Baseball Economics: Moneyball, Sabermetrics, and Globalization

How did a game once defined by traditional scouting evolve into a global, data-driven business? Understanding the intersection of sports analytics, economics, and globalization is key to decoding modern professional sports. In this text-based course, you will explore the revolutionary shift toward sabermetrics—popularized as Moneyball—and analyze how international talent pipelines and global media markets have reshaped baseball. You will gain a foundational understanding of sports economics, player valuation metrics, and the geopolitical factors driving the sport's global expansion. What you'll learn: Understand the fundamental principles of sabermetrics and how data-driven decision-making challenges traditional scouting; Analyze the economic models behind player valuation, salary caps, and revenue sharing in professional leagues; Explore the globalization of baseball talent, focusing on recruitment pipelines in Latin America and East Asia; Examine the role of international tournaments and global media rights in expanding the sport's commercial footprint; Evaluate modern sports management strategies that balance financial sustainability with competitive success. The course begins with foundational concepts in sports economics and the history of analytical scouting before guiding you through the mechanics of international player markets and global branding. You will read through detailed case studies and engage with written analytical exercises to apply these concepts. This course is designed for sports enthusiasts, aspiring sports analysts, and students of business or economics who want to understand the commercial side of sports, with no prior background in statistics required. Start exploring the fascinating forces that drive the modern global game today.