2013 Volume 19 Issue 1 Pages 91-98
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the differences in the characteristics between total team payroll and team performance in Japanese professional baseball leagues.
In the Central League, the total team payroll seemed to influence the performance among the teams. A team with a higher total team payroll was more likely to win compared to a team with a lower total team payroll. Also, we found that the salary variable was strongly related to the spectator attendance variable.
The results of our research show that in the Central League, the gap in salary influences team performance, moreover the difference of spectator attendance also influences the gap in salary as well.
In the Pacific League, the level of the total team payroll is lower and the gap in salaries between teams is not as noticeable as that of the Central League. Therefore, there is little influence on team performance. Compared to the Central League, the relation of the salary variable and the spectator attendance variable was small so the team results were competitive.
The professional sports league industry should offer game results which cannot be predicted, as the market monopoly by a specific team is not desirable for the team itself as well. With continuous keen competition among the teams, the games will have more entertainment value and further increase the number of fans.
Thus, for Japanese professional baseball to accomplish further development, it is important to have a balance among the teams so that competitive balance will be more equal to maximize each team’s benefit.
