Winning and it’s Impact on Attendance in the National
Football League
William Bryant
INTRODUCTION
Fans enjoy going to sporting events
Pay good money to see their favorite sports teams throughout the year
Cheer for the athlete(s) who help their favorite teams win on a regular basis
NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB; each team in each sport begins the season looking to win the championship title
Those teams with winning records usually have more people coming to their games (or do they?)
Competitive balance in professional sports is the goal to success for each league Salary cap in NFL (parity) No Salary Cap in other sports
Does competitive balance help increase attendance at sporting events? (MTSU/Big Boi)
If not winning and staying competitive, do teams have a chance to attract sellouts during home games
NFL TEAMS/DATA
1. Tennessee Titans
2. Cincinnati Bengals
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Oakland Raiders
5. Arizona Cardinals
Information gathered from each team’s media guide from 1988-2003
NFL TEAMS/DATA
Home games from 1988-2003
Opposing teams for each game
Number of fans in attendance
Price of tickets per season
Dates of each game (Aug-Jan)
Results from each game (Win-Loss)
GRANGER CAUSALITY
Does winning (Y) have an impact on attendance (C)? In other words, does Y cause C?
No brainer because losing teams don’t attract large crowds (my belief before running the regression)
Results showed each team with a P value less than 1.
Green Bay Packers
Statistical figures shows that team sold out games during losing seasons, which clealy contradicts null. Why?
Lambeau Field/1960
Only sports team in city
Rich tradition (championships/Brett Favre)
Tennessee TitansColiseum/Since moving to Nashville
Fans enjoyed first season in 1999 (Music City Miracle/Super Bowl)
Examination of losing year (2001) saw consecutive sellout streak continue in each of the next three years
Subjective perception
Objective perception
Weakness in Research
Five teams are not geographically close
Three of the five teams relocated during the 16-year period
Recommendations
EEOC’s Guidelines2) Reasonable accommodation
-Criteria for judging accommodation will be the alternatives considered or presented
a) manifest requests – dress
-Bhatia v. Chevron USA
safety concerns about respirator
-Wilson v. U.S. West Communications
covering an abortion pin
b) observation requests – Sabbath days
EEOC’s Guidelines
3) Alternative accommodationsa) flexible scheduling
b) voluntary substitutions
c) lateral transfers
d) job assignment changes
EEOC’s Guidelines
4) Undue hardship based upon a de minimis cost
-Employers should document hardship by analyzing:
-cost of lost productivity
retraining, rehiring, transferring employees, size of
employer, & number of employees
Illegal Accommodation Request
Sutton v. Providence St. Joseph Medical Center
- Sutton believed his religion prevented him from providing SSN to employer
- Internal Revenue Code requires employer to provide SSN with tax withholdings
- Violating law constitutes undue hardship
Recommendations1) Nondiscrimination, anti-harassment policy
a) Include in employee handbook
b) Widely disseminate policy & conduct periodic reviews
2) No Solicitation/No Distribution Policya) soliciting & distribution allowed only in
nonworking areas and times
3) Company wide Traininga) Policies
b) Diversity training
Recommendations“In the event of a complaint”
1) assess events on a case-by-case basis
2) gather information from co-workers
3) keep written statements
4) allow the accused an opportunity to address concerns
“Guidelines on Religious Exercise & Religious Expression in Federal
Workplace”Employee may express religious views as long as it doesn’t infringe on efficiency
Agency may have legal obligation to restrict forms of speech that intrude on rights of others
Affirmed rights of employees to wear religious jewelry, keep pictures & engage in bible studies with coworkers
Workplace Religious Freedom Act
First introduced to the Senate in 1997
Most recently introduced in September 1999
If signed into law it would:
--- require employers with 15 or more employees to make an “affirmative and bona fide effort” to accommodate employees religious practices
Workplace Religious Freedom Act (cont.)
If signed into law it would:
--- more strictly define “undue hardship” based on cost of lost productivity, the number of employees who would require accommodation and the difficulty and the cost for employers that have more than one facility or place of business