Description
Book SynopsisFrom professional team sports to international events such as the Olympics and Tour de France, the modern sports industry continues to attract a large number of spectators and participants. This book, edited by John K. Wilson and Richard Pomfret, analyzes the economic evolution of sports over the last 150 years, from a pastime activity to a big business enterprise. It begins at a time when entrepreneurs and players first started making money from professional sports leagues, through to the impact of radio and TV in the twentieth century, and on to the present day.
Using examples from sports across the world, the chapters cover such important issues as player migration, labor market restrictions, stadium arrangements and the rise and fall of workplace provisions. Unlike most sports economic texts, the contributors featured here provide insights into the historical origins of many practices and policies peculiar to the industry. This historical perspective casts light onto the development of practices, such as labor market regulations and public policies, which have become more prevalent in the modern age.
The non-technical, user-friendly nature of this book will appeal to many students, particularly those enrolled in sports economics courses - a field of study which is increasingly common. Academics will also find this book to be a timely reference for their research and teaching.
Contributors include: L. Borrowman, A. Carter, J. Cranfield, L. Frost, A.K. Halabi, K. Inwood, A. Kawaura, S. La Croix, M. Lightbody, J.-F. Mignot, R. Pomfret, J.A. Ross, W. Vamplew, J.K. Wilson
Trade Review'Sports in the modern era have acquired an unprecedented social significance, a conjuncture that can only be understood through the lens of history of economics. This is an important book that offers a number of significant contributions and shows how the combined wisdom of these two disciplines can put modern sports in their proper context.' --Stefan Szymanski, University of Michigan
Table of ContentsContents: 1. Sports Economics and the Sports Industry: Perspectives in Economic History John K. Wilson 2. The Evolution of Professional Team Sports Richard Pomfret 3. The Very Short tenure of Foreign Players in Japanese Professional Baseball, 1951-2004 Akihiko Kawaura and Sumner La Croix 4. An Economic History of the Tour de France, 1903-2015 Jean-François Mignot 5. The Relationship between Crowd Attendance and Competitive Balance – evidence from the SANFL 1920-83 John K. Wilson 6. Ground sharing between Cricket and Football in Australia Lionel Frost, Margaret Lightbody, Abdel K. Halabi, Amanda Carter and Luc Borrowman 7. Workers' Playtime: Developing an explanatory typology of work-associated sport in Britain Wray Vamplew 8. Ethnic Inequality in Professional Sport: A question of discrimination in the National Hockey League draft John Cranfield, Kris Inwood and J. Andrew Ross 9. Epilogue Richard Pomfret Index
