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Selection Bias and Peer Effects in Team Sports

Author

Listed:
  • John Ashworth

    (University of Durham)

  • Bruno Heyndels

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

Abstract

This article analyzes how age grouping in youth competitions and soccer education programs affects wage formation at the professional level. A simple theoretical model shows that professional players born late after the cutoff date are expected to earn systematically higher wages than their early-born peers. Two discriminating factors are responsible for this: a systematic bias in the talent detection system and peer effects in the production process of human (sports) capital. The authors demonstrate the existence of such an effect among (native) German professional soccer players. Estimating an earnings function for players in the 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 seasons, the authors find clear evidence of a month-of-birth-related wage bias. Players born late after the cutoff date earn systematically higher wages, though this effect is not discernible in all positions; it is strongest for goalkeepers and defenders but not evident for forwards.

Suggested Citation

  • John Ashworth & Bruno Heyndels, 2007. "Selection Bias and Peer Effects in Team Sports," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 8(4), pages 355-377, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:8:y:2007:i:4:p:355-377
    DOI: 10.1177/1527002506287695
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Luca Fumarco & Giambattista Rossi, 2015. "Relative Age Effect on Labor Market Outcomes for High Skilled Workers – Evidence from Soccer," Management Working Papers 9, Birkbeck Department of Management, revised Mar 2015.
    2. Zhen Li & Lijuan Mao & Christina Steingröver & Nick Wattie & Joseph Baker & Jörg Schorer & Werner F Helsen, 2020. "Relative age effects in Elite Chinese soccer players: Implications of the ‘one-child’ policy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(2), pages 1-10, February.
    3. António Sérgio Ribeiro & Francisco Lima & Sascha Kraus & Ferran Calabuig, 2022. "Tournaments within football teams: players’ performance and wages," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 4884-4901, December.
    4. Stefanie Doebler & Ian Shuttleworth & Myles Gould, 2017. "Does the Month of Birth Affect Educational and Health Outcomes? A Population-Based Analysis Using the Northern Ireland Longitudinal Study," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 48(3), pages 281-304.
    5. Besters, Lucas, 2018. "Economics of professional football," Other publications TiSEM d9e6b9b7-a17b-4665-9cca-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    6. Paolo Riccardo Brustio & Corrado Lupo & Alexandru Nicolae Ungureanu & Riccardo Frati & Alberto Rainoldi & Gennaro Boccia, 2018. "The relative age effect is larger in Italian soccer top-level youth categories and smaller in Serie A," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(4), pages 1-12, April.
    7. Robert O Deaner & Aaron Lowen & Stephen Cobley, 2013. "Born at the Wrong Time: Selection Bias in the NHL Draft," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(2), pages 1-7, February.
    8. Bastien Drut & Richard Duhautois, 2014. "L'effet d'âge relatif. Une expérience naturelle sur des footballeurs," Revue économique, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 65(3), pages 657-668.
    9. Hjertstrand, Per & Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Persson, lars, 2017. "The Educated Underdog Becomes the Ultimate Superstar," Working Paper Series 1176, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    10. Luca Fumarco & Benjamin G Gibbs & Jonathan A Jarvis & Giambattista Rossi, 2017. "The relative age effect reversal among the National Hockey League elite," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, August.
    11. Nils Petter Aspvik & Stig Arve Sæther & Rune Høigaard, 2017. "Norwegian Football Academy Players – Player´S Self-Assessed Skills, Stress and Coach-Athlete Relationship," The Open Sports Sciences Journal, Bentham Open, vol. 10(1), pages 141-150, August.

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