Does One Simply Need to Score to Score?

David Berri, Stacey Brook () and Martin Schmidt
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Stacey Brook: University of Sioux Falls

International Journal of Sport Finance, 2007, vol. 2, issue 4, 190-205

Abstract: Professional sports are characterized by an abundance of information on worker productivity and severe consequences for failure. Consequently, one would expect information to be processed efficiently in this industry. Recent research indicates, though, that decision makers in professional sports do not behave consistently with the dictates of instrumental rationality. This study of decision making in the National Basketball Association (NBA) begins with a literature review that indicates players can score a major payday by simply focusing on scoring. Beyond this review, we offer an empirical investigation of both the voting for the All-Rookie team and the determination of player salary that clearly indicates that the ability to accumulate points dominates player evaluation in the NBA. Given that such a focus is not consistent with winning games or maximizing profits, we argue that decision-makers in the NBA do not behave according to the dictates of instrumental rationality.

Keywords: instrumental rationality; National Basketball Association; productivity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
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International Journal of Sport Finance is currently edited by Arne Feddersen, Babatunde Buraimo, Joachim Prinz and Jane Ruseski

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