For A Brighter Tomorrow—A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis of Athletes’ International Migration
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The migration of professional athletes increased in volume and composition in the recent decades. We use a rational choice model to explain migration in certain sports and test it by applying the Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood estimator and the negative binomial pseudo maximum likelihood estimator. We can show that diaspora significantly impel the migration of athletes, while the GDP per capita is a significant pulling factor for athletics, but not for tennis and figure skaters. Considering the differences between nation's success in international competition, we find evidence for positive selection for athletes. With this study, we notably contribute to migration economics in the field of sport by analyzing migration in the sports of athletics, tennis, and figure skating for the first time.
Source: Journal of Sports Economics
Authors: Julian Alexander Klöcker, Frank Daumann
Institution: Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Language: English
Topic: Migration and Labor Dynamics
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,650
OpenAlex ID: W4409599956