Balance in competition in Dutch soccer

In this paper, we estimate an ordered probit model for soccer results in The Netherlands. The result of a game is assumed to be determined by home advantage and quality differences of the opposing teams. The parameters of the model are used to assess whether competitive balance in Dutch professional soccer has changed over time. Contrary to popular belief, we find that competitive balance has not changed much since the mid-seventies. Keywords: professional soccer, ordered probit model, competitive balance, home advantage.