Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2018

Abstract

There are many different ways to construct an NFL lineup given a salary cap. This study looks at different salary structures to determine if there is an optimal strategy that General Managers should use when building their roster. The goal of every manager should be to have as many wins as possible in a given year. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is an optimal strategy for general managers to use to construct their lineup by looking at two main factors and their effect on the number of wins for a team: positional spending and salary inequality. Salary inequality is measured using a Lorenz Curve and a Gini Coefficient. This study used data from the Spotrac website and analyzes the 2013‐2014 season through the 2017-2018 season. By analyzing a pooled regression model, this study attempted to answer if there is a superstar effect in the NFL and determine which positions are undervalued/ overvalued. The findings indicate that certain positions have been overpaid and some underpaid over the last 5 NFL seasons. The results also show that there is no superstar effect in the NFL. This study aims to help NFL teams construct the best possible lineup for their team and win more games.

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