Performance of Iranian Pro-league Soccer Teams (Comparing Results and Potential)

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the performance of Iranian pro-league soccer teams, comparing the sports results that they actually obtain with those, that should have obtained on the basis of their potential, and to propose a future course of action. In order to assess the potential of each team in the Iranian professional soccer league in 2009-2010-season an out put- oriented version of Data envelopment Analysis is used. In this way, it is possible to calculate the number of points a team could have achieved with an efficient use of its actual resources and consequently, its potential position in the league classification.Results revealed that between 18 team, only the table actual and potential of two teams(Sepahan, Estil azin) is coincide. However the league champi (Sepahan) is the team with the highest efficiency and potential. Moreover, there are the teams that potentially could have achieved a better final position instead actual position such as Perspolis (1 instead 4), Fulad khozestan (3 instead 10), Esteghlal ahvaz (10 instead 18) and Abomoslem (15 instead 17), but due to inefficient use of their resources could not achieved proper result that lead two last teams to the relegation to lower division. first, in order to judge a teams performance throughout a season, we would recommend taking into account not just the actual final position achieved (top or bottom teams), but also the position that the team potentially should have achieved. Second, it seems that a teams final league position depends more its efficient use of resources than on it potential, since team that should have been relegated according to their resource instead remained in the first division, and vice versa.The results of this research have demonstrated importance of an efficient use of resources to obtain great sports results. So, one possible future line of research would involve providing mechanism allowing teams to improve their efficiency.