This volume deals with the competitive structure of football. It examines the relationship between sporting success and economic variables, the structure of European competitions, financial problems in football, their origins and options for reform, racial discrimination in English football, and the economic impact of the World Cup.

'Professor Szymanski is the one of the leading academic authorities internationally on sports economics particularly the economics of (association) football. This volume brings together many of his most important contributions to the the economics of football. He combines first-rate theoretical insight with solid empirical analysis applied to all aspects of the football industry including the operation of the transfer system and the players' labour market, the collective selling of TV rights, the financial performance of teams, competitive balance and league restructuring, and the economic impact of mega sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup. Whether or not you agree with Professor Szymanski's conclusions, his analysis frames the key issues and highlights the crucial assumptions that must be considered. Read, understand, critically evaluate and, most of all, enjoy.' - Bill Gerrard, Leeds University Business School, UK.

Autorentext

STEFAN SZYMANSKI is Professor of Economics, Associate Dean and Director of the MBA Programme at the Cass Business School, City University of London, UK. He joins from Tanaka Business School, Imperial College, where he was the Programme Director for the full time MBA programme. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford, Hertford College, where he gained a first degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He began his teaching career at London Business School before moving to Imperial College in 1993. Professor Szymanski is also an economics professor, with many published articles on the business of sport, particularly football and the Olympics. With this professional interest in sports economics, he aspires to launch a sports business research centre at Cass in the future.

Inhalt
The English Football Industry, Profit, Performance and Industrial Structure The Market for Soccer Players in England after Bosman: Winners and Losers The Americanization of European Football Hearts and Minds and Restrictive Practices Court Case Broadcasting, Attendance and the Inefficiency of Cartels A Market Test for Discrimination in the English Professional Soccer Leagues The financial crisis in European Football: An Introduction English Football Income Inequality, Competitive Balance and the Attractiveness of Team Sports: Some Evidence and a Natural Experiment from English Soccer The Champions League and the Coase Theorem The Economic Impact of the World Cup 2002