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Baseball Strikes and the Demand for Attendance

Author

Listed:
  • Dennis Coates

    (University of Maryland)

  • Thane Harrison

    (University of Maryland)

Abstract

Determinants of attendance at major league baseball games has been a question of some interest as a result of the recent labor unrest in the sport. This article estimates the demand for attendance using a panel data set covering the years 1969 through 1996 and all the teams based in the United States. The analysis finds that even lockouts and strikes that do not result in lost games have significant effects on average attendance, unlike results in the literature. In addition, the results of the major strikes are found to be much smaller than some of those reported in the literature. Finally, using instrumental variables techniques to account for measurement error and endogeneity in the price variable, attendance demand was found to be price inelastic, regardless of how the basic ticket price variable was computed.

Suggested Citation

  • Dennis Coates & Thane Harrison, 2005. "Baseball Strikes and the Demand for Attendance," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 6(3), pages 282-302, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:6:y:2005:i:3:p:282-302
    DOI: 10.1177/1527002504265993
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bruce R. Domazlicky & Peter M. Kerr, 1990. "Baseball Attendance and the Designated Hitter," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 34(1), pages 62-68, March.
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    3. Martin B. Schmidt & David J. Berri, 2004. "The Impact of Labor Strikes on Consumer Demand: An Application to Professional Sports," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(1), pages 344-357, March.
    4. Glenn Knowles & Keith Sherony & Mike Haupert, 1992. "The Demand for Major League Baseball: A Test of the Uncertainty of Outcome Hypothesis," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 36(2), pages 72-80, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    baseball attendance; strikes; demand;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis

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