The
author examines six age-group specific suicide rates in 2016 between states (in
the continental United States) with and without professional sports teams in
baseball [MLB], football [NFL], hockey [NHL], and basketball [NBA]. States with
at least one team in baseball or football have significantly lower suicide
rates among adults in all six age groups (over 20 years of age). States with at
least one hockey team have significantly lower suicide rates for all adults
over the age of 20, except the oldest age group (adults 65 years of age or
over). The results are weakest for states with at least one basketball team.
Adults only between 25 and 44 years of age and 65 years of age or over have
significantly lower suicide rates with at least one NBA team.
References
[1]
Lee, J., Wilson, E.M., Witek, O.J. and Sommers, P.M. (2008) Marriage Gets An Assist from the NHL. Journal of Recreational Mathematics, 37, 108-113.
[2]
Encrenaz, G., Contrand, B., Leffondré, K., Queinec, R., Aouba, A., Jougla, E., Miras, A. and Legarde, E. (2012) Impact of the 1998 Football World Cup on Suicide Rates in France: Results from the National Death Registry. Suicide Life Threat Behavior, 42, 129-135. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00076.x
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Fernquist, R.M. (2000) An Aggregate Analysis of Professional Sports, Suicide, and Homicide Rates: 30 U.S. Metropolitan Areas, 1971-1990. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 5, 329-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-1789(98)00012-3
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Baade, R.A. and Sanderson, A. (1997) The Employment Effects of Teams and Sports Facilities. In: Noll, R.G. and Zimbalist, A., Eds., Sports, Jobs, and Taxes, The Brookings Institution, Washington DC.
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Hollander, S. (2009) The Dodgers Left My Father, the Stadium Left Me. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/sports/baseball/16sophia.html
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https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/relocation-less-common-in-mlb-than-nfl-other-leagues/
[8]
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Suicide Death Rates for Ages 20 - 24 by State.
https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/saved/D76/D38F594
Suicide Death Rates for Ages 25 - 64 in Ten-Year Age Groups by State.
https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/saved/D76/D38F595
Suicide Death Rates for Ages 65 or Over by State.
https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/saved/D76/D38F596
[9]
MLB Teams by State. https://state.1keydata.com/mlb-teams-by-state.php
NFL Teams by State. https://state.1keydata.com/nfl-teams-by-state.php
NHL Teams by State. https://state.1keydata.com/nhl-teams-by-state.php
NBA teams by state. https://state.1keydata.com/nba-teams-by-state.php
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