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Non-compete agreements, wages and efficiency: theory and evidence from Brazilian football

Author

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  • Bernardo Guimaraes
  • Joao Paulo Pessoa
  • Vladimir Ponczek

Abstract

We propose a model to study non-compete agreements and evaluate their quantitative effects. We explore an exogenous policy change that removed non-compete clauses in the market for Brazilian footballers, the Pele Act of 1998. The Act raised players' lifetime income but changed the wage profile in a heterogeneous way, reducing young players' salaries. We structurally estimate the model's parameters by matching wages and turnover profiles in the post Act period. By changing a single parameter related to the non-compete friction, we can match the changes in the age-earnings profile. We then show that the bulk of income gains is due to distributional forces, with efficiency gains playing a minor role.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernardo Guimaraes & Joao Paulo Pessoa & Vladimir Ponczek, 2021. "Non-compete agreements, wages and efficiency: theory and evidence from Brazilian football," CEP Discussion Papers dp1751, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1751
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amand, Marnix & Chéron, Arnaud & Pelgrin, Florian & Terriau, Anthony, 2023. "Soccer labour market equilibrium and efficient training of players," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labor mobility; labor frictions; wage profile; labor turnover;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General
    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General
    • K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law
    • Z22 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - Labor Issues

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