Previous studies have analyzed compensation discrimination in the National Football League with mixed results. We examine the market for defensive players: defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs and find some evidence of discrimination against Black linebackers. We do not find any evidence of discrimination against Black defensive linemen and defensive backs. Our results provide some support for the hypothesis that employers, employees, or customers discriminate against Black linebackers due to prejudice against Black players who have to make decisions that play a major role in the success of the entire defense.
BurnettN.J., Van ScyocL.J.Compensation discrimination for wide receivers: applying Quantile regression to the National Football League.Journal of Reviews on Global Economics.2013; 2: 433–41.
7.
BurnettN.J., Van ScyocL.J.Compensation discrimination in the National Football League.Journal of Economics and Economic Education Research.2015a; 16(1): 60–71.
8.
BurnettN.J., Van ScyocL.J.Compensation Discrimination for Defensive Players: Applying Quantile Regression to the National Football League Market for Linebackers and Offensive Linemen.Journal of Sports Economics.2015b; 16(4): 375–89.
9.
DuckingJ., GroothuisP.A., HillJ.R.Exit discrimination in the NFL: a duration analysis of career length.The Review of Black Political Economy.2015; 42(3): 285–99.
10.
DuckingJ., GroothuisP.A., HillJ.R.Compensation discrimination in the NFL: an analysis of career earnings.Applied Economic Letters.2014; 21(10): 679–82.
11.
GiusM., JohnsonD.Race and compensation in professional football.Appl Econ Lett.2000; 7(2): 73–5.
12.
GroothuisP.A., HillJ.R.Pay discrimination, exit discrimination or both? Another look at an old issue using NBA data.Journal of Sports Economics.2013; 14(2): 171–85.
13.
KahnL.M.Discrimination in professional sports: a survey of the literature.Ind Labor Relat Rev.1991; 44: 395–418.
14.
KahnL.M.The effects of race on professional football players’ compensation.Ind Labor Relat Rev.1992; 45: 295–310.
15.
KeeferQ.A.W.Compensation discrimination for defensive players: applying Quantile regression to the National Football Market for linebackers.Journal of Sports Economics.2013; 14(1): 23–44.
16.
MogullR.Football salaries and race: some empirical evidence.Ind Relat.1973; 12: 109–12.
17.
MogullR.Salary discrimination in professional sports.Atl Econ J.1981; 9: 106–10.
18.
National Football League. (2009) NFL Player database. Retrieved from NFL website: http://www.nfl.com/players.
YangC., LinH.Is there salary discrimination by nationality in the NBA? Foreign talent or foreign market.Journal of Sports Economics.2012; 13(1): 53–75.
