Rodney Fort's Sports Economics
Project List

Attendance and Ticket Prices

Demand, the relationship between prices and quantities purchased, is fundamental to all understanding of team revenues.  Here's your chance to explore some aspects of demand.  Click here to get started.

Revenue Variation

Revenue variation is one of the primary determinants of the on-field performance differences among teams in a given league.  Here's a chance to explore the size of this variation.  Click here to get started.

Revenues, Payrolls and Winning

One of the most important debates in pro sports concerns the relationship between revenues, payrolls and winning.  Since data exist on all of these factors, you can examine this relationship for yourself.  Click here to get started.

Competitive Balance in Pro Sports in the 1990s

A common belief is that competitive balance has worsened in the 1990s in pro sports.  But you've been taught how to measure balance so you can examine it for yourself.  Click here to get started.

Salary Caps and Competitive Balance

In theory, salary caps can enhance competitive balance.  But we also discussed in class two reasons why they may not accomplish that goal.  Analyze the impact of salary caps on competitive balance in the NBA and NFL and draw some conclusions.  Click here to get started.

Rottenberg's Invariance Principle and The Draft

It is a common perception, and an argument used by pro owners, that the reverse-order-of-finish draft enhances competitive balance.  But Rottenberg's invariance principle suggests otherwise.  Check for yourself which argument carries the most weight.  Click here to get started.

Local Revenue Sharing and  Competitive Balance

Your textbook shows the conditions that lead to increased competitive balance with an increase in local revenue sharing.  Data exist on competitive balance and local revenue sharing so you can examine this for yourself.   Click here to get started.

Ticket Prices and Player Salaries

A common belief is that increases in player salaries lead to higher ticket prices.  Have some fun blowing holes in this obvious myth.  Click here to get started.

Rottenberg's Invariance Principle and Free Agency

Historically, team owners have always balked at free agency for players.  One of their arguments has been that free agency will harm competitive balance; all the rich teams will just buy up all the best players.  But Rottenberg's invariance principle suggests otherwise.  Check for yourself which argument carries the most weight.  Click here to get started.

Stadium Subsidies and Team Success

Typically, the argument is made that a new stadium (a hefty subsidy) is needed in order to keep teams competitive on the field.  But do these subsidies lead to on-field success?  Higher revenues?  You can check this out for yourself.  Click here to get started.

Oakland Simworld--Run Your Own Franchise for Fun and Profit

The folks at Sports Business Simulations have created a really fun sports team ownership simulation.  Choose many of the parameters and strategies involved in ownership and see how your team does.  The project includes self-assessment questions related back to the material covered in the text.  Click here to get started.

Pending Projects Coming Soon

I'm preparing each of the following projects, slowly but surely.  If you have any other ideas, let me know.

  • Analysis of Free Agent Bargains and Busts.
  • Analysis of Rookie Bargains and Busts.
  • In-depth Analysis of Bargaining Outcomes.
  • Rational Work Stoppages.
  • College Sports Make Millions for Their Universities.
  • Winning And Financial Success in College Sports.
  • The Relationship between Spending and Winning in College Sports.
  • The Source of Gender Equity Funding.