First published 2011
University of Chicago behavioral economist Tobias Moskowitz partners with Sports Illustrated writer L. Jon Wertheim to challenge sports mythology. The authors examine home field advantage across basketball, baseball, football, and hockey to understand why it exists and how it affects game outcomes. They investigate whether defense truly wins championships, reveal how umpires show subtle biases when calling balls and strikes in crucial moments, and analyze referees' tendency to avoid making calls in key situations. Moskowitz draws from his original research alongside studies from economists like Richard Thaler. The book takes readers from Augusta's putting greens to an Arkansas parochial high school football field, using concrete examples to demonstrate how psychological and economic factors influence athletic competition in ways fans never consider.
Genres: psychology, business, economics, sports, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: analytical, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: data-analysis, myth-busting
Setting: Augusta, Arkansas
255 pages · Hardcover · Crown Archetype