Writers on this blog often consider competitive balance in sports leagues. Evaluating balance is a critical feature of the economic analysis of sport as it impacts uncertainty of outcome in any given league. Having balance is (generally) considered a good thing. How much balanced is desired is another question.
The current Serie B table is below. It’s rare that we see such balance. After eleven matches only 10 points are between the top and bottom team in a twenty-two club league. In contrast, Napoli, who lead Serie A, have amassed a 28 point lead on Benevento who are at the foot of the table and have lost all ten matches.
At present Serie B is almost a perfectly balanced league. Thanks to Robbie for quickly calculating the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) - All draws would report a HHI of 454.54. The HHI for Serie B so far is 469.56.
Is Serie B ‘too balanced’? There seems something odd about challenging for top spot and hovering above the relegation places at the same time. As we’re only a quarter of the way through the forty-two match season, no doubt, time will reduce this balance.