You Lose, I Feel Better: Rivalry Between Soccer Teams and the Impact of Schadenfreude on Stock Market

Abstract

This study considers the game-related performance of two listed soccer clubs in Italy which share the same stadium: Roma and Lazio. We introduce the performance of the archrival in the analysis. The high level of rivalry in sports should lead to a feeling of pleasure at the suffering of another group (known in German as Schadenfreude) and we assume to see the satisfaction of investor fans with the defeat of the archrival. Likewise, the win of the archrival can have a negative impact on the mood of investors. This study shows that, when club supporters experience the negative performance of their team, the results of their archrival can affect their investment decisions. It is therefore proven that, at least in this respect, the investors (also widely represented by club supporters) are driven by the sentiments conveyed by rivalry which, considered to be a source of emotion, may be relevant to the market.