Brown ’19, Sheridan co-author article on the impact of national anthem protests on NFL television ratings

Research co-authored by Judah Brown ’19 and Assistant Professor of Economics Brandon Sheridan is published in the Journal of Sports Economics.

Elon alumnus Judah Brown ’19 and Brandon Sheridan, assistant professor of economics in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, co-authored the article, “The Impact of National Anthem Protests on National Football League Television Ratings,” which is published in the Journal of Sports Economics.

The authors explored if the national anthem protests initiated by Colin Kaepernick at the beginning of the 2016 football season affected National Football League television ratings.

The article abstract reads:

“The National Football League’s (NFL) television ratings decreased by approximately 8% during the 2016 season, then a further 10% the following season. These declines coincided with league-wide national anthem protests initiated by Colin Kaepernick at the beginning of the 2016 season. Existing research identifies many determinants of demand for sporting events, but athletes’ protests are seldom considered. We use detailed data on players’ protests and television ratings to construct a new, game-level panel for the four NFL seasons between 2014 and 2017. Our results show protests are statistically significantly associated with lower TV ratings, but the economic magnitude is relatively muted.”

Peer-reviewed and published quarterly, the Journal of Sports Economics (JSE), furthers research in the area of sports economics by bringing together theoretical and empirical research in a single intellectual venue.

Brown, an Honors Fellow, graduated from Elon in 2019 with a degree in economics. He now works at AIG as a corporate investments internal audit analyst.

Sheridan joined Elon in 2016. His primary research interests involve the intersection of international trade, education, and economic growth. He also has an avid research interest in economic education, especially the efficacy of various technologies and pedagogical techniques.