This course applies the tools of economic analysis to the world of sports with a
primary focus on professional sports. Topics considered will include short-term
and long-term team decision-making, the industrial structure of sports leagues,
competitive balance, construction of stadiums and arenas, and pay and
performance of players. These topics will allow for connections to theories in
industrial organization, regional economics, and labor economics. There will also
be emphasis on the wide variety of statistics available in professional sports and
the ways that statistics can be used to gain insight into individual or team
performance.