Akira Motomura

Biography

Akira Motomura teaches Economics of Sports, United States Economic History, History of World Economic Development, Industrial Organization, and the Capstone Seminar in Economic Research. His research in recent years has focused on the economics of sports, mostly in relation to the National Basketball Association. Motomura’s articles have appeared in major economics journals, including Economic Inquiry and the Journal of Sports Economics. His research on the practice of “tanking” in the NBA has been cited in the New York Times and Sports Illustrated. He has also published research on the economic history of 17th-century Spain in the Journal of Economic History and Explorations in Economic History.

Professor Motomura chairs the Economics Department and co-directs the Sport Commerce and Culture minor. He is active in Stonehill's Faculty of Color Association. He previously taught at Albion College and at Barnard College. He plays recreational basketball, but long ago realized he would never become one of his NBA draft data points.

Education

• M.A., Ph.D., Northwestern University
• B.A., Yale University