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Economics becomes real when the student has to make the decision.

BOW puts students in the room where sports-business decisions get made. They analyze evidence, explain economic tradeoffs, make choices under real constraints, and defend their reasoning — all through decisions they already care about.

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Program Methodology

The student encounters the economic problem before receiving the definition.

BOW doesn't begin with vocabulary lists. Students enter a real sports decision, make a choice with real consequences, and discover the economics behind what happened. The concept arrives when it matters most — not in advance of the experience that makes it meaningful.

01Enter the ProblemA sports decision where the stakes are real and the budget is tight. No vocabulary list first.
02Make the CallChoose from meaningful options. Each one has a real tradeoff the student must weigh.
03See What ChangesThe consequence arrives. Cap space, wins, fan trust, sponsor revenue — something shifts.
04Name the PrincipleNow the economic concept appears — scarcity, opportunity cost, incentives — grounded in what just happened.
05Apply It AgainA second sports situation uses the same reasoning. The pattern becomes visible across contexts.
06Transfer Beyond SportsThe same economic model in a school budget, a city, a household, or a community decision.
07Defend the ConclusionExplain the reasoning. Use evidence. Argue the tradeoff. Show the relationship.
Program Illustration · You're the GM · Track 101 · Module 2

From roster budgeting to economic reasoning.

The Sports Decision
You inherit a team with $38M and four roster problems. You can only seriously fix one.
Economic Concept
Scarcity, opportunity cost, marginal value — discovered through the decision, not before it.
Reasoning Practice
Students identify the constraint, explain the tradeoff, and predict what changes if the budget doubles.
Transfer Challenge
The same allocation logic applied to a school budget, a nonprofit, or a household — not a sports team.
Economic Reasoning Framework

Five reasoning moves. Every lesson builds toward all five.

These habits are informed by the analytical thinking used in introductory economics, adapted for students in grades 5 through 8. Rigorous economic reasoning at an age-appropriate level — not test prep.

IdentifyWhat economic force, constraint, or outcome is present?Name the pressure — scarcity, incentive, price, constraint — before anything else.
ExplainWhy did this result happen?Connect the cause to the effect using the economic idea at the center of the decision.
PredictWhat changes if one condition changes?Test the model. Change one variable and trace the ripple through the system.
ModelShow the relationship: numbers, a comparison, arrows, a table.Make the reasoning visible. A budget, a before-and-after, a simple diagram.
ConnectWhat was economically similar across the sports and real-world situations?The transfer question. Find the same pattern operating in a different context.
Track-Level Scaffolding

Same economics. Different levels of support.

The underlying economic concept stays rigorous across both tracks. The amount of structure changes — not the seriousness of the idea.

101Grades 5–6

Guided decisions with visible structure.

Short scenarios with 2–3 meaningful choices
Whole-number budgets and clear tradeoffs
Sentence starters and direction arrows
One changed variable at a time
Immediate explanation after each decision
Selection-based responses
201Grades 7–8

More complexity. Less scaffolding.

Short written explanations required
Percentage changes and data tables
Competing stakeholders with different goals
Multiple consequences including unintended effects
Short-term and long-term analysis side by side
Basic economic diagrams
Sample Implementation

Six-session BOW program: a realistic sequence.

Each session is built around one central decision. The concept arrives through the problem — not before it. Sessions can be compressed, expanded, or rearranged.

01
How a Sports Organization Makes MoneyStudents map the revenue streams behind a franchise
Revenue45–55 MIN
02
You're the GMStudents allocate a capped budget across competing needs
Scarcity · Opportunity Cost55–65 MIN
03
Ticket Pricing and Fan AccessStudents design a pricing strategy and defend tradeoffs
Supply & Demand · Price Elasticity50–60 MIN
04
Risk, Incentives, and Roster StrategyStudents weigh short- and long-term options under pressure
Incentives · Risk50–60 MIN
05
Save the FranchiseStudents choose a turnaround plan and defend it to ownership
Long-Term Strategy · Revenue55–70 MIN
06
Final Front Office ChallengeStudents apply one economic model to a non-sports setting
Transfer · Reasoning55–65 MIN
Flagship Cases

Three decisions to start with.

Observable Outcomes

What students actually do.

→Identify an economic constraint in a real sports-business situation
→Distinguish revenue from profit and explain why both matter
→Explain opportunity cost using evidence from a case
→Predict how changing one variable affects an outcome
→Compare short-term and long-term strategies and weigh tradeoffs
→Defend a resource-allocation decision with economic reasoning
→Connect one economic model across two different settings
→Use evidence to support — and revise — a conclusion
Delivery Details

How it runs.

Grade BandGrades 5–10
Session Length45–75 min
Group Size8–40 students
Technology1 device / 2–3 students
FacilitationBOW or teacher-led
FormatWorkshop → full track
Academic Alignment

BOW focuses on observable economic reasoning skills. A formal standards crosswalk is in development following educator review. Contact us to discuss alignment with your program goals directly.

Formats

Pick the shape that fits

01One-Time Workshop60–90 MIN
02Multi-Session Course4–8 WEEKS
03Full-Track Program1 SEMESTER
04Camp Experience1–5 DAYS
05Custom Sports-Business EventFLEXIBLE
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