The Private Sport Sector in Europe

Book excerpt: This book outlines the private sport sector in different European countries. Sport in the European countries is organized in three distinct sectors. These are the state/public sector, which provides financial and political support for sport infrastructure; the civic/non-profit sector, which provides sport activities and services for citizens, usually in the forms of sport clubs; and the private sector, which is comprised of profit-making private companies and professional teams that produce and sell sport products and services. The private sport sector is becoming ever more important in a global market economy and a financial climate characterized by a public sector in crisis. Taking this into consideration, this book provides a detailed outline of the structure and characteristics of the private sport sector, discusses recent developments in the sector, and compares data across business fields and countries. Containing contributions from sport academics from eighteen countries, this book provides an overall, up-to-date picture of the private sport sector in Europe. Filling a significant gap in sport sociology and economics scholarships, this book will be of use to students and scholars of business and social sciences of sport as well as decision makers and the entrepreneurs.