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Career Duration a Competitive Environment: The Labor Market for Soccer Players in Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Bernd Frick

    (University of Paderborn)

  • Gunnar Pietzner

    (WItten-Herdecke University)

  • Joachim Prinz

    (University of Paderborn)

Abstract

Using detailed information on every single player who appeared in at least one match in the history of the first division in German soccer between 1963/64 and 2002/03 we study the determinants of individual career duration. Although team characteristics and changes in the institutional environment have a statistically significant impact, it is the players’ individual performance that counts: Player age, number of matches played, goals scored as well as player position have a significant impact on the individual’s probability of being terminated.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernd Frick & Gunnar Pietzner & Joachim Prinz, 2007. "Career Duration a Competitive Environment: The Labor Market for Soccer Players in Germany," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 33(3), pages 429-442, Summer.
    • Handle: RePEc:eej:eeconj:v:33:y:2007:i:3:p:429-442
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    File URL: http://web.holycross.edu/RePEc/eej/Archive/Volume33/V33N3P429_442.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Bernd Frick & Friedrich Scheel, 2016. "Fly Like an Eagle," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 17(8), pages 813-831, December.
    3. Kelly E. Carter, 2018. "The Effect of Labor-Management Complementarities on Production and Efficiency When Management Is Paid but Labor Is Not Paid," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 44(4), pages 535-557, September.
    4. Demazière, Didier & Jouvenet, Morgan, 2013. "The market work of football agents and the manifold valorizations of professional football players," economic sociology. perspectives and conversations, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, vol. 15(1), pages 29-40.
    5. Hannah Geyer, 2010. "Quit Behavior of Professional Tennis Players," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 11(1), pages 89-99, February.
    6. Egon Franck & Stephan Nüesch & Jan Pieper, 2011. "Specific Human Capital as a Source of Superior Team Performance," Schmalenbach Business Review (sbr), LMU Munich School of Management, vol. 63(4), pages 376-392, October.
    7. Mihailo Radoman, 2017. "Labor Market Implications of Institutional Changes in European Football," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 18(7), pages 651-672, October.
    8. Boyden Nathaniel B & Carey James R, 2010. "From One-and-Done to Seasoned Veterans: A Demographic Analysis of Individual Career Length in Major League Soccer," Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports, De Gruyter, vol. 6(4), pages 1-17, October.
    9. Roberto Antonietti, 2008. "Il ruolo economico dell’arbitro di calcio: una rassegna della letteratura e alcune questioni aperte," Rivista di Diritto ed Economia dello Sport, Centro di diritto e business dello Sport, vol. 4(3), pages 75-103, Dicembre.
    10. W. David Allen, 2021. "Work Environment and Worker Performance: A View from the Goal Crease," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 418-448, December.
    11. Barry Reilly, 2014. "Labour market discrimination," Chapters, in: John Goddard & Peter Sloane (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Professional Football, chapter 15, pages 238-258, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Müller, Michael, 2015. "Leiharbeit im Profifußball: Sind Leihspieler stärker motiviert?," Discussion Papers of the Institute for Organisational Economics 6/2015, University of Münster, Institute for Organisational Economics.
    13. Peter A. Groothuis & James Richard Hill, 2018. "Career Duration in the NBA," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 19(6), pages 873-883, August.
    14. Helmut Dietl & Egon Franck & Markus Lang, 2008. "Why football players may benefit from the ‘shadow of the transfer system’," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 129-151, October.
    15. Ryan Rodenberg & Daniel Stone, 2011. "The Short and Long-Run Labor Market Effects of Age Eligibility Rules: Evidence from Women’s Professional Tennis," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 181-198, June.
    16. Thieme, Lutz & Falk, Rüdiger, 2021. "Zur Entwicklung von Vergütungssystemen in deutschen Großsportvereinen," Working Papers of the European Institute for Socioeconomics 35, European Institute for Socioeconomics (EIS), Saarbrücken.
    17. Steven Salaga & Brian M. Mills & Scott Tainsky, 2020. "Employer-Assigned Workload and Human Capital Deterioration: Evidence From the National Football League," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 21(6), pages 628-659, August.
    18. Helmut Dietl & Rodney Fort & Markus Lang, 2011. "International Sports League Comparisons," Working Papers 0042, University of Zurich, Center for Research in Sports Administration (CRSA).
    19. Frick, Bernd, 2012. "Die Entlohnung von Fußball-Profis: Ist die vielfach kritisierte 'Gehaltsexplosion' ökonomisch erklärbar?," Edition HWWI: Chapters, in: Büch, Martin-Peter & Maennig, Wolfgang & Schulke, Hans-Jürgen (ed.), Sport und Sportgroßveranstaltungen in Europa - zwischen Zentralstaat und Regionen, volume 4, pages 79-110, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
    20. Bastien Drut & Richard Duhautois, 2014. "L'effet d'âge relatif. Une expérience naturelle sur des footballeurs," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 65(3), pages 657-668.
    21. Harald Oberhofer & Tassilo Philippovich & Hannes Winner, 2015. "Firm Survival in Professional Sports," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 16(1), pages 59-85, January.
    22. Müller, Michael, 2016. "The strongest link in a weak team? Performance of players with and without outside options in relegated football clubs," Discussion Papers of the Institute for Organisational Economics 07/2016, University of Münster, Institute for Organisational Economics.

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