Kevin G. Quinn

Playoff Uncertainty and Pennant Races

Outcome uncertainty, a fundamental principle associated with Rottenberg, has many meanings in the sports economics literature. In this article, the authors consider a type of within-season uncertainty termed “playoff uncertainty” (PLU). As with any type of within-season uncertainty, this concept looks at how demanders respond to the probability that their team has a chance of winning over the course of the season. But more specifically, PLU focuses on whether attendance is affected by a team’s chance of making the playoffs. Looking at attendance data on a monthly basis, the authors find that a tighter pennant race does enhance league-wide attendance, but only for those months toward the end of the season when the pennant race is heating up.

Directions for Future NFL Research and the New CBA

The sixteen preceding chapters outline the state of the art of the economics of the NFL, which as was pointed out in the Introduction remains a relatively young field. There remain substantial opportunities for scholars to add to the literature. One of the purposes of this concluding chapter is to offer some suggestions as to where future work might yield valuable insights.