This book takes stock of British football at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is written by a range of concerned academics and writers, all of whom have an active relationship with the contemporary football world. The book assesses the changes that have occurred in many areas of football culture and the political and academic debates that have accompanied these changes.
English football in particular, it seems, is 'fat city'. The Premiership, now eight years old, has, via satellite television, become a globalised phenomenon: there are Liverpool supporters in Bangladesh, Chelsea fans in sub-Saharan Africa and Manchester United followers across the globe. Grounds are full. Top class football attracts people to bars and pubs in huge numbers. Hooliganism appears a thing of the past. Everyone seems to love football and/or to support a team. The British football media are generally euphoric in their rendering of contemporary football culture.
However, the contributors to this book argue that the heavily commodified, PR-driven and cartelised British football world, with which so many contemporary politicians and other public figures rush to identify themselves, has either created, exacerbated or continued to ignore serious problems of social exclusion problems of class and community, race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality and age.

This book takes stock of British football at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It is written by a range of concerned academics and writers, all of whom have an active relationship with the contemporary football world. The book assesses the changes that have occurred in many areas of football culture and the political and academic debates that have accompanied these changes.
English football in particular, it seems, is 'fat city'. The Premiership, now eight years old, has, via satellite television, become a globalised phenomenon: there are Liverpool supporters in Bangladesh, Chelsea fans in sub-Saharan Africa and Manchester United followers across the globe. Grounds are full. Top class football attracts people to bars and pubs in huge numbers. Hooliganism appears a thing of the past. Everyone seems to love football and/or to support a team. The British football media are generally euphoric in their rendering of contemporary football culture.
However, the contributors to this book argue that the heavily commodified, PR-driven and cartelised British football world, with which so many contemporary politicians and other public figures rush to identify themselves, has either created, exacerbated or continued to ignore serious problems of social exclusion problems of class and community, race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality and age.

In a sporting world dominated by media and money, an understanding of sport branding is an essential skill for any sport manager. Success means being able to 'brand' - and therefore differentiate - a sport club, player, code, or event in a highly competitive entertainment market. For anyone seeking to understand or manage sport, this book offers an immediate and salient insight into the complex and dynamic process of creating a powerful sport brand. The book explains how a sport brand goes beyond just an identifying badge, reinforced by a name or a logo that helps sport consumers recognise a product or an organisation. It reveals how a brand becomes linked with consumers' opinions and perceptions of a sport product and the organisation that owns it. Readers will learn how to create a powerful brand that has both recognition in the market and strong associated imagery, by imbuing it with a spirit of the past through appeals to tradition, by endowing it with human qualities of emotionality, thought, and volition, and through the use of characters, colours, texts, and symbols. It also provides a brief guide to the new domains of digital sport branding and social media. Concise, informative, and entertaining, this is an essential resource for anyone exploring or practising the business of sport.

Series Information:
Routledge Critical Studies in Sport Series

What does commercialisation mean for the future of sport? Modern sports links to commerce are highly visible. Stadiums and arenas bear the names of businesses, while sponsors' logos appear on athletes' clothing and equipment, on the facilities in which they play, and in the titles of the events in which they compete. Media companies pay vast sums for the rights to broadcast sports events, and advertisers pay a premium to promote products during the screening of these events. Cities invest, at the expense of other social projects, in the staging of major sports events and to attract professional teams to their areas. Star athletes are transferred for multi-million fees and professional sport franchises are sold for sums higher than the gross domestic products of some countries. Even recreational athletes are subject to a constant barrage of commercial pressures to improve their game. Sport's links to commerce have intensified over the past 30 years but have been subjected to little academic analysis. This book represents an attempt to fill that significant gap in the literature by examining five different aspects of the commercialisation of sport: * The sports industry * The public sector * The commercialisation of 'amateur' sport * Sport and television * Sports sponsorship There has been a rapid and widespread commercialisation of sport and it is vital that we now raise critical questions and analyse the changes that have taken place.

The past decade has seen a tremendous growth in the popularity of activities like skateboarding and snowboarding; sports that have been labelled as 'extreme' or 'lifestyle' and which embody 'alternative' sporting values such as anti-competitiveness, anti-regulation, high risk and personal freedom. The popularity of these activities goes beyond the teenage male youth that the media typify as their main consumers. This book examines the popularity, significance and meaning of lifestyle sport, exploring the sociological significance of these activities, particularly as related to their consumption, and the expression of politics of identity and difference. Including much unique ethnographic research work with skaters, surfers, windsurfers, climbers, adventure racers, and ultimate frisbee players., the central themes explored in The Cultural Politics of Lifestyle Sports include: How might we describe lifestyle sports? What influence do commercial forces have on lifestyle sports? Do lifestyle sports challenge the hegemonic masculinities inherent in a traditional sport environment? This book is a compelling exploration of sport as a way of life, and is a vital resource for any lecturer or student interested in Sociology and Cultural Studies in a Sports context.

The 2003 World Cup was of vital importance to the participating countries. For India, a world cup triumph would make cricket the nation's leading industry; for the host, South Africa, a successful campaign might realize its dream of political unity.
Dealing with themes of racial/political unification, commercialization, the media and globalisation, this book explores the role of cricket and sport in each of the competing nations.
Looking at recent developments such as match-fixing, the abolition of the quota system and the performances of the South African national team, the collection examines the importance of the Cricket World Cup in providing a unified political, social and economic stage from which a united South African identity can finally emerge. The book also explores the role of the Cricket World Cup in relation to West Indian unity, Pakistani economic regeneration, Sri Lankan, Kenyan and Zimbabwean peace.

Architecture and design have been used to exert control over bodies, across lines of class, gender and race. They regulate access to certain spaces and facilities, impose physical or psychological barriers, and make particular activities possible for specific groups. Built in 1951, the War Memorial Gymnasium at the University of British Columbia is a prize-winning example of modernist architecture. Although conceived to honour the dead of World War II, it was far from being a neutral memorial and gymnasium for everyday athletes. This collection shows what the design, construction and shifting functions and spatial configurations of the building reveal about the values and aspirations of the university in the post-war years. It shows how the building reflected the social and power relations among university administrators, architects and planners, faculty, staff and students, and demonstrates how the culture and structure of the gymnasium responded to changing attitudes to competition, discipline, profession, gender, race and health. As the editors explain, built form has politics, and culture - sporting culture - is just politics by another name.

Running is one of the world's most widely practiced sports and recreations but until now it has intended to elude serious study outside of the natural sciences. John Bale brings the sport into the realm of the humanities by drawing on sources including literature, poetry, film, art and sculpture as well as statistics and training manuals to highlight the tensions, ambiguities and complexities that lie hidden beneath the commonplace notion of running. The text explores both local and personal, as well as communal and global aspects of running and its practitioners. It examines the streets, tracks and stadiums where athletes run, the races in which they compete, and the running relationships such as exist between the athlete and the coach, between runners and between the athlete and spectator. It discusses the importance of speed and records, how running has been used to symbolise resistance and transgression, and the extent to which it can be associated with a healthy lifestyle. Running Cultures provides new ways of seeing a familiar sporting phenomenon. it will appeal to both students and researchers with an interest in running in particular, and sport and leisure cultures more generally.

Providing a different type of vehicle for communicating with consumers that does not necessarily follow all of the rules of other types of marketing communication, sports marketing is one of the fastest growing areas of marketing communication. The purpose of this book is to advance understanding in this area. It presents chapters that deal with topics in sports marketing in a scholarly and comprehensive way, covering major topics of discussion in sports marketing and the psychology of communication. Several new, innovative topics are introduced, such as SportNEST and consumption communities, and many classic topics are brought up to date, including sponsorship, ambush marketing, identification, endorsements, basking in reflected glory, and licensing. Many of the topics that seem to center around sports show up as well, such as sneakers, ethics, risky behavior, and even investments. Utilizing a psychological approach to understanding sports marketing, first-rate authors discuss the most important topics. The book covers all major topics of sports marketing, including: sponsorship from several different perspectives--the major force in sports marketing; ambush marketing--how non-spo

In recent years, football's status as "the world's sport" has shown little sign of waning. From increasing participation at grassroots levels and to the highly lucrative media rights deals secured by the top elite clubs, the game appears to be thriving as it continues to excite and enthral billions of people around the globe. Nevertheless, there are a number of challenges and opportunities facing the football industry today that warrant further examination. This book brings together leading international researchers to survey the current state of the global football industry, exploring contemporary themes and issues in the marketing of football around the world. With contributions from Europe, Asia and the Americas, it discusses key topics such as football club management, the economics of the football industry, match-fixing, social media, fan experiences, the globalized marketplace, and the growing popularity of the women's game. Offering insights for researchers, managers, and marketers who are looking to stay ahead of the game, The Global Football Industry: Marketing Perspectives is essential reading for anyone with an interest in international sport business.

Sweating Together: How Peloton Built a Billion Dollar Venture and Created Community in a Digital World by David J. Miller, PhD (#ChicagoBorn) The ultimate front row look at the meteoric rise of Peloton, one of the hottest consumer and fitness brands in the world. In Sweating Together Miller brings readers directly into the center of the sweat soaked, adrenaline fueled, NYC phenomena that is Peloton and provides a first-hand account of the rise of one of the most important ventures of tomorrow's economy. In 2012 John Foley and a group of co-founders launched Peloton, an interactive fitness and media company. In less than 10 years the company would be worth billions, disrupt the fitness industry and create a rabid, life changing community of members using sweat to span the digital and physical worlds. Join Peloton fanatic and George Mason University entrepreneurship professor David J. Miller (#ChicagoBorn on the Peloton platform) as he dives deep into the people, business models and stories behind the ascent of Peloton. From well-being, social media and gamification to the role of physical space in a digital world, talent retention and community building, there is no better venture for understanding our ever-expanding innovation fueled, well-being economy than Peloton. Miller unwittingly became a Peloton addict and spent thousands of hours sweating and growing relationships with Peloton members; he interviewed founders John Foley and Tom Cortese as well as other senior Peloton leaders, and Peloton celebrity instructors Robin Arzon, Matt Wilpers, Jenn Sherman and Jess King. Join Miller and race into the future with Peloton

The public sector is the largest provider of sport and leisure facilities and the biggest employer of leisure management graduates - the last decade has seen enormous changes in this sector. In this significant new student textbook - the first to investigate leisure management in a public sector context - Leigh Robinson examines the unique issues facing public sector managers and analyzes the application of contemporary management strategies and techniques to public sector leisure. It provides thorough coverage of the work and skills required in addition to the challenges and issues facing leisure managers. This book also challenges the perceptions and negative comparisons with the private sector. Written using a clear and user-friendly style, this textbook will be core reading for students of sport, leisure and recreation management, and makes an accessible reference for practicing managers working across the spectrum of leisure provision, from sport facilities through to parks, arts and heritage.

Virtually everywhere, directly or indirectly, modern men are prepared for war through sport. It has been no different in the past. Throughout history a constant imperative has been a moral commitment to defend the society. Sport has played its part in the inculcation of this commitment. However, sport has also been considered both a substitute for war and an antidote to war. This collection of essays explores the relationship between sport and war, bringing together established authors that include Peter Beck, Hans Bonde, Vassil Girginov, Donald Kyle, J.A. Mangan, John McClelland and Gertrud Pfister, and emerging authors such as Penelope Kissoudi, Orestis Kustrin, Callum McKenzie, Alethea Melling, Hamad Ndee and Roberta Vescovi.

Organization Behaviour for Leisure Services discusses and questions a number of key elements, including: * The individual and the organization * Groups in the organization * Organizational structures and behaviour * Management within the organization * Commercial hospitality, leisure and tourism in a service context Taking the view that leisure services involve an array of industry sectors - they are related, for instance, to work-time spent eating, drinking and staying away from home, as well as the more obvious recreational pursuits - the text uses examples and case studies from a wide range of international businesses such as hotels, restaurants, museums, shopping malls and sports stadia. Specific examples used are from Marriotts, McDonald's, Trafford Centre and many more. With a user-friendly structure and style, the text is an ideal introduction to the fundamental issues invovled - perfect for students and managers alike. * Provides conceptual basis for the study of organizational behaviour in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry. * Includes special focus on the leisure industry, with material on 'emotional labour', 'empowerment' and 'managing diversity'. * Contains a wide range of international case examples. Using a wide variety of international examples, this book provides the reader with the conceptual tools necessary for analyzing organizational behaviour in the context of hospitality and leisure and tourism provision so that they can take appropriate management action.

The study of sport in the economy presents a rich arena for the application of sharply focused microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics to both team and individual outcomes. This unique book offers a survey of recent research that follows the tradition of empirical and theoretical analysis of sport economics and econometrics. Including contributions by many of the leading experts in the field, the authors address four central branches, namely: competitive balance, labor relations, attendance and demand, and the economic impact of sport in communities. A wide range of topics is explored within these themes, including: the effect of uncertainty of outcome on attendance players' labor markets, wages and team performance variations in fan loyalty between teams and through time the determinants of soccer match attendance. Case studies of Major League Baseball, the National Football League (NFL) and college athletics in the US, the English Premier League, the Spanish football league and other (major and minor) European football leagues underpin the discussion. This important book will prove to be a fascinating and stimulating read for academics, researchers and students interested in the econometric analysis of sport. Contributors: G.M. Ahlfeldt, J. Banos, R. Baumann, D.J. Berri, R. Fort, B. Frick, J. Garcia, W. Greene, B.R. Humphreys, L. Kahane, G. Kavetsos, S. Kesenne, Y.H. Lee, N. Longley, V.A. Matheson, R.G. Noll, P. Rodriguez, R. Simmons, S. Szymanski, J. Vrooman

Dark Tourism, as well as other terms such as Thanatourism and Grief Tourism, has been much discussed in the past two decades. This volume provides a comprehensive exploration of the subject from the point of view of both practice - how Dark Tourism is performed, what practical and physical considerations exist on site - and interpretation - how Dark Tourism is understood, including issues pertaining to ethics, community involvement and motivation. It showcases a wide range of examples, drawing on the expertise of academics with management and consultancy experience, as well as those from within the social sciences and humanities. Contributors discuss the historical development of Dark Tourism, including its earlier incarnations across Europe, but they also consider its future as a strand within academic discourse, as well as its role within tourism development. Case studies include holocaust sites in Germany, as well as analysis of the legacy of war in places such as the Channel Islands and Malta. Ethical and myriad marketing considerations are also discussed in relation to Ireland, Brazil, Rwanda, Romania, U.K., Nepal and Bosnia-Herzegovina. This book covers issues that are of interest to students and staff across a spectrum of disciplines, from management to the arts and humanities, including conservation and heritage, site management, marketing and community participation.

Leisure Life is a ground-breaking study of men and masculinity. Focusing on the social networks and leisure lifestyles of a particular group of working-class men - 'the lads' - Tony Blackshaw argues that traditional social collectivities such as class are being superseded. Instead, leisure life is now the central arena in which individuals assert their identities and confirm their belonging. For 'the lads', leisure time is the pivotal point in a fragmented life which not only allows them to fashion some sense of order in a world of endemic disorder but also provides opportunities for the assertion of their masculinity.

The book uniquely combines 'the lads'' own raw and compelling accounts of their leisure experiences with a sophisticated interpretive analysis. In doing so, it draws on the work of major theorists such as Baudrillard, Derrida, Foucault, and especially Bauman to develop new critical insights into our understanding of the meaning of leisure.

Leisure Life awakens the sociological imagination. It offers a new approach to the study of masculinity and the ethnography of leisure, making it appropriate for courses in sociology, leisure, cultural and gender studies.

Leisure Life is a ground-breaking study of men and masculinity. Focusing on the social networks and leisure lifestyles of a particular group of working-class men - 'the lads' - Tony Blackshaw argues that traditional social collectivities such as class are being superseded. Instead, leisure life is now the central arena in which individuals assert their identities and confirm their belonging. For 'the lads', leisure time is the pivotal point in a fragmented life which not only allows them to fashion some sense of order in a world of endemic disorder but also provides opportunities for the assertion of their masculinity.

The book uniquely combines 'the lads'' own raw and compelling accounts of their leisure experiences with a sophisticated interpretive analysis. In doing so, it draws on the work of major theorists such as Baudrillard, Derrida, Foucault, and especially Bauman to develop new critical insights into our understanding of the meaning of leisure.

Leisure Life awakens the sociological imagination. It offers a new approach to the study of masculinity and the ethnography of leisure, making it appropriate for courses in sociology, leisure, cultural and gender studies.

This book examines the global sports ecosystem through three of its central pillars: Sport marketing, sports equipment manufacture and sales, and sport governance and organization. By focusing on these three themes, the book presents a nuanced and multi-faceted view of how the global sports economy works and what its main strategic challenges and opportunities are. Offering a balance between theory and practice, and adopting an international perspective with case studies and examples from the Americas, Europe and Asia, the book addresses key issues such as corporate social responsibility, the impact of culture on international sport business, innovation and entrepreneurship, and consumer behaviour. The Global Sport Economy is fascinating reading for students, researchers and practitioners with an interest in sport business and management, sport marketing, the sporting goods industry and distribution and sport governance.

Casino and Gaming Resort Investigations addresses the continued and growing need for gaming security professionals to properly and successfully investigate the increasing and unique types of crime they will face in their careers. As the gaming industry has grown, so has the need for competent and highly skilled investigators who must be prepared to manage a case of employee theft one day to a sophisticated sports book scam the next. This book provides the reader with the fundamental knowledge needed to understand how each gaming and non-gaming department functions and interacts within the overall gaming resort, allowing the investigator to determine and focus on the important elements of any investigation in any area. Each chapter delivers a background of a department or type of crime normally seen in the gaming environment, and then discusses what should be considered important or even critical for the investigator to know or determine in the course of the investigation. Likely scenarios, case histories, and tips, as well as cautions for investigators to be aware of, are used throughout the book. This book was written for and directed at gaming security and surveillance professionals, including gaming regulators, and tribal gaming authorities, who are almost daily confronted by the ingenious and the most common scams, theft, and frauds that are perpetrated in the gaming world.

The Mobile DJ Handbook, Second Edition continues to be an excellent guide for novice and experienced DJs looking to build a successful career as the owner-operator of a mobile disc jockey service. Complete with practical tips, expert advice, and creative strategies, this book serves as the perfect guide on how to market and sell your services as well as develop and expand your business.

This book contains information on becoming a professional, securing bookings, buying equipment and music, and running party dances, contests, and games. Included within the text are sample contracts, an advertisement and brochure, and resource information. The Mobile DJ Handbook is an essential reference guide which offers readers all the knowledge and inspiration needed to run a profitable enterprise.
*New equipment, technology, and practical business advice are integrated
*Includes chapters ranging from performance and professionalism, sales and mareting, dancing and games, to booking opportunities
*Provides essentials forms, contracts, and brochures

Although female athletes are successful in all types of sport, in many countries sport is still a male domain. This book examines and compares the sporting experiences of women from different countries around the world and offers the first systematic and cross-cultural analysis of the topic of women in sport.

Sport and Women presents a wealth of new research data, including in-depth case-studies of 16 countries in North and South America, Asia, Eastern and Western Europe and Africa. In addition, the book offers comparative assessments of the extent to which women are represented in global sport and the opportunities that women have to participate in decision-making processes in sport.

The book illuminates a wide range of key international issues in women's sport, such as cultural barriers to participation and the efficacy of political action. It is therefore essential reading for anybody with an interest in the sociology, culture and politics of sport.

Although female athletes are successful in all types of sport, in many countries sport is still a male domain. This book examines and compares the sporting experiences of women from different countries around the world and offers the first systematic and cross-cultural analysis of the topic of women in sport.

Sport and Women presents a wealth of new research data, including in-depth case-studies of 16 countries in North and South America, Asia, Eastern and Western Europe and Africa. In addition, the book offers comparative assessments of the extent to which women are represented in global sport and the opportunities that women have to participate in decision-making processes in sport.

The book illuminates a wide range of key international issues in women's sport, such as cultural barriers to participation and the efficacy of political action. It is therefore essential reading for anybody with an interest in the sociology, culture and politics of sport.

Originally the preserve of Afro-Brazilian slaves, the marginalized and the underclasses in Brazilian society, capoeira is now a mainstream sport, taught in Brazilian schools and practised by a range of social classes around the world. Some advocates now seek Olympic recognition for Capoeira. This apparent change in the meaning and purpose of Capeoira has led to conflicts between traditionalists, who view capoeira as their heritage descended from the maroons, a weapon to be used against the injustice and repression; and reformers, who wish to see Capoeira develop as an international sport. Capoeira: The History of Afro-Brazilian Martial Art explores Capoeira as a field of confrontation where the different struggles that divide Brazilian society are played out. It contains both the first comprehensive English language review of archive and contemporary literature relating to Capoeira, as well as the first scholarly account of Capoeira's history and development.