Sports Through the Lens of Economic History

New Horizons in the Economics of Sport series

Edited by Richard Pomfret, Professor of Economics, University of Adelaide, Australia, and Adjunct Professor, The Johns Hopkins University Bologna Center, Italy and John K. Wilson, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of South Australia Business School, Australia

From 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 Richard Pomfret and John K. Wilson 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 onto the present day.

‘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, US