Anasse Bari, New York University – Can a World Cup Run Drive Interest in a Nation?

The Academic Minute

On New York University Week: Does a nation stand to benefit as a whole when their national sports team succeeds on a global stage?

Anasse Bari, professor at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, digs into the data.

Prof. Anasse Bari is an award-winning professor of Computer Science at New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, where he leads a multidisciplinary data science research group conducting research on applied Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analytics.

Can a World Cup Run Drive Interest in a Nation?

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In 1984, Boston College’s quarterback Doug Flutie threw a Hail Mary pass for a 48-yard touchdown, securing a win over the Miami Hurricanes. This historic moment became a marketing tool for the college, illustrating the ‘Flutie Effect’—the theory that athletic success can boost college applications.

I’ve found evidence of this effect beyond athletics in focusing on the 2022 World Cup, when Morocco’s remarkable run spurred global interest in the nation.

To research this, I developed algorithms to measure sentiment in news articles about Morocco before and during the World Cup. I found that sentiment was near neutral before the World Cup, but positive sentiment grew by 150% during the tournament. While the increase in positive attention was expected given the team’s performance, did it have any impact beyond the field?

To explore this, I created “Morocco Indices” to measure interest in the country overall and its World Cup team. The indices analyzed social media posts about Morocco before, during, and after the World Cup.

I discovered online searches on non-sports topics related to Morocco increased by 400% during and after the World Cup. This included searches for the country’s cuisine, culture, and attractions, with queries like “best time to visit Morocco,” “Visa to Morocco,” and “couscous.”

Worldwide online sentiment toward Morocco went from neutral to a 150% increase in positive sentiment during the tournament. Moreover, searches linked to travel and cuisine also increased significantly. Morocco’s victory over Portugal saw a 4,527% jump in mentions. Terms like “Morocco Travel,” “Morocco Food,” and “Morocco Capital” trended on social media.

Morocco’s World Cup success did generate interest in the country beyond sports and may have influenced FIFA’s decision for Morocco to co-host the 2030 World Cup. The data showed that the team’s run paid dividends in unforeseen ways.

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