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UTEP Study: Judges’ and referee calls favored Kansas City Chiefs from 2015-2023
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:08 pm
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:08 pm
quote:
EL PASO, Texas (Oct. 8, 2025) – A new study from The University of Texas at El Paso has uncovered how financial incentives may subtly shape officiating decisions in one of America’s most iconic institutions: the National Football League.
By analyzing more than 13,000 penalty calls from 2015 to 2023, researchers found that postseason officiating has disproportionately favored the Patrick Mahomes–era Kansas City Chiefs, coinciding with their rise as one of the NFL’s most marketable franchises.
quote:
“Our findings suggest that when the league’s financial health is at stake, rule enforcement may subtly shift to protect market appeal,” said Spencer Barnes Ph.D., assistant professor of finance in UTEP’s Woody L. Hunt College of Business and the lead author of the study. “The fact that postseason penalties consistently favored one franchise, while similar dynasties showed no such pattern, points to the powerful role of financial incentives in shaping supposedly neutral decisions.”
LINK
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:19 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
Now do a study on mid majors in the NCAA basketball tournament
And one of G5 schools playing on the road at a P5
I promise you will find the exact same results.
And one of G5 schools playing on the road at a P5
I promise you will find the exact same results.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:21 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:
“Our findings suggest that when the league’s financial health is at stake, rule enforcement may subtly shift to protect market appeal,”

Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:24 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
If the NFL was going to force a dynasty they wouldn't be doing it w/the #31 TV market.
This study sounds like it started w/a conclusion and worked it's way backwards to justify it.
This study sounds like it started w/a conclusion and worked it's way backwards to justify it.
This post was edited on 10/10/25 at 1:25 pm
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:28 pm to Dr RC
quote:
If the NFL was going to force a dynasty they wouldn't be doing it w/the #31 TV market.
With its #1 QB it absolutely would.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:30 pm to Spelt it rong
Except if you are purposely giving overly favorable calls to one team to help them win it heavily implies the QB of said team can't possibly the #1 QB in the game. So no, it really doesn't make sense. If they were going to force things they'd be making sure the Cowboys were going deep into the playoffs every year. There are 20+ teams in larger markets than the Chiefs. They are the kind of franchise that's more likely to threaten to move to a bigger market than to have a league wide conspiracy to aid them in winning.
This post was edited on 10/10/25 at 1:36 pm
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:43 pm to Dr RC
It only looked at defensive penalties during the playoffs. I’m sure they analyzed both offensive and defensive penalties but only published the defensive stats because they could massage the data enough to fit their narrative.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:51 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
Well no fricking shite.
Now do the SEC when it had a literal Bama alum running the show lol
The main reason I quit watching the NFL was how blatant the game fixing has become. I really and truly do not think it is a conspiracy at all since it is so obvious and in your face. They are entertainment, and they will leverage the officials to manufacture that drama if needed.
Just watching the KC offensive linemen false start and then literally tackle NFL all pro DEs all playoffs, then in Super Bowls (where they were not called for obvious penalties one time) should have alerted any average fan what the results were going to be lol
Then you factor in Taylor Swift and the additional hundreds of millions of dollars she brought in. The NFL did what was best for the NFL. You can't blame them.
ETA: Then the replays of what I saw from the Texans and Bills playoff games last year just floored me. I'm so glad I quit wasting hours of my life watching that. Also glad I never bet on this garbage either.
Now do the SEC when it had a literal Bama alum running the show lol
The main reason I quit watching the NFL was how blatant the game fixing has become. I really and truly do not think it is a conspiracy at all since it is so obvious and in your face. They are entertainment, and they will leverage the officials to manufacture that drama if needed.
Just watching the KC offensive linemen false start and then literally tackle NFL all pro DEs all playoffs, then in Super Bowls (where they were not called for obvious penalties one time) should have alerted any average fan what the results were going to be lol
Then you factor in Taylor Swift and the additional hundreds of millions of dollars she brought in. The NFL did what was best for the NFL. You can't blame them.
ETA: Then the replays of what I saw from the Texans and Bills playoff games last year just floored me. I'm so glad I quit wasting hours of my life watching that. Also glad I never bet on this garbage either.
This post was edited on 10/10/25 at 1:53 pm
Posted on 10/10/25 at 1:51 pm to Dr RC
quote:
purposely giving overly favorable calls to one team to help them win it heavily implies the QB of said team can't possibly the #1 QB in the game.
Or...and stay with me here, he was the most marketable and those favorable calls made him the #1 QB in the game. You can have both of those things be true. Stars in the NBA have always gotten calls so this wouldn't be that different
Posted on 10/10/25 at 2:02 pm to JetsetNuggs
quote:
Our findings suggest that when the league’s financial health is at stake, rule enforcement may subtly shift to protect market appeal,”
Yes, I have noticed that as well. How did I do that? Because I'm not in a coma.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 2:05 pm to Dr RC
quote:
If they were going to force things they'd be making sure the Cowboys were going deep into the playoffs every year.
Not necessarily. Getting favorable calls and taking advantage of favorable calls are two different things.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 2:07 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
They should do a study on whether Michael Jordan and Tom Brady got favorable calls. Spoiler Alert....they did...I know it's shocking news.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 2:07 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:
coinciding with their rise as one of the NFL’s most marketable franchises.
What makes KC one of the NFL’s most marketable franchises?
Posted on 10/10/25 at 2:09 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:
referee calls favored Kansas City Chiefs from 2015-2023

Posted on 10/10/25 at 2:23 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
Former UTEP offensive line coach Fat Andy won’t like this one bit.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 6:35 pm to JetsetNuggs
I still can’t believe that non-call. It was the most blatant pass interference in the history of pass interference. It is the very definition of pass interference. It’s still unbelievable.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 6:40 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
they would've rigged the SB for KC had the game been competitive.
Posted on 10/10/25 at 7:00 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa
quote:
“The fact that postseason penalties consistently favored one franchise... points to the powerful role of financial incentives in shaping supposedly neutral decisions.”
* cough DraftKings, Fan Duel, Vegas, NFL "Entertainment", Refs flags & non-calls *
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