Measuring Parity in Sports Leagues with Draws: Further Comments

Owen, P. Dorian

Measuring Parity in Sports Leagues with Draws: Further Comments

Owen, P. Dorian

Cite this item: Owen, P. D. (2010). Measuring Parity in Sports Leagues with Draws: Further Comments (Economics Discussion Papers Series No. 1005). Department of Economics, University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/995

Permanent link to OUR Archive version: http://hdl.handle.net/10523/995

Date: 2010-07-01

Publisher: Department of Economics, University of Otago

Pages: 17

Series: Economics Discussion Papers Series

Series number: 1005

Keywords: sports economics; competitive balance; relative standard deviation; idealized standard deviation; draws/ties

Research Type: Discussion Paper

Abstract:

This paper re-examines the calculation of the relative standard deviation (RSD) measure of competitive balance in leagues in which draws are possible outcomes. Some key conclusions emerging from the exchange between Cain and Haddock (2006) and Fort (2007) are reversed. There is no difference, for any given points assignment scheme, between the RSD for absolute points compared to percentages of points. However, variations in the points assignment that change the ratio of points for a win compared to a draw do result in different RSD values, although the numerical differences are minor.

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