Overview

This timely Modern Guide offers critical insights into developments in both professional and recreational sports through the lens of the economic forces that determine them. It explores the benefits of the relationship between sports and economics, highlighting ways that economic research can help to understand sports better and the ways that sport provides opportunities to test economic theories.   With both theoretical and empirical chapters, the book looks at the development of European sports economics over the last 20 years, the relationship between competitive balance and attendance, and the potential economic impact of sports events. Chapters further examine specific issues in sports from an economic perspective, including labour market restrictions on professional leagues, refereeing, team dynamics, the importance of good players versus good results and the sports analytics revolution due to big data.   The use of state-of-the-art empirical methods makes this Modern Guide a crucial read for economists and sports science researchers looking to better understand both the relationship between the two fields and their own area of research. Sports policy makers will also appreciate the in-depth discussion on a range of different recreational and professional sports.

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9781789906523

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Reviews

'Editors Koning and Kesenne bring together a collection of outstanding scholars in the field of sports economics for this book. Chapter 2 by Fort offers an excellent perspective on the development of the sports economics field and provides a frame for the chapters that follow. The topics are broad ranging and touch on many of the most important research questions in sports economics. This compendium belongs on the bookshelf of anyone engaged in sports economics research.' -- Leo H. Kahane, Providence College, US and Founding editor of the Journal of Sports Economics 'Koning and Kesenne have assembled an excellent roster of many of the world's leading sports economists and they, in turn, provide a superb sampling of some of the latest research in sports economics. These essays go beyond earlier findings to break down the underlying dynamics in key areas. So, for instance, do fans buying high-priced seats have a different utility function than those in low-priced seats? Does video casting of games have a different impact on attendance for mid-week than for weekend games? What are the latest findings on the importance of competitive balance for the success of sports leagues? This book will be an important resource both for researchers and classes in sports economics.' -- Andrew Zimbalist, Smith College, US

Author Information

Edited by Ruud H. Koning, University of Groningen, the Netherlands and Stefan Kesenne, University of Antwerp and KU Leuven, Belgium

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