Comments on: What Is Sports Economics?

By: JC

JC — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:41:44 +0000

I like using economics to analyze interesting questions, and there happen to be many interesting economics questions in sports games and the sports industry. I have no problem with freakonomics (the lower-case “f” is purposeful), and this type of analysis was prevalent in the economics literature long before Levitt and Dubner wrote their book. I don’t think its demise will occur anytime soon.

By: Rodney Fort

Rodney Fort — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:29:58 +0000

I agree with the general thrust of your post. But…

Please know that a cadre of sports economists are NOT draw by “Freakonomics” appeal.

I, for one, prefer to let Freakonomics die awell-deserved death.

Throwing the sports economics lot in with Freakonomics dooms it to cutesy Sumo wrestling observations when it actually is an industry as old and functioning as any born in the industrial revolution.

In addition to the rest of what it is, sports economics is an industry study, just like any other industry study, from the economic perspective. JEL Codes:
L8 – Industry Studies: Services.
L83 – Sports; Gambling; Recreation; Tourism.

We, as economists, can do better than relegate such an industry to Freakonomics status.

Just my two-bits.

By: JC

JC — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:04:59 +0000

Actually, I don’t have a problem with SLG. It is that their exist other metrics—separately or in combination—that are superior as controls in multiple regression analyses.

By: Rick C.

Rick C. — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:29:30 +0000

Great post JC. Just curious, what do you see as the major flaws in slugging percentage?