Vliv investic do hokejové mládeže v evropských zemích a jejich úspěch na počet draftovaných hráčů do NHL

The aim of this thesis is the analysis of the impact of financial investments in youth hockey development across European countries, specifically focusing on the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and Sweden, on the number of players drafted annually within an eleven-year timeframe. Due to the unavailability of comprehensive financial data concerning youth hockey investments in these countries, attributed to non-public information such as sponsorship contributions or individual hockey club budgets allocated for youth development expenses, data pertaining to financial investments in individual countries has been considered in the form of interannual expenditures in millions of Euros within the sports sector. The theoretical segment furnishes an overview of previous literature, delving into the psychological facets that influence youth development in sports, while also addressing the economic dimension of parental investments in children's sporting development. Additionally, the history of the NHL draft and the financial landscape of this premier hockey competition are expounded upon. The practical section encompasses a panel regression analysis utilizing a fixed effects approach for panel data. Pertinent statistical tests are conducted to validate the chosen regression methodology. Based on these analyses, three regression models are subsequently formulated, wherein the dependent variable is the number of drafted players. The outcomes of the baseline model suggest a positive correlation between public financial resources earmarked for sporting activities and the count of players drafted into the NHL.