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437 sats \ 27 comments \ @Undisciplined 7h Stacker_Sports

This isn't a fully crystalized post, but I want to see what people think about egregiously bad officiating in an era of widespread sports betting.

It seems so obvious that Chiefs games, for instance, are rigged. I don't think that's specifically done for gambling reasons. My gut says it has more to do with marketing and league revenue.

Might the sportsbooks be a check on this corruption of the sport, since honest matches (or at least the perception of such) are in their interest? People don't like betting on rigged events, after all.

In other cases, though, atrocious calls can no longer live in a vacuum. We, as spectators, are now always wondering if officials are putting their thumbs on the scales for their own enrichment.

If people keep watching and buying up all the merch, though, is there any incentive for the league to address it?

If the leagues were to attempt to address it, what's the best way to impose accountability?

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33 sats \ 3 replies \ @realBitcoinDog 4h

If it were the Raiders would u be mad?

10 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 4h

Obviously not, but I still wouldn't enjoy watching really bad officiating.

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @realBitcoinDog 4h

You would grit your teeth reluctantly accept your Super Bowl ring!

10 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 4h

I'm sure I would find a way to rationalize it,

36 sats \ 2 replies \ @SimpleStacker 7h

If people keep watching (and betting) and buying up all the merch, though, is there any incentive for the league to address it?

I think it'd take a leader that really cares specifically about non-commercial notions like "integrity of the sport." But I do think it's plausible that there's enough people who care about that stuff to make a difference.

If the leagues were to attempt to address it, what's the best way to impose accountability?

There was a post the other day about why Danes never jaywalk, and they take pride in their country's harsh punishments for even minor infractions, because it enforces virtuous norms. I think a similar thing could be done to impose accountability in sports. Swift, harsh punishments for even minor infractions. Again, it would take a leader who really cared about this over and above commercial interests.

30 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

The problem there is that the commissioners work for the owners. So, you'd need a majority of owners to care about those high minded ideals more than they care about their bottom line.

I think it has to come from us (the fans and betters) and work it's way up.

There's also a potential problem with swift harsh punishments, in that they may incentivize retaliation. There are a lot of skeletons in these leagues' closets and they try to stay on the good side of those who know about them.

41 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 3h

I am beginning to see another set of misaligned incentives in this case, too, Aligning incentives properly is very important to keeping things on an even keel.

34 sats \ 2 replies \ @Taft 7h

Might the sportsbooks be a check on this corruption of the sport, since honest matches (or at least the perception of such) are in their interest?

In my opinion yes. Sports betting companies have a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of the sport. Their credibility is damaged by rigged games.

21 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

So, they're the ones with the incentive to seek punishment of refs who use their sites to rig games?

I could see that. It might be great PR for FanDuel, say, to bust a corrupt sports betting ring and sue those parties for violating their terms of service.

37 sats \ 0 replies \ @Taft 6h

Exactly. A high-profile case like that could really reinforce their credibility and show they’re serious about protecting the integrity of the sport.

33 sats \ 10 replies \ @grayruby 7h

I was thinking about this the other day. It won't happen but if everyone boycotted the Super Bowl and betting on the Super Bowl if the Chiefs get in because they think it will be rigged changes would come swiftly but seems unlikely most people care enough and that would be difficult to coordinate.

40 sats \ 9 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

Maybe something more marginal, though. If interest in betting on the Super Bowl, or more likely the AFC Championship Game, is substantially lower than normal, then the casinos might push for cleaning up the officiating.

It has to hit someone in the wallet, though, before anyone's going to do anything about it. I suppose the other owners might push for it, since their teams lose out on playoff revenue.

29 sats \ 8 replies \ @grayruby 7h

I also thought it would be cool if someone did an academic analysis with the help of AI to determine the level of bias in officiating and how many games it ultimately decides and who it skews them for and against.

If the results are significant it likely gets picked up by all media.

40 sats \ 7 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

I've seen things like that before.

I recall something done many years ago demonstrating the strong officiating bias against the Raiders in the years after Al Davis sued the league.

There was also a media cycle a few years ago about how the Rockets were doing analytics on specific refs and I think that involved demonstrations of bias.

36 sats \ 6 replies \ @grayruby 6h

Looks like you have a new GM.

40 sats \ 5 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 6h

Brady's buddy from TB.

41 sats \ 4 replies \ @grayruby 5h

Are you content with this hire?

40 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 5h

If Pete Carroll's happy with it, then so am I. If not, then we should have just kept Telesco.

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29 sats \ 4 replies \ @Satosora 7h

As gambling has made its way into the league, it was only a matter of time before someone sunk their claws into it in a bad way. There has always been bad apples. Just imagine if a powerful group of people started to rig the game and decide outcomes? Will football become WWE?

10 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

Sports is fundamentally an entertainment product. As such, I'm less concerned with actual impropriety than I am with perceived impropriety, because it's the perception that reduces enjoyment.

Maybe it would just become WWE, but I don't think the casinos want that.

33 sats \ 2 replies \ @Satosora 7h

Dont the refs rotate and get picked randomly?

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 7h

I don't know the exact process, but something like that happens. They still know far enough in advance that corrupt dealings can be had.

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @Satosora 7h

Seems like corruption is happening in everything. Soon it will be like the soviet union. Or north korea? lol Or maybe a better example would be China?

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 3h

Why do anything the straight way when you can make so much more money doing it the crooked way? They may even be making it more exciting or even be looking for the ire of the masses to do their PR work.