Persuaded Under Pressure: Evidence From the National Football League

Economic Inquiry, Volume 54, Issue 4, October 2016 , Pages 1763–1773

21 Pages Posted: 10 Feb 2018

See all articles by Michael Lopez

Michael Lopez

Skidmore College; Skidmore College

Date Written: February 3, 2016

Abstract

We exploit a natural experiment within each National Football League game, finding the first evidence in professional sports that referees succumb to the pressures of satisfying team personnel in the vicinity of possible violations. Using generalized additive models for binomial outcomes, we show that these sideline-based differences in penalty rates, which are observed on common but influential penalties including pass interference and holding, peak near the centralized location of players and coaches on the sideline. With sizable interests in referee decisions, coaches and players often try to manipulate referee behavior with verbal and nonverbal communications; such actions appear to be persuasive.

Keywords: Referee Bias, Professional Sports Leagues, Peer Pressure, Generalized Additive Models, Football

JEL Classification: Z0, H3

Suggested Citation

Lopez, Michael and Lopez, Michael, Persuaded Under Pressure: Evidence From the National Football League (February 3, 2016). Economic Inquiry, Volume 54, Issue 4, October 2016 , Pages 1763–1773, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2741472

Michael Lopez (Contact Author)

Skidmore College ( email )

815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-1632
United States

Skidmore College ( email )

815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-1632
United States

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