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Collection
Economics of Sports

Many students (and teachers) are huge sports fans and illustrating economic concepts using real-world examples from the world of professional sports engages students in a way that abstract models cannot. Professional sports offers many opportunities to teach fundamental economic concepts such as supply and demand, incentives, comparative advantage, and many more. This collection of lessons will give you fresh ideas for teaching beyond the textbook.

Lesson

Grades 9-12

Sports Economics: To Build or Not to Build

In this economics lesson, students will examine a public-private partnership to learn about opportunity cost.
Key Concepts: Opportunity Cost, Roles of Government, Taxes
60 mins
Lesson
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Grades 6-8, 9-12

Baseball Economics 201

As many baseball fans can tell you, the New York Yankees usually have a great season record, make the playoffs…
Key Concepts: Business Costs and Revenues, Division of Labor/Specialization, Incentive…
Lesson
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Grades 9-12

Why does Eli Manning Make $24 million per year?

What determines a person's salary? Why do professional athletes make so much money? People who work as firefighters, police officers…
Key Concepts: Budgeting, Demand, Distribution of Income…
Lesson
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Video

Grades 9-12

Should the NCAA Pay College Athletes?

PBS Economics correspondent Paul Solman examines the cases for and against paying student athletes. He interviews Ed O'Bannon, the former…
Key Concepts: Division of Labor/Specialization, Producers
Video
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