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Market Structure of Professional Sports

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Submitted By wrsamuel
Words 1995
Pages 8
Research Paper:
Market Structure
Professional Sports

ABSTRACT

Economic theory introduces us to four different types of markets: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly. Professional sports teams operate in an environment that is different than the typical business structure. The goal of this paper is to look at this industry, in particular the NFL, in an economics context and gain an understanding of the market structure of this unique industry. To do this I will discuss a brief history of the National Football League in the U.S. and how this organization is structured. I will also discuss typical market structures and type of market structure that professional sports may fit into. Further I will briefly discuss the economic concept of a monopsony and how sports leagues such as the NFL exhibit those characteristics.

Market Structure and Professional Sports Teams

Introduction Teams like the Carolina Panthers, New York Yankees or the L.A. Lakers are part of national leagues of professional team sports such as the NFL, MLB, and NBA. These professional sports teams operate in an environment that is different than the typical business structure. The National Football League is an economic juggernaut. As of 2011, it reportedly makes an estimated $6 billion per year in ticket sales, merchandising and contracts with television networks.[1] This paper will discuss the unique market structure of the National Football League (NFL).

Brief History of National Football League Professional football dates back to at least 1892, when an athletic club in Pittsburgh paid William "Pudge" Heffelfinger $500 to take part in a game. Over the next couple decades, while most attention was paid to football at elite colleges on the

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