Description
Book SynopsisThis original Research Handbook examines the key legal aspects of a professional football club’s actions. Reflecting also on the role of key governing bodies such as UEFA, the Handbook informs and contributes to the ongoing debate surrounding the governance and behaviours of professional football clubs.
By placing professional clubs at the centre of the analysis, the Handbook offers an extensive overview of how law, particularly at a European level, is applied to professional football. Chapters explore key actors within the industry, from prominent governing bodies to players, examining how significant club changes such as transfers affect the economic and legal management of clubs. At a time when professional football is coming under increasing scrutiny, this Handbook will encourage critical thinking on the future of clubs’ design, organisation and function.
This illuminating Research Handbook will be of interest to law and business students endeavouring to investigate sports law and governance. It will additionally be beneficial to policymakers, along with legal and business actors, who are working with professional football clubs and seeking to reflect critically on industry features and legalities.
Trade Review‘This Research Handbook offers a thoughtful and systematic analysis of the most relevant issues surrounding professional football clubs’ law and governance. It is a timely and original work, which will enable academics, professionals and students to approach a wide range of topics from a multidisciplinary group of leading scholars and practitioners.’ -- Carmen Pérez González, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
‘Football law involves increasingly complex considerations. This legal handbook reflects the challenges of a legal nature that arise as a result of the commercialization and internationalization of professional football and is a must-read for football lawyers and others involved in the football industry.’ -- Espen Auberg, formerly Head of Legal at the Norwegian FA and Attorney-at-Law, Advokatfirmaet NOVA DA, Oslo, Norway
‘With three cases pending before the Court of Justice of the EU in 2023, professional football's governance confronts a perfect storm. The judges can pave the way for reform of football's governance. This book and its editor deserve praise for their approach, highlighting the importance of the law for professional football and clubs in particular, and inspiring critical thinking.’ -- Jean-Louis Dupont, Lawyer and Member of the Barcelona Bar, Dupont-Hissel, Spain
‘This book is a must have for all those interested in football and the law. It covers all material aspects relevant to professional football clubs. Importantly, it critically assesses professional football's governance and elucidates its complex relationship with the EU rule of law, whilst at the same time providing food for thought on what sustainable professional football for the future could look like.’ -- José Ángel Sánchez, Chief Executive Officer, Real Madrid, Spain
‘This Handbook, which focuses on the Law of Professional Football Clubs, features contributions from leading experts on various aspects of professional football, including organization, licensing, financial fair play, finances, players and compliance, corporate social responsibility, and dispute resolution. As we approach a crucial year for the future of European football, it is important to consider these topics from different academic perspectives.’ -- Sergio González García, University Rey Juan Carlos, Spain
Table of ContentsContents: Introduction to the Law of Professional Football Clubs 1 Robby Houben PART I THE ORGANISATION OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL 1 The football industry 7 Tom Bason and Benoit Senaux 2 Organisation of European professional football: A stakeholder theory analysis 29 Richard Parrish 3 The European football competition model (under stress) 48 Katarina Pijetlovic 4 Scoring across the pond—a comparison of football governance models 72 William W. Berry III and William N. Morris PART II LICENSING AND FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY 5 Professional football club licensing in Europe 90 Wino van Veen 6 Owning a football club 116 Siniša Petrović 7 Financial fair play and financial monitoring in Europe 135 Christopher Flanagan 8 Managing more than a football club 161 Hallgeir Gammelsæter PART III FINANCING PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CLUBS 9 The football club as media supplier: Media rights 176 Steve Cornelius 10 Commercial contracts: Sponsoring and ticketing 194 Shaun Star and Joost Vynckier 11 The football stadium 218 Andrea Cattaneo 12 The listed football club 237 Michiel De Muynck and Lennert Poelmans PART IV PLAYERS 13 The status and role of players in the football industry 259 Michele Colucci and Roy Vermeer 14 Player transfers 275 F.M. (Frans) de Weger and D.J. (Dannick) Luckson 15 Football agents 305 Stephen Weatherill 16 Taxation of professional football players and football clubs 326 Anne Van de Vijver and Karolina Tetłak PART V COMPLIANCE, CSR AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION 17 Compliance and money laundering in professional football: An evolving field 349 Niels Appermont and William Bull 18 Social responsibility, stakeholders and professional football clubs: From ‘window-dressing’ to civic wealth creation 370 Annette Greenhow 19 Dispute resolution in professional football 394 Jacopo Tognon and Priscilla Bortolin PART VI CONCLUDING REMARKS Concluding remarks 408 Robby Houben Index
