Does race matter? Assessing consumer discrimination in the secondary basketball card market

Sociologists continue to observe the ways race permeates America's social institutions, the institution of sport being no exception. Although researchers have explored customer racial discrimination via examinations of the secondary sports card market, only three studies have explored the phenomenon in the context of basketball, a sporting context with a higher proportion of non-White players than the baseball and football leagues that have been the primary focus to date. We explore the unique way race matters on the hardwood by employing a methodological approach that previously has been used to study card collecting in other contexts. Data were obtained for 215 retired players and their rookie cards. Controlling for other factors, to include career performance, position, and card scarcity, the results reveal no direct effect of race on card values, but there is an interaction effect between race and Hall of Fame status that impacts card prices. The potential source and implications of this interaction are discussed as well as suggestions for future research.

► Using data obtained for 215 retired basketball players, we explore whether a players’ race influences the value collectors place on his rookie card. ► Our results reveal no direct effect of race on rookie card prices. ► We find an interaction effect between race and Hall of Fame status. ► Controlling for other factors, the cards of Black Hall of Fame members are worth significantly more than those of White Hall of Fame members and non-Hall of Fame members of both races.