Hannah Geyer

Are Three Points for a Win Really Better Than Two? A Comparison of German Soccer League and Cup Games

The effects of the three-point rule in the first league German soccer are tested empirically and compared to games from the German cup competition. The inclusion of cup games ensures that changes in league games can be attributed to the three-point rule. As a result of their relative devaluation, the number of draws should decrease. Furthermore, an increase in the number of close wins is expected. The strategy of a leading team becomes more defensive, resulting in fewer goal shootings by that team, as well as fewer shooting opportunities for the opponent. Empirical evidence supporting these effects is found.

The Dynamic of Bicycle Finals: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of Slipstreaming

The finals of bicycle races have certain peculiarities compared to other sports. The leading group in a bicycle race rides comparatively slowly until one of the competitors tries to shake off his opponents. Only then do all riders perform to the limit. This raises the question of who takes the thankless early lead and why. The rider who is in front just before the final sprint is seldom the one who wins. The relevant physics and their implications for sport economics are analysed and tested empirically.

Quit Behavior of Professional Tennis Players

The effect of income and performance on quit behavior is analyzed for professional tennis players. By means of players’ data from the 1985 season until the 2007 season of the ATP-Tour, a stratified Cox regression shows that a higher annual prize money and better performance (measured for three different performance indicators: highest ranking position per year as well as games won and titles won per year) reduce quit behavior.

Theoretische und empirische Analyse der Drei-Punkte-Regel / Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of the Three-Point-Rule

Zusammenfassung In diesem Beitrag werden empirisch die Auswirkungen der Drei-Punkte-Regel auf Spiele der 1. Fußball- Bundesliga in Deutschland untersucht. Anhand von Daten aus jeweils zehn Saisons vor und nach Einführung dieser Regel wird gezeigt, welchen Einfluss diese Einführung unter anderem auf die Anzahl der Unentschieden oder der erzielten Tore hat. Aufgrund der Abwertung eines Unentschiedens gegenüber einem Sieg sollte die Anzahl der Spiele mit unentschiedenem Ausgang sinken. Weiterhin ist zu erwarten, dass die Anzahl knapperer Siege steigt, während torreiche Spiele weniger werden. Die Spielweise der führenden Mannschaft wird eher defensiv ausgerichtet sein, was sowohl eigene Torschüsse verringert als auch der gegnerischen Mannschaft das Schießen von Toren erschwert. Im Wesentlichen werden diese Ergebnisse empirisch bestätigt, während sich keine Kollusion der Mannschaften zur Vermeidung von Unentschieden nachweisen lässt. Summary In this article, the effects of the three-point-rule for games in first league German soccer are tested empirically. By means of data from ten seasons before and after the rule changed, the impact on the number of draws or the number of goals is examined (and some other considerations). As a result of the devaluation of a draw compared to a win, the number of draws should decrease. Furthermore, an increase in the number of close wins is expected, whereas games with a large number of goals should decline. The strategy of a leading team becomes more defensive, resulting in fewer goal shootings by that team, as well as fewer shooting opportunities for the other team. There is empirical evidence largely supporting these effects, whereas no evidence could be found of collusion between the teams to prevent draws.

Are Three Points for a Win Really Better than Two? Theoretical and Empirical Evidence for German Soccer

The effects of the three-point rule in first league German soccer are tested empirically and compared to games from the German cup-competition. The inclusion of cup games ensures that changes in league games can be attributed to the three-point rule. As a result of their relative devaluation, the number of draws should decrease. Furthermore, an increase in the number of close wins is expected. The strategy of a leading team becomes more defensive, resulting in fewer goal shootings by that team, as well as fewer shooting opportunities for the opponent. Empirical evidence supporting these effects is found.