nep-spo New Economics Papers
on Sports and Economics
Issue of 2010‒08‒28
seven papers chosen by
Joao Carlos Correia Leitao
University of Beira Interior and Technical University of Lisbon

  1. Heterogeneous Contestants and Effort Provision in Tournaments - an Empirical Investigation with Professional Sports Data By Johannes Berger; Petra Nieken
  2. The 2010 World Cup High-Frequency Data Economics: Effects on International Awareness and (Self-Defeating) Tourism By Stan Du Plessis; Wolfgang Maennig
  3. Productivity under Large Pay Increases: Evidence from Professional Baseball By Papps, Kerry L.
  4. When is the Honeymoon Over for Baseball’s New Stadiums? By Paul M. Sommers; Mark B. Whelan
  5. Is There A Road-ice Advantage In NHL Shootouts? By Paul M. Sommers; Alexandra A. Fox; Tucker P. Donahoe; John M. Yanchek
  6. Babe: The Sultan of Pitching Stats By Paul M. Sommers; Matthew H. LoRusso
  7. Are First-round NFL Draft Picks Better Than Second-round Picks? By Paul M. Sommers; Alyssa A. Chong

  1. By: Johannes Berger (University of Cologne); Petra Nieken (University of Bonn)
    Abstract: We empirically investigate if tournaments between heterogeneous contestants are less intense. To test our hypotheses we use professional sports data from the TOYOTA Handball-Bundesliga, the major handball league in Germany. Using either differences in betting odds or rankings to measure ability differences, our results support standard tournament theory as we find a highly significant negative impact of the matchup's heterogeneity on joint teame efforts. However, further analysis shows that this overall decrease in efforts is almost entirely driven by the reaction of the ex-ante favorite team.
    Keywords: tournament, heterogeneity, incentives, sportseconomics
    JEL: J24 J33 J41 M52
    Date: 2010–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:trf:wpaper:325&r=spo
  2. By: Stan Du Plessis (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of Stellenbosch); Wolfgang Maennig (Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg)
    Abstract: Without a doubt, the 2010 World Cup of soccer in South Africa was a great experience for both soccer fans, who enjoyed a safe and efficiently-run tournament, and their South African hosts. The sporting and social spectacle was broadcast around the world and focused unprecedented media attention on South Africa. Despite the manifest success of the tournament, its short-term effects on international tourism, which are the nucleus of all other short-term positive effects on economic variables such as employment, income and taxes, have turned out to be of a much smaller magnitude than expected or even as reported during the tournament. This may be attributable to self-defeating prophecy effects. This study is a warning against the abuse of economic impact studies, especially those pertaining to major sporting events. It is also a call to use the “correct” arguments of measurable awareness effects and potential long-term development effects in discussing major sporting events. Methodologically, this study is innovative in its economic analysis of major sporting events because it (i) uses data from social networks and (ii) uses high-frequency daily data on tourism.
    Keywords: FIFA World Cup, Mega sporting events, Sport economics, Tourism, South Africa 2010, Self-defeating prophecies, Awareness, Google, Facebook, Social networks
    JEL: L83 R53 R58
    Date: 2010–08–15
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hce:wpaper:037&r=spo
  3. By: Papps, Kerry L. (University of Oxford)
    Abstract: The establishment of the free agency system in the 1970s resulted in large salary increases among professional baseball players. Historical data show that players have tended to perform better at early stages of their careers since free agency was introduced. Under the current salary bargaining system, players only become eligible for salary arbitration and free agency at predetermined points in their careers, resulting in sudden changes in salary growth rates at these points. Using data on official days of major league service, it is found that players with high expected salary growth perform better, consistent with efficiency wage theory.
    Keywords: efficiency wages, productivity, baseball
    JEL: J24 J31
    Date: 2010–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp5133&r=spo
  4. By: Paul M. Sommers; Mark B. Whelan
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mdl:mdlpap:1032&r=spo
  5. By: Paul M. Sommers; Alexandra A. Fox; Tucker P. Donahoe; John M. Yanchek
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mdl:mdlpap:1029&r=spo
  6. By: Paul M. Sommers; Matthew H. LoRusso
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mdl:mdlpap:1030&r=spo
  7. By: Paul M. Sommers; Alyssa A. Chong
    Date: 2010
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mdl:mdlpap:1031&r=spo

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