Which statement accurately describes promotion and relegation in European leagues?

• A. It guarantees financial parity across clubs.
• B. It eliminates promotion to reduce risk.
• C. It increases fan interest by incentivizing mediocre teams to perform better.
• D. It ensures top teams receive no additional revenue.

Answer: (C)

Promotion and relegation create ongoing stakes for teams across the league. The chance to move up to a higher division or drop to a lower one means even mid- or lower-table clubs have a concrete objective each season. That keeps more fans engaged because matches stay meaningful later in the year—teams at various parts of the table are playing not just for glory, but for promotion or to avoid relegation. This dynamic makes the competition feel more exciting and urgent, which is why the statement about increasing fan interest by incentivizing mediocre teams to perform better is the best description.

The other ideas don’t fit because promotion and relegation don’t guarantee financial parity across clubs; wealth and revenues remain uneven due to factors like TV deals and market size. It also doesn’t eliminate promotion—promotion and relegation are the mechanism that introduces movement between divisions. And top teams can and often do receive additional revenue from being in the top division, so it isn’t true that they receive no extra revenue.