Efficiency of 20 Brazilian soccer clubs: a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach

Abstract

Brazilian football developed from the popularization of the sport in the country and became one of the global exponents of the sport, both on and off the field. In this sense, the "country of football" is responsible for being a reference figure not only in sports, as well as in the construction of the national identity, through influential players, historic clubs and a victorious national team. However, Brazil, a country recognized worldwide for having football as a sociocultural strength, is experiencing adversities related to the managerial scope of sports entities, a fact that directly influences both financial results and sports performance. Thus, it is noticeable that football has become a unique sector in the economy from the process of professionalization of the area, since even though clubs have business characteristics attributed to their management, they are also directly influenced by passionate issues intrinsic to the sport. , such as subjectivity in decisions, which can lead managers to investments that do not generate the expected return, as well as the consequent loss of potential capacity of Brazilian clubs to assume leadership in the world sports scenario. In this perspective, the relationship between field and finance was established in an inseparable way. With this, the metamorphosis of the managerial dynamics of the clubs is accompanied by the need for evolution in the administration of the entities, since Brazilian football is a key element in the movement of the national economy, both for its capacity to attract investments, and for the systematization of the spectator as an audience. consumer. Such financial factors are closely linked to sporting performance and vice versa, given that the virtuous cycle of sport is based on the quest to maximize competitiveness and positive impacts within the field, generating positive financial results from sporting success. Therefore, the analysis of the efficiency of the main Brazilian clubs, from the financial and sporting perspectives, is important, generating robust efficiency models both independently and related to each other. To achieve this objective, the Data Envelopment Analysis presents itself as an adequate tool for the quantitative measurement of indicators that make it possible to measure the efficiency of the set composed of 20 Brazilian clubs, analyzed in the period of 10 years, a time period of great financial, legislative effervescence and structural. Furthermore, the set of results obtained in these tests will be responsible for supporting the quantitative and qualitative discussion on the different financial and sporting conditions of clubs over the years.