Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Journal of Sports Economics
Publication Date
3-2020
Page Number
525
Keywords
risk, concussion, loss aversion, framing, commitment, long-term contracts
Disciplines
Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law | Law
Abstract
While one might expect athletes to be strongly averse to extending their career too long when there is a chance of losing everything due to a concussion or a catastrophic injury, experimental subjects consistently played longer than the optimal amount for risk-neutral decisions. A commitment to the length of play in advance, as in the case of long-term contracts, led to a greater chance of staying beyond the expected payoff-maximizing point. If the decision frame is altered so that decisions are made in each period rather than through an upfront commitment, the magnitude of potential losses is more evident.
Recommended Citation
W. Kip Viscusi and Scott DeAngelis --,
When to Walk Away and When to Risk it All, 21 Journal of Sports Economics. 525
(2020)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/faculty-publications/1541