This paper empirically examines the extent to which skill differences, monopoly and monopsony conditions, and discrimination determine salaries (by player position) in the National Hockey League. The data set is for 1977–78 and covers more than 300 hockey players from all teams in the league. The major conclusions are that skills are the principal determinant of salaries at all positions; the monopoly characteristics of the franchise system appear to have a positive impact on salary for one position (forwards); and only for defensemen is there any evidence of possible salary discrimination against French Canadians.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BeckerGary S.1957The Economics of Discrimination. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
2.
BoucherMichel1984a“French Canadians in the National Hockey League: Some Statistical Results.” Mimeo. Universiteé du Quebec.
3.
BoucherMichel1984b“Les Canadiens Français Dans la Ligue Nationale de Hockey: Un Analyse Statistique.”L'Actualite Economique, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 308–25.
4.
CarlinerGeoffrey1981“Wage Differences by Language Group and the Market for Language Skills in Canada.”Journal of Human Resources, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 384–99.
5.
CurtisJames E.LoyJohn W.1978“Race/Ethnicity and Relative Centrality of Playing Positions in Team Sports.”Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, Vol. 6, pp. 283–313.
6.
DrydenKen1983The Game. Toronto: Macmillan.
7.
EastmanBryan D.1981“The Labor Economics of the National Hockey League.”Atlantic Economic Journal, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 100–101.
8.
GwartneyJamesHaworthCharles1974“Employer Costs and Discrimination: The Case of Baseball.”Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 82, No. 4, pp. 873–81.
9.
HillJames R.SpellmanWilliam1984“Pay Discrimination in Baseball: Data from the Seventies.”Industrial Relations, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 103–12.
10.
HillJames R.SpellmanWilliam1983“Professional Baseball: The Reserve Clause and Salary Structure.”Industrial Relations, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 1–19.
11.
JonesJ. C. H.1984“Winners, Losers and Hosers: Demand and Survival in the National Hockey League.”Atlantic Economic Journal, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 1–10.
12.
JonesJ. C. H.1976“The Economics of the National Hockey League Revisited: A Postscript on Structural Change, Behaviour and Government Policy.” In GruneauRichard S.AlbinsonJohn G., eds., Canadian Sport: Sociological Perspectives. Don Mills, Ontario: Addison-Wesley, pp. 249–58.
13.
JonesJ. C. H.DaviesDuncan K.1978“Not Even Semi-Tough: Professional Sport and Canadian Antitrust.”Antitrust Bulletin, Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 713–42.
14.
JonesJ. C. H.WalshWilliam D.1987“The World Hockey Association and Player Exploitation in the National Hockey League.”Quarterly Review of Economics and Business, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 87–101.
15.
KyerClifford I.1981“A Case Study in Party Stipulations of Remedy: The NHL Standard Player's Contract.”University of Toronto Faculty Law Review, Vol. 29 (Spring), pp. 1–29.
16.
LavoieMarkGrenierGillesCoulombeSerge1986“Discrimination and Performance Differentials in the National Hockey League.” Working Paper, University of Ottawa.
17.
McManusWalterGouldWilliamWelchFinis1983“Earnings of Hispanic Men: The Role of English Language Proficiency.”Journal of Labor Economics, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 101–30.
18.
MedoffMarshall H.1976“On Monopsonistic Exploitation in Professional Baseball.”Quarterly Review of Economics and Business, Vol. 16 (Summer), pp. 113–21.
19.
MogullRobert G.1981“Salary Discrimination in Professional Sports.”Atlantic Economic Journal, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 106–10.
20.
National Hockey League19781978–1979 National Hockey League Guide. Montreal: National Hockey League.
21.
NollRoger G.1974“Attendance and Price Setting.” In NollRoger G., ed., Government and the Sports Business. Washington, D.C.: Brookings, pp. 115–57.
22.
PascalAnthony H.RappingLeonard A.1972“The Economics of Racial Discrimination in Organized Baseball.” In PascalAnthony H., ed., Racial Discrimination in Economic Life. Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books, pp. 119–56.
23.
PindyckRobert S.RubinfeldDaniel L.1981Econometric Models and Economic Forecasts, 2d Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
24.
RaimondoHenry J.1983“Free Agents' Impact on the Labor Market for Baseball Players.”Journal of Labor Research, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 183–93.
25.
ScottFrank A.Jr.LongJames E.SomppiKen1985“Monopsony and Competition: The Case of Professional Basketball.”Atlantic Economic Journal, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 50–59.
26.
ScullyGerald W.1974a“Pay and Performance in Major League Baseball.”American Economic Review, Vol. 66, No. 6, pp. 915–30.
27.
ScullyGerald W.1974b“Discrimination: The Case of Baseball.” In NollRoger G., ed., Government and the Sports Business. Washington, D.C.: Brookings, pp. 221–74.
28.
CanadaStatistics1981Income Estimates for Sub-Provincial Areas. Ottawa: Supply and Services.
29.
CanadaStatistics1980Census of Canada 1976. Population Bulletin 1.7. Ottawa: Supply and Services.
30.
Toronto Globe and Mail1978a“Who Makes What in the NHL.” March 14, 1978, p. 37.
31.
Toronto Globe and Mail1978b“NHL Executive Disputes Globe List of Salaries Paid to Hockey Players.” March 15, 1978, p. 33.
32.
U.S. Department of Commerce1979Survey of Current Business. Vol. 59, April 1979. Washington, D.C.: GPO.
33.
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census1978Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1978. Washington, D.C.: GPO.
34.
VinodHrishikesh D.1978“A Survey of Ridge Regression and Related Techniques for Improvements over Least Squares.”Review of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 121–31.
35.
World Almanac and Book of Facts1976New York: Pharos Books.
