Based on systematic and evidence from major soccer leagues in Europe and South America, this volume explores how soccer has become the world's most important team sport. Readers will find a thorough understanding of the market for players, coaches and referees, as well as the demand for the sport.

Soccer has become "big business." The aggregated market value of the first and second division teams from the "Big 5" European Leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) is nearly 12 billion. Using systematic and anecdotal evidence from the "Big 5" and additional evidence from other European and some of the South American Leagues (Brazil and Argentina), this book explores the development of soccer as the world's most important team sport and addresses competitive balance across the a large number of leagues. The book also provides the reader with a thorough understanding of the market for players, coaches and referees as well as the demand for soccer, both on TV, at the gate, and in the betting office. Finally, the economic implications of pertinent recent problems, such as hooliganism and racism, are addressed.

Most of the discussion about player salaries, head coach dismissals, stadium subsidies, ticket prices and TV contracts is not very well informed andis based on prejudices. Assembling and interpreting the relevant and available information from an economic viewpoint provides the reader with a fresh new perspective on those subjects. Econometric evidence is presented in the form of graphs and figures instead of regression coefficients and is supplemented by anecdotal evidence. "Economic jargon" will be limited to a minimum in order to give readers a more intuitive understanding of the material.

First book to deal with the supply and demand side of the market for soccer from a multinational perspective Uses evidence from the "Big 5" European Leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) and some of the South American Leagues (Brazil and Argentina) Econometric evidence is presented in a graphical form to make the book more accessible to multiple audiences

Autorentext
Bernd Frick is Professor of Organizational and Media Economics in the Department of Management and Vice President of the University of Paderborn with the responsibility for strategy, finance, and international relations. His research interests are in labor and personnel economics, organizational economics as well as in sports economics.

Inhalt
The Evolution of Professional Soccer in Europe.- The Market for Players, Coaches and Referees.- The Demand for Football and the Sources of Club Revenues.- The Capital and the Betting Market.- Current Problems and Future Prospects.