Modern soccer is big business. From the ill-received takeover of
Manchester United by the Glazer family to Paris Saint Germain's current
shopping spree for the best footballers on the planet, soccer finance
has become an increasingly important part of the game.
Barely a summer goes by now without a cherished club going into
administration or a wealthy businessman funding a mid table team's
ascension to Champions League competitor. Meanwhile, the twice-annual
multi-million dollar merry-go-round of transfer season sees players (and
now managers) signed for sums thought impossible just a decade ago.
Understanding soccer finance has become essential for comprehending the
beautiful game. But for many fans, soccer finance remains,
frustratingly, a world that is opaque and difficult to grasp.
Stefan Szymanski, co-author of the bestselling Soccernomics, tackles
every soccer fan's burning questions in Money and Soccer: A
Soccernomics Guide. From the abolition of the maximum wage in the
1960s, through to the impact of TV money both at home and abroad in the
1990s and 2000s, Szymanski explains how money, or lack of, affects your
favorite club. Drawing on extensive research into financial records
dating back to the 1970s, Szymanski provides clear analysis of the way
that clubs have transformed in the modern era.
This book isn't limited to European clubs. Szymanski, a renowned expert
on sports management and economics, looks at what we can learn from
comparing the ascension of Europe's biggest clubs to their lofty perches
and with new financial models across the world. Through careful research
and informative stories drawn from around the globe, Szymanski provides
an accessible guide to the world of soccer finance.
