15 Sports Myths and Why They’re Wrong

Rodney Fort, Jason Winfree

• Publisher: Stanford Economics and Finance
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9780804774369
• eBook ISBN: 9780804790536
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business General
• Index: Business

In 15 Sports Myths and Why They're Wrong, authors Rodney Fort and Jason Winfree apply sharp economic analysis to bust some of the most widespread urban legends about college and professional athletics.

Each chapter takes apart a common misconception, showing how the assumptions behind it fail to add up. Fort and Winfree reveal how these myths perpetuate themselves and, ultimately, how they serve a handful of powerful parties—such as franchise owners, reporters, and players—at the expense of the larger community of sports fans. From the idea that team owners and managers are inept to the notion that revenue-generating college sports pay for athletics that don't attract fans (and their cash), 15 Sports Myths and Why They're Wrong strips down pervasive accounts of how our favorite games function, allowing us to look at them in a new, more informed way.

Fort and Winfree argue that substituting the intuitive appeal of emotionally charged myths with rigorous, informed explanations weakens the power of these tall tales and their tight hold on the sports we love. Readers will emerge with a clearer picture of the forces at work within the sports world and a better understanding of why these myths matter—and are worthy of a takedown.

INDEX

Academic departments, compared to athletic departments, 33, 34, 43

ACC, see Atlantic Coast Conference

Adams, John, 127

Adderall, 237–38

ADs, see Athletic directors

Agents, see Principal-agent relationships

Aikman, Troy, 188–89

Alabama, University of, 9, 16, 82, 114

Allen, Paul, 176, 223–24

Alumni giving, 32, 33, 35, 36

Alzado, Lyle, 227

Amato, L. Ted, 36

American League, see Major League Baseball

Antitrust laws, 23, 105, 186

Arkansas State University, 54–55

Arms race myth: consequences, 22–23, 25, 40; evidence, 25–26; motives, 22, 39; proposed solutions, 23; references to, 24–25; refuting, 23, 26–29, 34–35, 39; use of, 24

Army, 62, 63, 64, 78, 116

Asymmetric information, 245–46, 252

Athletes: as examples for children, 227–28; injuries, 148; self-interest, 272; stars, 82, 136–37, 138, 213, 216–17; trades, 150, 151. See also Drafts; Pay-for-play; Player salaries; Recruitment; Student aid payments

Athletic department expenses: data on, 8, 12–15; effects of recessions, 102–4; facilities, 13, 81, 83–84, 94; growth, 23, 36–37; salaries, 13, 82, 83–84, 94, 103, 104; women’s sports, 100. See also Pay-for-play; Student aid payments

Athletic department revenues: allocation by athletic directors, 8, 10, 17, 19, 34, 38, 84, 94; data on, 8, 12–15; generated, 8, 44–45, 47; growth, 27–28, 36–37, 101; nonallocated, 8, 17, 18; players’ roles in generating, 81–82, 83, 85–86, 94, 104; sources, 14, 17, 21, 23, 32, 38; from women’s sports, 100. See also Athletic departments, institutional support; Revenue sports

Athletic departments: arms race myth, 22–23, 24–29, 34–35, 39, 40; budgets, 34, 36–38, 101, 102–4; compared to academic departments, 33, 34, 43; Division I colleges (without football), 45, 46 (table), 47–48; Division II and Division III colleges, 42–43; entertainment services, 33; operating deficits, 41, 42, 45, 47–48; organizational structure, 30; teaching missions, 33

Athletic departments, institutional support: in Division II and Division III, 42–43; importance, 23; levels, 43, 47, 51–53, 55...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Copyright
• Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Contents
• Introduction
• College Myths
• Pro Myths
• Conclusions
• References and Further Reading
• Index