Putting a price on popularity: Evidence from superstars in the National Basketball Association

This study estimates spectator willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) for superstars in the National Basketball Association. Using microdata from an online secondary ticket marketplace and player absence announcements, I find 4%–22% ($4–$41) reductions in prices when superstars are announced to miss games. Additionally, LeBron James and Stephen Curry exhibit larger impacts in away games: 21% ($73/ticket) for James and 18% ($50/ticket) for Curry. The findings suggest popularity is a better predictor of WTP than productivity, and in line with existing superstar literature, popularity predicts price impacts convexly. This study provides a novel methodology to estimate superstar value, generating implications for the entertainment industry.