An Economist Goes to the Game

“Mr. Oyer writes clearly and ranges across all sorts of sports as well as across the globe, introducing fascinating observations.”—Henry D. Fetter, Wall Street Journal

“Oyer is able to find some unexpected nuances. . . . The book makes for an enjoyable read and may cause you to rethink some of your assumptions about what goes on on (and off) the field.”—Money Week

“A fun and highly enjoyable way to explore the brilliant world of economics through the lens of sport.”—Robert Butler, National Association for Business Economics

“If you’re interested in the business side of professional sports and the chances of anyone making it to the top, then this book is for you.”—Leath Al Obaidi, Society of Professional Economists

“With his original focus on how an economist looks at different aspects of sports, Paul Oyer gives us a brilliant new perspective that is both enlightening and engaging. A very insightful book that will surely change the way you look at sports.”—Ignacio Palacios-Huerta, London School of Economics

“Oyer has given us the definitive Freakonomics for sports—a fun and insightful account of what happens when economic thinking intersects with the world of sports.”—Andrew Zimbalist, author of Whither College Sports: Amateurism, Athlete Safety and Academic Integrity

“Paul Oyer applies his considerable analytical skills to study sports phenomena such as corruption, ticket scalping, child prodigies, the Olympics, and many others. I highly recommend this book to sports fans, students, and researchers for some fascinating economic analyses.”—Lawrence M. Kahn, Cornell University

“In Paul Oyer’s new book, we learn a bit about sports and a lot about thinking like an economist. Learning economics is now going to be as much fun as playing ping pong, pick-up basketball, or touch football.”—Roger Blair, author of Sports Economics