Les très hauts revenus des Superstars du sport. Un état des approches théoriques et empiriques

Economic literature describes the Superstar phenomenon as the situation where a small number of individuals enjoy high incomes and obtain predominant market shares in their activity. Two theoretical methods are favoured, because of the complementary way that they can explain this double benefit. Superstar theory shows that the inequality of remuneration and the concentration of demand admittedly stems from differences in talent, but even more so from the way of promoting these differences which prevail at a given time. Tournament theory highlights the double problem which characterises the sporting spectacle: that of moral hazard (how to improve performance?), and that of adverse selection (how to select the best talent?). That is why financial incentives are greatly used to reduce these two risks and to promote the quality and uncertainty of the result. Empirical studies have highlighted these reasons for the disparity in payment and have confirmed the link between the effects of the enlargement of talent which is typical of the star-system in sport and income creation by Superstars.