Brad "Pencil Necked Geek" Humphreys
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bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Brad "Pencil Necked Geek" Humphreys
@bradhumphreys.bsky.social
730 followers 1.2K following 350 posts
Economist. "He's an impediment to Civic Progress" - Patrick La Forge, Edmonton Oilers President
https://bradhumphreys.faculty.wvu.edu/home
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bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Now available in Labour Economics: "The effects of negative labor market conditions at entry: Evidence from the 2004–05 NHL lockout" by me and @chengyuanhua.bsky.social
A B S T R A C T We investigate the impact of a large negative labor market shock on short-run and long-run labor market outcomes of new entrants exposed to this shock. The shock, a labor dispute over a new collective bargaining agreement, resulted in the cancellation of the entire 2004–05 season in the National Hockey League (NHL). We compare career outcomes of new entrants exposed to this shock, players who declared for the 2004 draft, to career outcomes of new entrants in the 2003 draft who were not exposed, generating estimates of the average impact of the treatment on the treated. Results show that new entrants exposed to the shock experienced shorter careers than new entrants in the control group. The results also show strong effect heterogeneity based on observable worker characteristics. New entrants born in Europe benefited from exposure to the shock compared to new entrants born in North America, who were less likely to ever play in the NHL and had shorter careers than treated Europeans. Alternative employment opportunities in European hockey leagues represents a likely mechanism for these results.
November 13, 2025 at 6:42 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Now available on-line at Economics and Human Biology: "The impact of health shocks on worker performance: Evidence from Major League Baseball." Joint work with Yulia Chikish
Link to ungated version: authors.elsevier.com/a/1l-nQ,Zjej...
Paper abstract
October 27, 2025 at 3:53 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
New publication available on-line "Horizontal Product Differentiation in Higher Education Markets and Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Changes" in RIO, joint with Patrick Reilly
Paper abstract
October 6, 2025 at 3:25 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
My paper "Where the rubber meets the road: Pavement damage reduces traffic safety and speed" with Margaret Bock and Alex Cardazzi is just out in the Journal of Urban Economics. We started this project before the pandemic and it is great to see it published.
Abstract: Road maintenance constitutes a significant component of transportation spending at all levels of government. Formulation of an efficient transportation infrastructure policy requires information about factors affecting road and traffic conditions. We generate the first causal evidence that decreasing pavement quality increases vehicle crash rates and decreases average speed. Results from parallel segment and instrumental variable models using spatially and temporally disaggregated data from Federal-Aid Highway System (FAHS) roads in California show statistically and economically significant increases in vehicle crash rates and decreases in average vehicle speed caused by road damage. These results produce a range of effect sizes that exceed those using standard road quality data. The results imply significant increases in social costs attributable to road damage.
June 30, 2025 at 2:32 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Happy Kentucky Derby day for those who celebrate!
May 3, 2025 at 11:59 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Having some rockfish tonight. This should work.
April 19, 2025 at 10:30 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
The Shenandoah clearly runs through West Virginia in Jefferson county, near Harper’s Ferry. The USGS lists Jefferson County WV as in the Blue Ridge mountains.
March 29, 2025 at 9:52 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Had an egg white left over so our Sunday cocktail is a whiskey sour.
Whiskey sour, cherry, dash of Angostura
February 2, 2025 at 11:41 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Saturday night Carajillos
Carajillo cocktails
February 1, 2025 at 11:05 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
I’m about 4-5 short of equilibrium right now.
December 29, 2024 at 12:03 AM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Caga Tio has arrived in my house!
Caga tio the Catalan poop log
December 9, 2024 at 2:23 AM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Brandy Alexander. My official holiday cocktail.
Brandy Alexander
November 29, 2024 at 11:28 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
I think something got lost in translation
November 23, 2024 at 2:47 AM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Representative Earl Blumenauer (D Oregon) introduced the Give Fans a Chance Act in 1999. Bill aimed to eliminate subsidies for new professional sports facility construction. We need more of this sort of federal action.

www.congress.gov/bill/106th-c...
Text of the 1999 Give Fans a chance Act
November 14, 2024 at 8:39 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
It’s a pint of Guinness
November 9, 2024 at 11:04 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
My paper with Jane Ruseski "NCAA football coach compensation and non-price competition for football players" is now out in applied Economics
September 9, 2024 at 1:35 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
New paper out in Economics and Human Biology on the impact of air pollution on NFL teams. Higher PM2.5 concentrations affect defensive players more than offensive players. Probably reflects cognitive impairment.
First page of the paper
October 12, 2023 at 1:48 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
Link
www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/de...
September 28, 2023 at 4:16 PM
bradhumphreys.bsky.social
I'm testifying before the Oregon legislature this afternoon on college conference realignment. 6:30pm Eastern, 3:30pm Pacific. Livestream here

olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023I1/C...
Title of presentation
September 28, 2023 at 1:45 PM