Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Optimal Seedings in Elimination Tournaments Revisited
Author-Name: Matthias Kräkel
Author-Email: m.kraekel@uni-bonn.de
Classification-JEL: D44, D72
Keywords: Lazear-Rosen tournament, heterogeneous match, homogeneous match
Abstract: 	The paper addresses the problem of optimally matching
     heterogeneous players in a two-stage two-type Lazear-Rosen
     tournament in which the semifinal losers are eliminated. The
     organizer of the tournament can either choose two homogeneous
     semifinals -- one between two strong players and the other one
     between two weak players -- or two heterogeneous semifinals, each
     between one strong and one weak player. I identify conditions
     under which the organizer is strictly better off from two
     homogeneous semifinals if he wants to maximize total expected
     effort and the strong players' win probability. This finding is
     contrary to both the typical procedure used in real sporting
     contests and previous results based on all-pay auctions and the
     Tullock contest. Hence, my findings point out that the optimal
     design of elimination tournaments crucially depends on the
     underlying contest-success technology. 
Note: 
Length: 35
Creation-Date: 2011-12
Revision-Date: 
File-URL: http://www.wiwi.uni-bonn.de/bgsepapers/bonedp/bgse14_2011.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:bon:bonedp:bgse14_2011