What can sport learn from economics and economics from sport?

Tim Harcourt at the University of Technology Sydney walks through the application of game theory and statistics to professional sport, from Moneyball's approach to scouting baseball players to Robert Tollinson's research justifying the NBA's three-point revolution.

Sport functions here as a low-friction entry point to game theory, labour market discrimination, salary caps, and winner-takes-all markets, and the economics is worn lightly enough that non-specialist students will follow the argument without difficulty. The section on discrimination against non-white athletes in Major League Baseball links naturally to labour market inequality.

Accessible to all A-level students; the familiar cultural references make abstract economic concepts feel grounded, and it works well as an introductory reading for game theory or labour market units.  Read here