Two elements
stand out in playing and watching sports. First, the playing dimensions and
second the scoring system. The former includes the dimensions of the field,
nature and specifications of the equipment used, dress code etc. The latter, vital
for the very landscape of sports being competitive, defines the process of
determination of the winner.
A glance at
playing dimensions indicate cricket pitch to be of 22 yards, soccer field
dimensions at international level being around 100*70 metres or so etc.
Similarly we see athletics events being raced over 100 m, 200 m etc. Ditto for
swimming contests. The scoring system for sports like tennis is 6 games to a
set and best of three or five sets as the case may be. Table tennis, badminton
etc similarly are played in sets but rather games, they are played to certain
points in each set. Golf is about achieving the target with minimum shots.
Shooting is target sport with points offered based on the target hit.
While soaking
the emotions evoked through playing or watching sports, it might be time to
wonder a little bit what determines the playing dimensions or the scoring
system. Many dimensions have existed for decades, scoring systems do keep
changing in some sports though anchored to the original target. A fruitful
dissection of these puzzles existed perhaps long enough to get noticed or
wondered might unearth some interesting things at play.
To a theorist,
perhaps a refuge might exist in economics. Economics might seem abstract, yet over
the years has morphed into analytical instrument to decode day to day
realities. To decipher economic logic of sports field dimensions or sports
scoring systems, we delve into concept termed arbitrary coherence.
Arbitrary
coherence was introduced by economist Dan Ariely especially in relation to
understanding price mechanism. In Ariely’s words, “The basic idea of arbitrary coherence is this: Although initial prices
can be "arbitrary," once those prices are established in our minds,
they will shape not only present prices but also future ones (thus making them
"coherent")”. While research is being pursued in the price modelling,
we will apply the same model in understanding the above puzzles.
The premise of
arbitrary coherence in simple. The initial idea might appear arbitrary. Yet it
anchors the processes downstream. In other words, once the idea is rooted,
every other ancillary step is tied to the root. There is a method to madness.
What appears arbitrary might actually be setting a series of thoughts of
coherence.
Consider cricket
pitch of 22 yards. The distance was rooted to imperial units of measurement.
One tenth of a furlong was a chain which was equivalent to 22 yards. Hence the
heuristic attribute which was perhaps easiest to anchor was one chain ( 22
yards) and thus the cricket pitch distance was framed. The other attributes of
the cricket field measurement would have be anchored to this ‘arbitrary’
figure. We would find similar solutions to puzzles posed by size of soccer or
hockey or basketball field.
In athletics, there is an event 110 meter
hurdles for men. Incidentally for women the distance is 100 metres. One might
wonder the odd 110 metres relative to almost every other distance in athletics
is rounded off. The mystery lies in men having to cross ten hurdles which meant
some extra cushion to the original 100 yards. The cushion perhaps was rounded
to 20 yards making the distance 120 yards. When converted to metric units it
became 110 metres and for historical reasons has continued so. Again some again
of coherent path to what prima facie seems arbitrary setting.
For marathon the
distance was anchored to the Greek times to the fabled run of the Greek
soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens, who reported
the victory and the extra 195 metres was designed to finish in front of Royal
Box in London, 1908 and has continued so so since then. From marathon,
arbitrary gave way to coherence in terms of designing half marathon etc. Every
distance in athletic events is perhaps an outcome of anchoring perhaps
arbitrary but nevertheless some coherence in the way it evolves from 100 metres
sprint to 10000 metres race. Similar
principle perhaps applies in designing the swimming or skiing distances.
Round numbers
smoothen the way for coherent follow up. Shooting scores revolve around a bulls
eye score of ten (for all that matter it could have been 50 or 100 or 25 or
33.5 etc) which seemed convenient. Other scores in decreasing order evolved
from this initial setting. The same modus operandi spilled over to sports from
archery to axe throwing.
In golf, the
mystery of 18 holes was linked to decision on oldest St. Andrews golf course
only to be rationalized across the world spread over decades and now spilled
over to mini golf, foot golf etc.
Penalties levied
in sports like canoe slalom, equestrian jumping, dressage, etc, the initial
anchor was convenient arbitrary figure which with passage of time and learning
curve evolved into a set of coherent rules and practices. The principles of
points and scoring in subjective evaluation sports like gymnastics, diving,
competitive cheer, and figure skating would follow suit with initial root in
arbitrary convenient point score morphing set of coherent patterns.
What the above
examples demonstrate is the presence of arbitrary anchor and subsequent
evolution of coherent mechanism of sports scoring and field dimensions. The
unique intricacies of sports scoring or field measures incorporate economics at
least sub consciuosly is an eye-opener. Next time when one plays or watches
sports action, do keep underlying economics in mind!
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