Mixed strategies are a key component of game theory. Investigations into whether or not people use optimal mixed strategies have largely been limited to laboratory settings and have produced mixed results. Recently, the empirical framework has been extended into professional sports. This study...

In this paper we introduce the nested Dirichlet probability distribution and propose a method of using it to model Major League Baseball (MLB) player abilities. To do so, we define fourteen distinct outcome types for any typical plate appearance (excluding intentional walks and bunt attempts),...

This analysis of team-level major league baseball performance, for the 1985 through 2001 seasons, addresses four questions: (1) ‘Is there a relationship between winning and performance?' (2) ‘Is there a relationship between pay and performance?' (3) ‘Is there a relationship between winning...

This paper develops a robust, statistically significant, six independent variable multiple regression model that accounts for the relative success of English Premier League football clubs based on an array of twenty-four pitch actions collected during the 2007-2008 season (p0.0000)....

On March 30, 2008, Samuel Arbesman and Steven Strogatz had their article "A Journey to Baseball's Alternate Universe" published in The New York Times. They simulated baseball's entire history 10,000 times to ask how likely it was for anyone in baseball history to achieve a streak that is at...

The official handicapping system of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) is very similar to the handicapping system of the United States Golf Association (USGA). Although these handicapping systems are complex and have been carefully studied, the systems do not take statistical theory into...

The issue of competitive balance is not normally considered in the study of home advantage. This paper focuses on home advantage, assessing and comparing it between seasons. The strength of the teams is estimated and linked with competitive balance. The results support that, in both the eighties...

Play calling strategies during football games are extremely important to the success of a team. In the past, coaches and players have subjectively determined the plays to call based on past experiences, personal biases, and various observable factors. This research quantifies these decisions...

The following paper examines potential sources of bias in National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs. Employing NBA playoff data from 2003 through 2008, we investigate the expected margin of victory by the favored team. This method, by incorporating potentially mitigating variables, can also...

Using data from NFL seasons 1960-2007, we examine the quarterback rating and the four variables of which it consists: average yards per attempt, completion percentage, interception percentage, and touchdown percentage. We test for structural breaks in the means and standard deviations of each...