nep-spo New Economics Papers
on Sports and Economics
Issue of 2014‒12‒19
four papers chosen by
João Carlos Correia Leitão
Universidade da Beira Interior

  1. Building Blocks for a Disequilibrium Model of a European Team Sports League By Wladimir Andreff
  2. The behavioural economics of competitive balance: Implications for league policy and championship management By Budzinski, Oliver; Pawlowski, Tim
  3. Brasilien und die Fußball-WM 2014 By Pflüger, Wolfgang; Quitzau, Jörn; Vöpel, Henning
  4. Too Busy for School? The Effect of Athletic Participation on Absenteeism By Cuffe, Harold E.; Waddell, Glen R.; Bignell, Wesley

  1. By: Wladimir Andreff (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - CNRS : UMR8174 - Université Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne)
    Abstract: Starting from observed facts in European football, a disequilibrium model of a team sport league with win maximising teams under a soft budget constraint is elaborated on. Three markets are modelled: a market for players' talents, a market for fan attendance, and a market for televised sport (either free-to-air or pay-per-view).
    Keywords: sports economics, disequilibrium economics modelling, football, market for talent, market fan attendance, televised sport
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00971782&r=spo
  2. By: Budzinski, Oliver; Pawlowski, Tim
    Abstract: The theory of competitive balance represents one of the core concepts of sports economics. Based upon an international research project analyzing the perception of competitive balance by consumers (Pawlowski 2013a, 2013b; Pawlowski & Budzinski 2013, 2014), we argue in this paper that behavioural explanations of competitive balance may offer additional insights for selected sports economics and, in particular, sports policy problems, complementing the standard view on competitive balance. After summarizing the standard analysis of competitive balance in sports economics concerning theory, policy and empirical record in chapter 2, we report the main theoretical and empirical insights from our research project (chapter 3, closely drawing on the respective publications). In addition to providing a more comprehensive picture of the behavioural economics of competitive balance, we add a discussion of sports policy implications (chapter 4). While perceived competitive balance is found to matter, there are rather narrow conditions for sports policy interventions or restrictive regulations of competition by the league management (or sports associations). Furthermore, it is not the balance of the overall league that matters. Instead, it is sufficient or even advantageous if the most relevant subcompetitions, like the race for the championship or the fight against relegation, are 'balanced' among a narrow oligopoly of contenders.
    Keywords: sports economics,sports policy,sports management,competitive balance,behavioural economics,competitive balance defense
    JEL: D12 L83
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:tuiedp:89&r=spo
  3. By: Pflüger, Wolfgang; Quitzau, Jörn; Vöpel, Henning
    Abstract: Am 12. Juni beginnt mit dem Eröffnungsspiel in São Paulo die 20. FIFA Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft in Brasilien. Zwei Jahre später steht Brasilien erneut im Fokus der Weltöffentlichkeit, wenn Rio de Janeiro Gastgeber der XXXI. Olympischen Sommerspiele sein wird. Brasilien hat damit die Chance, sich der Welt als leistungsstarkes, sicheres und modernes Land zu präsentieren. Doch im Vorfeld der WM ist es in weiten Teilen der Bevölkerung zu massiven Protesten gegen die politische Führung des Landes gekommen. Obwohl kaum ein Land so sport- und insbesondere fußballbegeistert ist wie Brasilien, sehen viele Brasilianer in der WM ein Symbol für Korruption und Misswirtschaft. Wenige Wochen vor Beginn der WM sind einige Stadien immer noch nicht fertig gestellt, und es gibt massive Sicherheitsbedenken. Auch wirtschaftlich läuft im Gastgeberland momentan nicht alles rund. Angesichts der aktuell schwierigen Situation stehen Brasiliens Chancen auf den Gewinn des WM-Titels wohl deutlich besser, als sich schon bald wirtschaftlich unter den führenden Volkswirtschaften etablieren zu können.
    Abstract: The opening game of the 20th FIFA World Cup in Brazil will kick off in São Paulo on 12 June. Two years later, Brazil will again be under public scrutiny around the world when Rio de Janeiro hosts the XXXI Summer Olympics. These events are giving Brazil the chance to present itself to the world as a powerful, safe and modern country. But in the run-up to the World Cup, massive protests against the country's political leaders have erupted among large parts of the population. Even though few countries are as sport- and especially football-mad as Brazil, many Brazilians view the World Cup as a symbol of corruption and mismanagement. Some stadiums are still not finished a few weeks before the start of the World Cup, and massive security concerns prevail. Things are not going all that smoothly for the host country in economic terms either. Given the difficult situation at present, Brazil's chances of winning the World Cup are certainly much greater than of it being able to catch up with the world's leading economies any time soon.
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:hwwist:18&r=spo
  4. By: Cuffe, Harold E. (Victoria University of Wellington); Waddell, Glen R. (University of Oregon); Bignell, Wesley (University of Washington)
    Abstract: While existing research supports that participation in high-school athletics is associated with better education and labour-market outcomes, the mechanisms through which these benefits accrue are not well established. We use data from a large public-school district to retrieve an estimate of the causal effect of high-school athletic participation on absenteeism. We show that active competition decreases absences, with most of the effect driven by reductions in unexcused absences – truancy among active male athletes declines significantly, with the effects larger in earlier grades and for black and Hispanic boys. Strong game-day effects are also evident, in both boys and girls, as truancy declines on game days are offset with higher rates of absenteeism the following day. Addressing the effects on academic performance, we find significant heterogeneity in the response to active athletic participation by race, gender and family structure, with boys not in dual-parent households exhibiting small academic improvements in semesters in which they experienced greater athletic participation.
    Keywords: education, truancy, attendance, athletes, sport
    JEL: I21 L83
    Date: 2014–08
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8426&r=spo

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