| By: |
Dewenter, Ralf (Helmut Schmidt University, Hamburg);
Giessing, Leonie (DICE, University of Düsseldorf) |
| Abstract: |
This paper analyses the income effect of the participation in elite sports. To
quantify the average difference in the monthly net income of former elite
athletes and non-athletes we estimate sample average treatment effect scores
(SATT) by using covariate nearest-neighbour matching (CVM). While our
treatment group consists of formerly funded top-level athletes, the control
group of non-athletes is drawn from the SOEP database. Matching takes place by
socio-demographic variables as well as measures of personal qualities and
attitudes. On average, former athletes receive higher incomes than similar
non-athletes. The income premium for former team sports and male athletes is
even higher. Comparing the income of former female athletes with male
non-athletes, we find that the participation in elite sports closes the
gender-wage gap. Our results are robust to variations in the specification and
statistically as well economically significant. |
| Keywords: |
funding of elite sports; nearest-neighbour matching; job success; gender-wage gap |
| JEL: |
C49 J30 L83 |
| Date: |
2014–10–16 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:vhsuwp:2014_152&r=spo |