Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Charles Robert Link, Dept. of Economics. Includes bibliographical references.

Using data from the 2014-2016 Major League Soccer (MLS) seasons, this paper finds evidence for nationality discrimination in the MLS. In particular, foreign players receive a wage premium of 15.97 percent, ceteris paribus. Foreign players also receive an additional bump in their salary based on performance. Finally, using an Oaxaca (1973) decomposition, I find that 22-26% of the differences in wages between foreign and domestic players is largely due to discrimination.

This case study evaluated Major League Baseball's (MLB) media product portfolio to identify how broadcast revenues have evolved over the past decade. This research looked back across baseball's long, dysfunctional history with broadcasters in order to recognize the significance of its ambitious use of online content. While MLB had failed to fully utilize the potential of broadcasting, the league's aggressive online strategy through its Advanced Media (MLBAM) division made it the industry leader in broadcasting live streaming sports video. MLBAM expanded its online streaming video to mobile phones and iPad, further expanding the distribution of its content. This research compared MLBAM revenue to traditional broadcast revenue while analyzing the online division's role in promoting the MLB brand. This case study concluded that while MLBAM had made a number of groundbreaking developments, the league could still improve its use of embedded, shared video clips, archived footage and international marketing in order to further extend the brand equity of the MLB, its thirty individual brands and its media product portfolio.

In the fall of 2009, the New York Yankees claimed their 27th World Series title with a team that oozed capitalism and free markets. With over $200 million committed in its annual payroll, the Yankees capitalized on a strong free-agent class and some of the best known players in the game to generate their first World Series title since 2000. The feat was impressive, but the expectation in New York is always “championship or bust.” The following season, the Yankees fell in the American League Championship Series to the Texas Rangers who would go on to lose to the San Francisco Giants. The San Francisco Giants were not the New York Yankees. They were not even close when it came to payroll, star-power, and management. Yet this lovable bunch of losers took control of the 2010 post-season and took home their first World Series since moving to San Francisco.

I analyze the impact that a Major League Baseball (MLB) team’s ownership structure has on its financial and on-the-field efficiency. Previous work has shown that ownership structure does have an impact on firm efficiency. In MLB, a team under the management of a corporate owner could have access to potential cost and revenue synergies that would otherwise be unavailable to a team with a private owner. These synergies should increase the financial efficiencies of corporately owned teams, which should translate to success on the field, as measured by on-the-field efficiency.

This thesis will examine highly rated Minor League baseball players and how they subsequently perform in their Major League careers. Specifically, this study has collected data on over 800 players ranked on the prospect lists of Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and John Sickels. Using regression analysis, I have examined the correlation between ranking and future performance, as well as studying other factors like position and age to determine if there are common characteristics to successful prospects.

The rise of Major League Soccer in the United States has taken place during an influential spread of social media. This paper conducts an empirical analysis of the effects of several variables on the Facebook "likes" of individual Major League Soccer Facebook homepages. Variables from previous sport demand studies are re-analyzed and applied in this study to determine similarities and differences to Facebook "likes". Results from the analysis indicate social media is affected differently than attendance rates. Facebook "likes" are most affected by population size, unemployment and Hispanic composition as well as player salary rather than wins or attendance.

This study examines the roles and functions of public relations professionals in Major League Baseball. Grunig's four models of public relations were used to categorize the perceptions of the respondents regarding this subject.Eleven respondents took part in this study. All were given thirty-six statements that described typical public relations activities and philosophies. The statements were derived from original research conducted by Grunig. Each respondent was asked to sort the statements according to their perceptions of the organization in which they were currently employed.The results of this study were analyzed using the Qmethod program. Two distinct factors were revealed through this process. Factor I perceived their role as advocates for the organization (Grunig's press agency model). Factor II perceived their role a more neutral channel for communication (Grunig's public information model). Both factors believed it was important to relay the truth to the public. / Department of Journalism

This paper uses data acquired from five Baseball statistics websites from the 2006-2010 Major League Baseball seasons to test the effect of increasing information in the Trade Market. Specifically, to test how increasing information affects teams’ preferences in the Trade Market. Player age and service time were used as predictors of team preferences, and an interaction variable between team winning percentage and week of season was used as a predictor of increasing team information. This paper finds that—with significance—the effect of a team’s winning percentage in relation to week in the season a given trade takes place has a negative effect on an acquired player’s tenure and a positive effect on an acquired player’s age. This relationship is likely due to the fact that more successful clubs are looking for established veteran players who can provide immediate help to their Major League team. Conversely, poorly performing clubs are likely looking for younger players who will contribute to their Major League team in future seasons.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [178]-182). Also available on the Internet.