Success is Something to Sneeze at: Influenza Mortality in Regions that Send Teams to the Super Bowl

Charles Stoecker, Nicholas Sanders and Alan Barreca

No 1501, Working Papers from Tulane University, Department of Economics

Abstract: Using county-level Vital Statistics of the United States data from 1974-2009, we employ a differences-in-differences framework comparing influenza mortality rates in Super Bowl-participating counties to non-participants. Having a local team in the Super Bowl causes an 18% increase in influenza deaths for the population over age 65, with evidence suggesting one mechanism is increased local socialization. Effects are most pronounced in years when the dominant influenza strain is more virulent, or when the Super Bowl occurs closer to the peak of influenza season. Mitigating influenza transmission at gatherings related to large spectator events could have substantial returns for public health.

Keywords: influenza; externality; Super Bowl (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 L83 R53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-spo
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tul:wpaper:1501

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