|
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
|
The Many Dimensions of Competitive Balance
Allen R. Sanderson
The University of Chicago
Discussions of competitive imbalance use Major League Baseball as a focal point, and proposed remedies center on redistributions of revenues from well-heeled owners to financially strapped franchises. However, there are also many additional aspects in sports that do not involve allocations of economic resources directly but nevertheless affect outcomes and balance among competitors. All leagues and associations have to confront the fundamental issue of relative strengths between adversaries. To create some semblance of balance and ensure the integrity of play, they place constraints on the competitive process and respond to technological changes that threaten to disrupt the current environment, including the use of performance-enhancing inputs. Although we extol the virtues of natural athletes and level playing fields with regard to skill development, ensuring evenly matched contests, and comparing performances over time, there are arguably no consistent, objective standards we can employ. Imbalance is an inherent, intractable part of all competitions.
Journal of Sports Economics, Vol. 3, No. 2,
204-228 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/152700250200300206

CiteULike Complore Connotea Del.icio.us Digg Reddit Technorati Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. del Corral
Competitive Balance and Match Uncertainty in Grand-Slam Tennis: Effects of Seeding System, Gender, and Court Surface
Journal of Sports Economics,
December 1, 2009;
10(6):
563 - 581.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Young Hoon Lee
The Impact of Postseason Restructuring on the Competitive Balance and Fan Demand in Major League Baseball
Journal of Sports Economics,
June 1, 2009;
10(3):
219 - 235.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Fort
Comments on ``Measuring Parity''
Journal of Sports Economics,
December 1, 2007;
8(6):
642 - 651.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. R. Crooker and A. J. Fenn
Sports Leagues and Parity When League Parity Generates Fan Enthusiasm
Journal of Sports Economics,
May 1, 2007;
8(2):
139 - 164.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. R. Sanderson and J. J. Siegfried
Thinking about Competitive Balance
Journal of Sports Economics,
November 1, 2003;
4(4):
255 - 279.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|