 041__ $$aeng
000163113 100__ $$aBataineh, Mohammed Jamal
000163113 245__ $$aThe take-off of the Saudi professional football league in the context of the 2030 vision: effect on the competitive balance
000163113 260__ $$c2025
000163113 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted
000163113 5203_ $$aThis study examines the impact of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 on the competitive balance of the Saudi Professional League (SPL), focusing on how the entry of public investment funds (PIF) into club ownership has transformed the league's structure.MethodsCompetitive balance is measured using the Herfindahl Index of Competitive Balance (HICB), which captures the degree of concentration in the distribution of league points across ten seasons (2014/15–2023/24).ResultsResults indicate that the SPL's growth has been accompanied by greater imbalance between clubs, reducing competitive uncertainty and, potentially, spectator appeal. The main issue is not the inflow of capital or foreign players per se, but their concentration in a small number of teams.DiscussionDespite the deterioration in competitive balance, driven by widening financial disparities between a small group of clubs and the rest, the SPL has significantly increased its international visibility. This pattern appears consistent with the priorities of Vision 2030 to enhance the national brand image and soft power, although it may delay progress towards financial sustainability at the league level. At the same time, football can amplify the visibility and agency of local communities by creating spaces for participation and inclusion, suggesting that targeted grassroots initiatives could help translate international profile into durable domestic support. While debates about “sportswashing” persist, the broader policy intent of Vision 2030 aligns with the UN's 2030 Agenda emphasis on diversification. Ultimately, any durable impact should be assessed against measurable future social and economic outcomes.
000163113 536__ $$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/PID2020-113905GB-I00$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/PID2020-159374NB-I00$$9info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/S56-23R
000163113 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es
000163113 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
000163113 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-1215-7916$$aGuevara-Pérez, Juan Carlos$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000163113 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0003-4315-0642$$aMartín-Vallespín, Emilio$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000163113 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-1851-796X$$aUrdaneta-Camacho, Rudemarlyn$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza
000163113 7102_ $$14002$$2230$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Contabilidad y Finanzas$$cÁrea Economía Finan. y Contab.
000163113 773__ $$g7 (2025), [12 pp.]$$tFrontiers in Sports and Active Living$$x2624-9367
000163113 8564_ $$s565245$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163113/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada
000163113 8564_ $$s2206933$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/163113/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada
000163113 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:163113$$particulos$$pdriver
000163113 951__ $$a2025-10-08-12:59:20
000163113 980__ $$aARTICLE