Supporting the Whiteline: Differences in the Probability of being Fined in the NFL by Race
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2016
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Haverford College. Department of Economics
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Thesis
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The Holland Hunter 1943 Economics Department Thesis Prize
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eng
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Open Access
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Abstract
Although numerous studies have analyzed discrimination in professional sports, none have analyzed fines and suspensions in the NFL. Analyses of the probability of being fined after an infraction between 2010 and 2014 show that African American athletes are more likely to be fined than White athletes. The analyses make racial comparisons over infractions categorized as aggressive and unsportsmanlike. Controlling for pre-market and market factors, the racial disparities in likelihood of being fined disappear for aggressive fines but remain significant and large (roughly 70 percentage of the mean likelihood) for unsportsmanlike fines. Further, Black athletes who have been fined once in a season are significantly more likely than White athletes to be fined for a second unsportsmanlike offense. Finally, Black athletes are subject to 15 percent higher fines for aggressive penalties than White athletes while controlling for pre-market and market characteristics. Pre-market control variables like high school program type and median house-hold income have little impact on higher incidence levels of Black fines, while market factors serve to reduce racial disparities. Overall, results provide evidence of discrimination in the form of conscious, negative responses to shows of dominance by Black athletes in the NFL.