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Are NBA Fans Becoming Indifferent to Race? Evidence From the 1990s

Author

Listed:
  • Richard C. K. Burdekin

    (Claremont McKenna College)

  • Richard T. Hossfeld

    (Duke University School of Law)

  • Janet Kiholm Smith

    (Claremont McKenna College)

Abstract

Previous work found the racial composition of NBA teams to be positively correlated with the racial composition of their metropolitan markets in the 1980s. We find continued evidence of this relationship during the 1990s, with accompanying revenue gains from the inclusion of White players on teams located in whiter areas. And, as the number of White players declined significantly throughout the decade, the revenue product of a White player actually increased on the margin. The tendency for top-performing White players in the NBA to locate in cities with larger White populations also is consistent with their higher marginal value in such locations.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard C. K. Burdekin & Richard T. Hossfeld & Janet Kiholm Smith, 2005. "Are NBA Fans Becoming Indifferent to Race? Evidence From the 1990s," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 6(2), pages 144-159, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:6:y:2005:i:2:p:144-159
    DOI: 10.1177/1527002503262641
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Wolfgang Maennig & Steffen Q. Mueller, 2021. "Consumer and employer discrimination in professional sports markets – New evidence from Major League Baseball," Working Papers 069, Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg.
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    3. David J. Berri & Rob Simmons, 2009. "Race and the Evaluation of Signal Callers in the National Football League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 10(1), pages 23-43, February.
    4. Lawrence M. Kahn, 2009. "The Economics of Discrimination: Evidence from Basketball," NCER Working Paper Series 40, National Centre for Econometric Research.
    5. Scott Tainsky & Monika Stodolska, 2010. "Population Migration and Team Loyalty in Professional Sports," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(3), pages 801-815, September.
    6. Scott Tainsky & Brian M. Mills & Jason A. Winfree, 2015. "Further Examination of Potential Discrimination Among MLB Umpires," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 16(4), pages 353-374, May.
    7. Pramod Kumar Sur & Masaru Sasaki, 2020. "Measuring Customer Discrimination: Evidence From the Professional Cricket League in India," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 21(4), pages 420-448, May.
    8. Liam J. A. Lenten, 2017. "Racial discrimination in umpire voting: an (arguably) unexpected result," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(37), pages 3751-3757, August.
    9. Cassey Lee, 2007. "A Cheap Ticket to the Dance: Systematic Bias in College Basketball's Ratings Percentage Index," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 4(34), pages 1-7.
    10. Thomas H. Bruggink & Daniel Williams, 2009. "Discrimination against Europeans in the National Hockey League: Are Players Getting Their Fair Pay?," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 54(2), pages 82-90, October.
    11. Rodney Paul & Andrew Weinbach & Justin Mattingly, 2018. "Tests of Racial Discrimination in a Simple Financial Market: Managers in Major League Baseball," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-10, March.
    12. Scott Tainsky & Jason A. Winfree, 2010. "Discrimination and Demand: The Effect of International Players on Attendance in Major League Baseball," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(1), pages 117-128, March.
    13. Mongeon, Kevin & Winfree, Jason, 2012. "Comparison of television and gate demand in the National Basketball Association," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 72-79.
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    18. John Goddard & John O. S. Wilson, 2009. "Racial discrimination in English professional football: evidence from an empirical analysis of players' career progression," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(2), pages 295-316, March.
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    20. Robert L. Moore & Hanna Song & James D. Whitney, 2021. "Do Students Discriminate? Exploring Differentials by Race and Sex in Class Enrollments and Student Ratings of Instructors," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 47(1), pages 135-162, January.
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