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Texas Tech University · Department of Economics

James
Kemper

I am a Lecturer in the Economics Department at Texas Tech University. I also help supervise our Graduate Instructors and lead a bi-weekly teaching workshop to help them refine their teaching skills. In addition to teaching and service, my research focuses on the connection between sports and economics.

Portrait of James Kemper
Research

Current Research

College Sports and NIL

Research examining how NIL policy has reshaped transfer behavior, roster construction, and competitive balance across modern college athletics.

Sports Betting Markets

Empirical analysis of betting market efficiency, prediction markets, pricing behavior, and the role of information asymmetries in sports wagering environments.

Referee Decision-Making and Bias

Large-scale analysis of officiating behavior, social pressure, home-court dynamics, and institutional incentives using millions of NCAA game observations.

Athletic Performance and Competitive Balance

Research on how environmental conditions, timing rules, scheduling structures, and strategic incentives shape athletic performance and competitive outcomes.

Sports and Institutional Outcomes

Work exploring how athletic success influences university enrollment, fan engagement, institutional visibility, and broader organizational behavior.

Teaching

Courses Taught

ECO 2301
Principles of Economics I (Microeconomics)
ECO 2302
Principles of Economics II (Macroeconomics)
ECO 3368
Sports Economics
ECO 3361
Microsoft Excel for Economists
ECO 4300
Economic Research