Document Type
Working Paper
Date of This Version
2-1-2005
Keywords
baseball, impact analysis, World Series, sports, mega-event
Abstract
An empirical analysis of the economic impact of the Major League Baseball’s postseason on host-city economies from 1972-2001 suggests that any economic benefits from the playoff are small or non-existent. An examination of 129 playoff series finds that any increase ineconomic growth as a result of the post-season is not statistically significantly different than zero and that a best guess of the economic impact is $6.8 million per home game. As a general method of economic development, public support of a baseball team’s attempt to reach the World Series should be seen as a gamble at best.
Working Paper Number
0501
Recommended Citation
Matheson, Victor and Baade, Robert, "A Fall Classic? Assessing the Economic Impact of the World Series" (2005). Economics Department Working Papers. Paper 92.
https://crossworks.holycross.edu/econ_working_papers/92