Many elements are intertwined in the practice of a sport. First, there is a purely athletic aspect, which concerns physical prowess and the harmonious movement of the human body. Then there is a playful dimension, linked to leisure and enjoyment. Finally, sport also involves the "moral" sphere, that is, the set of ethical values to be followed in order to live with respect and mutual support for others. In some respects, sport is a highly educational activity, a true "life teacher": those who practice it become aware of their strengths and weaknesses, learning to consciously evaluate their own qualities and limitations. The commitment and tenacity required by sport also serve as a vehicle for learning: the effort required to achieve a result (in this case, athletic) is essential for shaping a person's character and personality. Furthermore, every sporting moment presents us with a "relationship," whether under the guise of aggregation (feeling part of a team) or competition (challenging an opponent). It's an opportunity to test yourself from this perspective too, interacting with other people and taking on responsibilities within a group.
These are, of course, the ideal and virtuous aspects of sport, which, especially at the professional level, is also business and entertainment. Indeed, the cynical and unromantic side of competitive sport emerges, a chiaroscuro that prompted the great tennis player Roger Federer to say: "I'd like a doping-free sport, but it's an illusion. There's so much money involved, and that pushes people to dope. We can be tested at any time, and I think that's the right thing to do. I prefer knowing I'm playing against a clean opponent. Unfortunately, that's not always the case."
In short, sport is many things, and it's pointless to think that money, ambition, business, and cooperation aren't integral parts of it. Indeed, for American economist Paul Oyer, if you look closely at sport, it's all about economics. If you look closely at economics, it's very similar to certain sports. Oyer's essay, "Economists at the Stadium" (Il Saggiatore, 2026, pp. 240, also available as an ebook), is, in fact, the story of the connections between these two worlds and the many lessons each of us can learn from their encounter.
A story that begins with seemingly unusual premises: for many, what made Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player in history were his superhuman dunks, buzzer-beating baskets, and unstoppable intensity. For Paul Oyer, however, it was his ability to make excellent economic decisions: as in the decisive game of the 1997 NBA Finals, when in the final seconds, guarded by two opponents, instead of shooting as everyone expected, he exploited game theory and probability and passed the ball to then-unnamed benchwarmer Steve Kerr, who scored, allowing Jordan's Chicago Bulls to win the game and the championship. But this is just one of many examples of the application of the rules of economics and numbers to the world of sports.
In the pages of Economists at the Stadium , Oyer takes us through packed stands, crucial penalties, surprising victories, and unexpected defeats, revealing how balance sheets, incentives, percentages, and cost-benefit ratios help us explain not only what happens on the field, but above all why . We'll discover why Liechtenstein has more Olympic medals per capita than the United States, why hosting the Olympics is almost always a financial loss, why Kenyan marathon runners are the best in the world, why some athletes dope despite the risks, and what touts and million-dollar salaries have to do with the proper functioning of the sports system. Oyer's book takes us beyond the surface of competitions and matches, showing us how every choice—on and off the field—depends on the balance between rationality and desire, between numbers and bodies in motion. And even if we never become Jannik Sinner, Lamine Yamal, or LeBron James in our lives, that doesn't mean we can't learn from them to make better decisions!