nep-spo New Economics Papers
on Sports and Economics
Issue of 2021‒07‒19
four papers chosen by
Humberto Barreto
DePauw University
  1. Genetic Diversity and Performance: Evidence From Football Data By Michel Beine; Silvia Peracchi; Skerdilajda Zanaj
  2. US Gambling Stagnation: Will New Gambling Forms Make a Difference? By Lambert, Thomas
  3. Fixing match-fixing: Optimal schedules to promote competitiveness By Mario Chater; Luc Arrondel; Jean-Pascal Gayant; Jean-François Laslier
  4. Sportmanagement Reflexionen: Kommerzialisierung im Profifußball - mit oder ohne Fans By Gutzeit, Dirk
  1. By: Michel Beine (Department of Economics and Management, Université du Luxembourg); Silvia Peracchi (Department of Economics and Management, Université du Luxembourg); Skerdilajda Zanaj (Department of Economics and Management, Université du Luxembourg)
    Abstract: The theoretical impact of genetic diversity is ambiguous since it leads to costs and benefits at the collective level. In this paper, we assess empirically the connection between genetic diversity and the performance of sport teams. Focusing on football (soccer), we built a novel dataset of national teams of European countries that have participated in the European and the World Championships since 1970. Determining the genetic diversity of national teams is based on the distance between the genetic scores of every players’ origins in the team. Genetic endowments for each player are recovered using a matching algorithm based on family names. Performance is measured at both the unilateral and bilateral level. Identification of the causal link relies on an instrumental variable strategy that is based on past immigration at the country level about one generation before. Our findings indicate a positive causal link between genetic diversity and teams’ performance. We find a substantial effect, a one- standard increase in diversity leading to ranking changes of two to three positions after each stage of a championship.
    Keywords: Genetic diversity, Football, Sports team, Performance, Family names, Migration.
    JEL: F22 F66 O15 O47 Z22
    Date: 2021
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:luc:wpaper:21-11&r=
  2. By: Lambert, Thomas
    Abstract: Much has been written recently in the popular press about the rise of sports gambling, historical horse racing or instant racing (HHR), and esports. However, despite this, some note an overall decline in the popularity of gambling and gaming in general as horse racing (pari-mutuel) wagering has declined dramatically over the decades and as casino and lottery revenues have fallen slightly since before the Great Recession. This exploratory research note examines the trends in US gambling over the last several decades and explores whether the new forms of gambling will stem and reverse overall gambling stagnation in the United States. Despite reports of new gambling outlet successes, it appears that sports gambling, HHR, and esports have not done much to stop the overall fall in gambling revenues. This is probably due to stagnant disposable personal income growth.
    Keywords: betting, casinos, esports, gambling, horse racing, lotteries, parimutuel wagering, sports gambling
    JEL: Z19
    Date: 2021–06–30
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:108549&r=
  3. By: Mario Chater (PSE - Paris School of Economics - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Luc Arrondel (PSE - Paris School of Economics - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement); Jean-Pascal Gayant (GAINS - Groupe d'Analyse des Itinéraires et des Niveaux Salariaux - UM - Le Mans Université, CREM - Centre de recherche en économie et management - UNICAEN - Université de Caen Normandie - NU - Normandie Université - UR1 - Université de Rennes 1 - UNIV-RENNES - Université de Rennes - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique); Jean-François Laslier (PSE - Paris School of Economics - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS Paris - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris sciences et lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)
    Abstract: In the last round of the FIFA World Cup group stage, games for which the outcome does not affect the selection of the qualified teams are played with little enthusiasm. Furthermore, a team that has already qualified may take into account other factors, such as the opponents it will face in the next stage of the competition so that, depending on the results in the other groups and the scheduling of the next stage, winning the game may not be in its best interest. Even more critically, there may be situations in which a simple draw will qualify both teams for the next stage of the competition. Any situation in which the two opposing teams do not play competitively is detrimental to the sport, and, above all, can lead to collusion and match-fixing opportunities. We here develop a relatively general method of evaluating competitiveness and apply it to the current format of the World Cup group stage. We then propose changes to the current format in order to increase the stakes in the last round of games of the group stage, making games more exciting to watch and, at the same time, reducing any collusion opportunities. We appeal to the same method to evaluate a "groups of 3" format which will be introduced in the 2026 World Cup edition as well as a format similar to the one of the current Euro UEFA Cup.
    Keywords: Operations research in sports,Tournament structure,FIFA World Cup,Modeling match outcomes,Monte Carlo simulations
    Date: 2021–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-03229942&r=
  4. By: Gutzeit, Dirk
    Keywords: Sportmanagement,Fußball,Profifußball,Fans,Zuschauer,Kommerzialisierung,Pandemie,Bundesliga
    JEL: Z2 Z20 Z29
    Date: 2021
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:iubhbm:42021&r=
This nep-spo issue is ©2021 by Humberto Barreto. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
General information on the NEP project can be found at http://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.
This page is being maintained by Thomas Krichel. It was last updated on 2023‒07‒08 at 11:29.