Scheduling round-robin tournaments based on game and tournament attractiveness

One of the key drivers for the attractiveness of a football match or tournament is the level of competitiveness, as spectator interest increases when the outcome is unpredictable. In this study, we introduce a new metric, competitive difference, to quantify this attractiveness and propose a new scheduling model for round-robin tournaments aimed at increasing match-level unpredictability and enhancing seasonal uncertainty. We first identify best-case and worst-case scenarios, indicating the theoretical impact of match results on model performance. Then, using simulated result matrices and data from the five major European leagues, known as the "Big Five", we examine the effects of the generated schedules and demonstrate how they can be applied in practice.