Customer Discrimination and Fernandomania

Abstract

This article tests for customer discrimination by examining attendance boosts associated with the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and Mexican national Fernando Valenzuela. Fernando’s starts were associated with higher attendance at games beginning in 1981 and as late as 1987, and as late as 1985 for games outside of Los Angeles. Attendance increased more when games were played in Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)s with larger Mexican populations. Attendance also increased more in MSAs with larger non-Mexican Hispanic populations, especially when such Hispanics did not claim a specific Latin American country of origin. Larger Asian populations led to significantly lower attendance at Fernando’s starts.