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A Benford Analysis of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Finance Data

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  • Willis A. Jones

Abstract

The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) database and the USA Today NCAA athletics department finance database are two of the most commonly used databases for scholars, policy makers, and other constituents interested in studying the economics of college athletics. Many in the higher education community, however, question the validity of these databases. This study used Benford’s Law of First Digits as a tool for spotting irregularities in EADA and USA Today college athletics financial data. After reviewing 5 years of data, the findings show that while there was some slight deviation from Benford’s Law, EADA and USA Today data largely conformed to the expectations of Benford’s Law.

Suggested Citation

  • Willis A. Jones, 2020. "A Benford Analysis of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Finance Data," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 21(3), pages 234-255, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:21:y:2020:i:3:p:234-255
    DOI: 10.1177/1527002519887430
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Karl‐Heinz Tödter, 2009. "Benford's Law as an Indicator of Fraud in Economics," German Economic Review, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 10(3), pages 339-351, August.
    7. Willis A. Jones, 2013. "Exploring the Relationship Between Intercollegiate Athletic Expenditures and Team On-Field Success Among NCAA Division I Institutions," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 14(6), pages 584-605, December.
    8. George Judge & Laura Schechter, 2009. "Detecting Problems in Survey Data Using Benford’s Law," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 44(1).
    9. John J. Cheslock & David B. Knight, 2015. "Diverging Revenues, Cascading Expenditures, and Ensuing Subsidies: The Unbalanced and Growing Financial Strain of Intercollegiate Athletics on Universities and Their Students," The Journal of Higher Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(3), pages 417-447, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Craig Garthwaite & Jordan Keener & Matthew Notowidigdo & Nicole Ozminkowski, 2020. "Who Profits from Amateurism? Rent-Sharing in Modern College Sports," Working Papers 2020-117, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.

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