Using newly available data, we examine strategic time-wasting, a behavior that help teams win games, or tie games against superior opponents, but is contrary to the objective of game play as entertainment for the spectators.
It has a set of rules to ensure fair play, but the enforcement is incomplete, and hence can lead to strategic behavior. Professional soccer is a highly competitive team sport with economic rewards for winning given to teams and players.
Sports is a prime example of this, and one that lends itself well to investigation because strategic rule-breaking is often measurable.
Rules regulate behavior, but in competitive contexts they also create incentives for rule-breaking because enforcement is imperfect.
