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Does One Simply Need to Score to Score?

Author

Listed:
  • David J. Berri

    () (California State University-Bakersfield)

  • Stacey L. Brook

    () (University of Sioux Falls)

  • Martin B. Schmidt

    () (College of William and Mary)

Abstract

Professional sports are characterized by an abundance of information on worker productivity and severe consequences for failure. Consequently, one would expect information to be processed efficiently in this industry. Recent research indicates, though, that decision makers in professional sports do not behave consistently with the dictates of instrumental rationality. This study of decision making in the National Basketball Association (NBA) begins with a literature review that indicates players can score a major payday by simply focusing on scoring. Beyond this review, we offer an empirical investigation of both the voting for the All-Rookie team and the determination of player salary that clearly indicates that the ability to accumulate points dominates player evaluation in the NBA. Given that such a focus is not consistent with winning games or maximizing profits, we argue that decision-makers in the NBA do not behave according to the dictates of instrumental rationality.

Suggested Citation

  • David J. Berri & Stacey L. Brook & Martin B. Schmidt, 2007. "Does One Simply Need to Score to Score?," International Journal of Sport Finance, Fitness Information Technology, vol. 2(4), pages 190-205, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:jsf:intjsf:v:2:y:2007:i:4:p:190-205
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. R Simmons & D J Berri, 2010. "Mixing the princes and the paupers: Pay and performance in the National Basketball Association," Working Papers 611523, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    2. repec:eee:spomar:v:21:y:2018:i:2:p:189-201 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. repec:bla:ecinqu:v:55:y:2017:i:3:p:1556-1578 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Simmons, Rob & Berri, David J., 2011. "Mixing the princes and the paupers: Pay and performance in the National Basketball Association," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 381-388, June.
    5. repec:lan:wpaper:3659 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Harald Oberhofer & Marian Schwinner, 2017. "Do Individual Salaries Depend On the Performance of the Peers? Prototype Heuristic and Wage Bargaining in the NBA," WIFO Working Papers 534, WIFO.
    7. repec:lan:wpaper:3944 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. repec:eee:jeborg:v:142:y:2017:i:c:p:105-119 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Leif Brandes & Marc Brechot & Egon Franck, 2011. "The Temptation of Social Ties: When Interpersonal Network Transactions Hurt Firm Performance," Working Papers 00159, University of Zurich, Institute for Strategy and Business Economics (ISU), revised 2012.
    10. repec:lan:wpaper:3551 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Kelly M. Hastings & Frank Stephenson, 2015. "The NBA’s Maximum Player Salary and the Distribution of Player Rents," International Journal of Financial Studies, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 3(2), pages 1-9, March.
    12. Yiannis Nikolaidis, 2015. "Building a basketball game strategy through statistical analysis of data," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 227(1), pages 137-159, April.
    13. Dennis Coates & Babatunde Oguntimein, 2010. "The Length and Success of NBA Careers: Does College Production Predict Professional Outcomes?," International Journal of Sport Finance, Fitness Information Technology, vol. 5(1), pages 4-26, February.
    14. Ichniowski, Casey & Preston, Anne, 2017. "Does March Madness lead to irrational exuberance in the NBA draft? High-value employee selection decisions and decision-making bias," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 105-119.
    15. repec:bla:ecinqu:v:55:y:2017:i:2:p:1091-1103 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. David Berri & Stacey Brook & Aju Fenn, 2011. "From college to the pros: predicting the NBA amateur player draft," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 25-35, February.
    17. David J. Berri & Brad R. Humphreys & Robert Simmons, 2013. "Valuing the blind side: pay and performance of offensive linemen in the National Football League," Chapters,in: The Econometrics of Sport, chapter 6, pages 99-114 Edward Elgar Publishing.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    instrumental rationality; National Basketball Association; productivity;

    JEL classification:

    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism

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