Peer Effects in Team Sports: Empirical Evidence from NCAA Relay Teams

Craig A. Depken and Lisa Haglund ()
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Lisa Haglund: Department of Economics, University of Texas at Arlington

No 729, Working Papers from International Association of Sports Economists

Abstract: This paper investigates whether disparity in team member quality impacts team production using NCAA 4x400m relay teams. The net peer effects are estimated to have both an absolute and relative negative effect on the team performance. Because NCAA relay teams are comprised of unpaid amateurs, we utilize a direct measure of team-member quality rather than indirect measures such as wages. The evidence suggests that a greater disparity in team member quality reduces team performance, that is, it increases a relay team’s running time. This suggests that net negative peer effects exist and support the “team cohesiveness hypothesis” for NCAA relay teams.

Keywords: teamwork; shirking; track and field; sports (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J31 L20 L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-lab and nep-spo
Date: 2007-10
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spe:wpaper:0729

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