The Political Economy of Sport

Abstract

The Political Economy of Sport provides and understanding of sport in a political-economic context set against the backdrop of increasing globalization. The contributors view globalization as contested terrain in which economic, technological, and cultural features are intertwined. The chapters, grouped in three parts, offer a remarkably topical discussion of sport while locating sport within trends and characteristics of advanced capitalism. Considered together, they provide evidence of similar forces effecting, and being effected by the internationalization of sport and sport-related enterprises. Issues addressed include the expansion of neo-liberalist ideology/deregulation, vertical integration of media and sport markets, competition for capital investment at all geographical levels, and brand-name marketing of sport and sport-related goods and services. In addition, the contributors include perspectives of non-elites: school children, grassroots supporters of sport clubs and urban residents [from the publisher: Palgrave Macmillan].