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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀
@rodneyfort.bsky.social
820 followers 170 following 940 posts

Sports economist. Emeritus Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan.

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Economics 56%
Political science 12%
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 1h
They will be less “bloated”. But bloated will remain as long as athletes remain restricted in acquiring the economic contribution they make to their teams. There’s still a non-negotiated cap and the CSC will still reduce compensation unilaterally.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
Will college football’s revenue sharing era usher bloated coaching contracts out of style?
Schools hope the balance may finally shift in this cycle: Instead of asking for so much guaranteed long-term money, put it into the roster.
www.nytimes.com

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 1h
This is a good read.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/670...
How money — from NIL to new revenue sharing — is changing college hockey recruiting
www.nytimes.com

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 1h
Probably Quixotic, but I’ll root for it. (Thanks, Neil)
www.fieldofschemes.com/2025/10/15/2...
Illinois bill would require sports projects to include independent analysis, public hearings, repayment of lost tax revenue
In the midst of all the Chicago Bears stadium drama, in which team owners are still requesting around $1 billion in infrastructure spending and tax breaks, Illinois state representative Kam Buckner ha...
www.fieldofschemes.com

Reposted by Rodney Fort

fieldofschemes.bsky.social
Field of Schemes @fieldofschemes.bsky.social · 2h
Even if Illinois Rep. Kam Buckner's transparency bill is just the opening of negotiations on the Bears stadium, it's a start — especially given how often sports projects get rushed through the approval process without much public oversight.
Illinois bill would require sports projects to include independent analysis, public hearings, repayment of lost tax revenue
In the midst of all the Chicago Bears stadium drama, in which team owners are still requesting around $1 billion in infrastructure spending and tax breaks, Illinois state representative Kam Buckner ha...
www.fieldofschemes.com
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 1d
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/13/i...

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 1d
I think they do both. Because data generate general tendencies while specific situations subject to the variance. So I’ll pitch left against lefty *and* replace a pitcher by “feel”.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
The MLB playoffs put managers in the spotlight. Should they rely on data or intuition?
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Rodney Fort

siepr.bsky.social
SIEPR @siepr.bsky.social · 1d
Is #AI the century's third speculative bubble? Yes, say SIEPR's @jaredb-econ.bsky.social and @weakinstrument.bsky.social in a @nytimes.com op-ed. They lay out the reasons and examine whether the fallout could be better or worse than the internet, housing bursts. Free link 👇

tinyurl.com/nhjcm62v
Opinion | The A.I. Bubble Looks Real
The A.I. boom is likely a speculative bubble. Like the dot-com bust and the housing crisis, its pop is going to hurt.
tinyurl.com
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Reposted by Rodney Fort

Dean Oliver @deanolytics.bsky.social · 1d
The *defensive* relationship between productivity, usage, and efficiency is different because lower efficiency means fewer points allowed per possession (not higher, with offense). Usage is also more balanced, ranging from about 18% to 27% on a season basis.
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 3d
Yep. Cam Newton is nearly that big. Hall of Famer Art "Fatso" Donovan said in his book that the linemen he played against in the 1950s would run away from today's modern, larger linemen. Donovan was a giant at 6-3 275.
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Reposted by Rodney Fort

byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 4d
U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., is raising questions about — and demanding answers and documents from — College Sports Commission concerning its procedures for approving athletes’ NIL deals with entities other than their schools: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
College Sports Commission 'sowing new chaos in college athletics', U.S. Rep demands answers
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives is raising questions about — and demanding answers from — the recently created College Sports Commission
www.usatoday.com
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Reposted by Rodney Fort

usatodaysports.usatoday.com
USA TODAY Sports @usatodaysports.usatoday.com · 4d
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives is raising questions about — and demanding answers from — the recently created College Sports Commission
College Sports Commission 'sowing new chaos in college athletics', U.S. Rep demands answers
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives is raising questions about — and demanding answers from — the recently created College Sports Commission
bit.ly
2 1

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 5d
Are BiG, SEC, ACC, Big12 commissioners included? Thanks in advance

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 5d
Pretty soon they might make as much as strength-conditioning coaches.

Reposted by Rodney Fort

byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 5d
University of California football GM, and former NFL coach, Ron Rivera is making $800,000 annually and can earn $800,000 in additional performance-based bonuses, according to information released today to @usatodaysports.usatoday.com: www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
Cal makes Ron Rivera one of college football's highest-paid GMs
California Golden Bears football revealed more salary information about the significant investment it made in former NFL coach and new GM Ron Rivera.
www.usatoday.com
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Reposted by Rodney Fort

byberkowitz.bsky.social
Steve Berkowitz @byberkowitz.bsky.social · 5d
Collegiate Commissioners Association has sent letter to members of U.S. House of Representatives saying commissioners of 31 Division I conferences back passage of SCORE Act, bill from Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) that has passed two committees and can be brought to floor
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Reposted by Rodney Fort

realbachscore.bsky.social
Rachel Bachman, WSJ sports reporter @realbachscore.bsky.social · 5d
In the player-pay era, no school is embracing the NFL model more than Oklahoma.

“What better place than a higher-education institution to say, ‘Let’s be honest. Let’s look at the facts and then let’s meet what’s in front of us.'"
www.wsj.com/sports/footb...
How Oklahoma Football Became the SEC’s NFL Team
The Sooners’ overhaul includes a GM on equal footing with the head coach, an athletic-director search led by the former CEO of AT&T and a front office modeled after the Philadelphia Eagles.
www.wsj.com
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 5d
TY

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 5d
Nice one. It’s almost genius to have invented a set of whines that works for them regardless of changing circumstances.
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 7d
Whistleblowers make the best police in situations difficult to patrol. (Fort, Economics of Governance 2022.)
www.espn.com/college-spor...
New tip line for NIL violations to commence
The College Sports Commission launched an anonymous tip line Wednesday to allow for reporting of possible NIL infractions.
www.espn.com

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 7d
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/o...
Opinion | You Beat Trumpism by Banding Together. It’s as Hard and as Simple as That.
www.nytimes.com

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 7d
I think he is just doing what commissioners do—owners’ bidding. They like the WNBA. But always want to squash players. Novelty is that it appears that Silver is commissioner of two leagues.
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 7d
The WNBA already has a commissioner…Oh that’s right, just another reminder about who actually runs the WNBA. Silver serves at the will of NBA owners.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
NBA’s Adam Silver says WNBA conflict has ‘become too personal’
Silver said he will step in if need be to CBA negotiations but has not yet.
www.nytimes.com
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 7d
No place at this table for the players. Not collectively bargained, antitrust possible. Pretty sure there will be lawyers.
www.espn.com/college-foot...
NCAA officially adopts Jan. 2-16 portal window
The NCAA has officially adopted Jan. 2-16 as its new, singular transfer portal window for all FBS, FCS players beginning in 2026.
www.espn.com

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 8d
This is a great place for difference-in-difference analysis.
jjcoop36.bsky.social
JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 8d
Conventional wisdom says if you throw extremely hard as an MLB SP you at significant risk to blow out and fade away.

In reality, the hardest throwing MLB SPs are the most long-lasting/durable. I studied 236 MLB SPs that debuted from 2008-2015.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...
To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard
J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.
www.baseballamerica.com
1

Reposted by Rodney Fort

jjcoop36.bsky.social
JJ Cooper @jjcoop36.bsky.social · 8d
Conventional wisdom says if you throw extremely hard as an MLB SP you at significant risk to blow out and fade away.

In reality, the hardest throwing MLB SPs are the most long-lasting/durable. I studied 236 MLB SPs that debuted from 2008-2015.

www.baseballamerica.com/stories/to-h...
To Have A Lengthy MLB Career, Pitchers Need To Throw Hard
J.J. Cooper digs into years' worth of MLB pitching data to investigate the connection between throwing harder and career length.
www.baseballamerica.com
2 3 16

rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 9d
Very informative.
www.sportico.com/leagues/hock...
How the NHL Looks Out for Small Markets as Salary Caps Rise
The NHL's new collective bargaining agreement will increase the league's revenue-sharing pool, benefiting low-revenue teams like the Blue Jackets.
www.sportico.com

Reposted by Rodney Fort

bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Brad "Pencil Necked Geek" Humphreys @bradhumphreys.bsky.social · 9d
Here's a link to an ungated copy

rdcu.be/eJoJu
Horizontal Product Differentiation in Higher Education Markets and Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Changes
rdcu.be
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Reposted by Rodney Fort

realbachscore.bsky.social
Rachel Bachman, WSJ sports reporter @realbachscore.bsky.social · 11d
Sources: www.loc.gov/resource/sn9...

www.loc.gov/resource/sn8...
www.loc.gov
1

Reposted by Scott L. Greer, Rodney Fort

realbachscore.bsky.social
Rachel Bachman, WSJ sports reporter @realbachscore.bsky.social · 11d
The early years of the Michigan-Wisconsin series were marked by catastrophic collapses of the stadiums they played in. In the Ann Arbor game, players actually helped rescue people from the wreckage.

Chicago (1902) and Ann Arbor (1905)
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rodneyfort.bsky.social
Rodney Fort 🐀 @rodneyfort.bsky.social · 11d
Read and learn.
www.cbssports.com/wnba/news/ge...
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert is under fire, but the NBA is the real power worth challenging
Engelbert faces blazing criticism from WNBA players, but the NBA's ownership and influence remain the central challenge to the league's future
www.cbssports.com
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