nep-spo New Economics Papers
on Sports and Economics
Issue of 2005‒04‒03
three papers chosen by
Joao Carlos Correia Leitao
Universidade da Beira Interior, Portugal

  1. Research Note: Athletic Graduation Rates and Simpson’s Paradox By Victor Matheson
  2. Striking Out? The Economic Impact of Major League Baseball Work Stoppages on Host Communities By Victor Matheson; Robert Baade
  3. Student Participation in Sporting Activities By Don J Webber; Andrew Mearman

  1. By: Victor Matheson (Department of Economics, College of the Holy Cross)
    Abstract: Graduation rates for male athletes overall as well as men’s football and basketball players lag behind those of male non-athletes at Division I colleges and universities. Scholarship athletes, however, are much more likely to be drawn from racial and ethnic groups with lower average graduation rates. After accounting for differences in racial composition, graduation rates for male athletes overall as well football players match or exceed those of their peers, and racial differences account for over one-quarter of the shortfall in men’s basketball graduation rates. This is a classic example of Simpson’s Paradox.
    Keywords: college sports, sports economics, graduation rates
    JEL: L83
    Date: 2005–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hcx:wpaper:0506&r=spo
  2. By: Victor Matheson (Department of Economics, College of the Holy Cross); Robert Baade (Department of Economics and Business, Lake Forest College)
    Abstract: Major League Baseball teams have used the lure of economic riches as an incentive for cities to construct new stadiums at considerable public expense. Estimates of the economic impact of a MLB on host communities have typically been in the vicinity of $300 million. Our analysis suggest these numbers are wildly inflated. Using the baseball strikes of 1981, 1994, and 1995 as test cases, we find the net economic impact for a MLB team on a host city of $16.2 million under one model and $132.3 million under a second modeLength: 34 pages
    Keywords: impact analysis, sports, baseball, strikes, sports economics
    JEL: L83 R53
    Date: 2005–04
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hcx:wpaper:0507&r=spo
  3. By: Don J Webber; Andrew Mearman (School of Economics, University of the West of England)
    Abstract: Given that many universities spend large sums of money supplying sports facilities for student use, comparatively little is known about the factors that influence the quantity of student sporting participation. This paper presents evidence which suggests that the quantity of student sports participation is adversely affected by greater hours of work and increased by greater sports literacy and the decision to augment social capital. Effective investment in sports facilities by Universities would meet students’ demands and not simply increase the range of sports facilities available to students.
    Keywords: Sport; Participation; Time; Social capital; Students
    JEL: L83 I12 J22
    Date: 2005–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uwe:wpaper:0501&r=spo

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