nep-spo 2005-02-06 papers

on Sports and Economics

Issue of 2005‒02‒06
one paper chosen by
Joao Carlos Correia Leitao
Universidade da Beira Interior, Portugal

A Fall Classic? Assessing the Economic Impact of the World Series By Victor Matheson; Robert Baade

A Fall Classic? Assessing the Economic Impact of the World Series

By:	Victor Matheson (Department of Economics, College of the Holy Cross); Robert Baade (Department of Economics and Business, Lake Forest College)
Abstract:	An empirical analysis of the economic impact of the Major League Baseball’s postseason on host-city economies from 1972-2001 suggests that any economic benefits from the playoff are small or non-existent. An examination of 129 playoff series finds that any increase ineconomic growth as a result of the post-season is not statistically significantly different than zero and that a best guess of the economic impact is $6.8 million per home game. As a general method of economic development, public support of a baseball team’s attempt to reach the World Series should be seen as a gamble at best.
Keywords:	baseball, impact analysis, World Series, sports, mega-event
JEL:	L83 R53
Date:	2005–02
URL:	http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hcx:wpaper:0501&r=spo

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