Ethnicity, productivity and salary: player compensation and discriminationin the National Hockey League

The paper considers the impact of potential minority (Francophone, American , European) ethnic (language, culture) discrimination on salary determinati on in the National Hockey League. Using player salary data for the 1989/90 season, a regression model of salary determination is constructed which inc ludes variables measuring productivity (skills), market structure, and allo ws for several ethnic influences including minority discrimination, ethnica lly shaped consumer preferences and reservation wages. The basic conclusion is that wages are principally determined by productivity and market struct ure, and the only evidence of discrimination is found in the ethnically inf luenced consumer preference of American, as opposed to Canadian, teams.