Political Economy and Tenure of Coaches in Brazilian Soccer

Abstract

In this paper we built a model of political economy to explain the tenure of coaches in Brazilian soccer. According to the model, a club’s board of directors maximizes its reputation by choosing the grade of the technical committee. Then, based on data from the Brazilian National Soccer League, we used coaching continuity as a proxy for the grade variable and duration analysis techniques to test the model’s propositions. According to the empirical analysis, and in line with the theoretical model, a coach’s performance is key to determining his continuity at a club. This model allows us to identify a parameter that gives, literally, the effect of the club’s performance upon the supporters’ perception about the board’s work. This parameter is an important determinant of the stability of a coach in charge of a soccer team.