Archive for the ‘Sports economics’ Category
Link: https://wordsandnumbers.libsyn.com/episode-264-should-cities-invest-in-sports-stadiums
James Harrigan and Antony Davies, hosts of the Words & Numbers podcast, discuss various topics from US sanctions on Russia. Lauren Heller, Associate Professor of Economics at the Campbell School of Business, then joins them to consider the public funding of sports arenas and the economics behind it. Lauren discusses false profit projections and how the actual payoff for say, the Super Bowl is really only about 10% of those hopeful projected profits. Politicians, fans, and the continued belief in false projections all play a part in the pushing for new stadiums, but in reality they don’t provide the huge economic benefits that cities are promised.
Original Air Date: March 2, 2022
Length: 34 minutes 6 seconds
Link: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/sports-gambling/
About 60 million people across the US and Canada play fantasy sports. Fantasy revenues in the US alone are around $8 billion a year. With sports betting illegal in some states, the fantasy sports company FanDual asked M.I.T professor Peko Hosoi and her team to determine if the contests were based on skill or luck. With this unregulated industry growing, there are concerns about the effects it will have on society, real-life sports, and the younger generations.
Original Air Date: September 4, 2019
Length: 55 minutes 23 seconds
Link: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/04/27/475929464/episode-417-lance-armstrong-and-the-business-of-doping
Summary: Back in the 2000’s, Lance Armstrong and the US Postal Service Cycling team were going all out to win the Tour de France. After the doping scandal was uncovered, the business behind the team was discovered. Planet Money discusses how professional cycling was dominated by doping, and how it was set up like a business.
Original Air Date: April 27, 2016
Length: 18 minutes 25 seconds
Link: http://freakonomics.com/podcast/leicester-city/
Summary: What if the odds of finding Elvis Presley alive were 5000 to 1? You could have had those same odds if you bet on Leicester City to win the most watched soccer league. Freakonomics discusses the near-impossible story of how this little club pulled off the biggest upset in an environment that rewards those who spend.
Original Air Date: May 25, 2016
Length: 45 minutes 15 seconds
Discussion Question: What behavior is being encouraged by the structure of the English league? Compare it with an American league. How is competition affected?
Link: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/05/06/477082513/episode-700-peanuts-and-cracker-jack
Summary: Planet Money attends a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park to learn the economics behind the vendors. They discuss why a vendor doesn’t want to sell ice cold water on a cold October night up in the bleachers.
Original Air Date: May 6, 2016
Length: 21 minutes 31 seconds
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/02/03/146363292/the-friday-podcast-is-hosting-the-super-bowl-worth-it
Categories: Economic impact analysis, Government, sports economics, urban economics
Summary: A consideration of the costs and benefits to the city of Indianapolis for building a stadium to attract the Super Bowl.
Original Air Date: February 3, 2012
Length 19:15
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