A new paper finds that interest in baseball decreases as incomes increase.

Researchers John D. Burger and and Stephen J. K. Walters have released a new study on the economics of baseball – “Is America’s National Pastime too time consuming?” The findings are interesting as one might assume that attraction to leisure activities would rise as income does.

World Series telecasts are now an inferior good. Income and the time cost of consumption interact so that a ten percent income increase reduces viewership by 1.8 million households. Increased availability of substitutes reduces ratings but increased drama improves them.

hat tip Tyler Cowen

Tags: Tyler Cowen