The process of converting the ‘past’ into ‘history’ involves engagement with a multitude of different sources and methods, and sports historians inevitably participate in the same debates over approaches and methodologies as their counterparts in other historical disciplines. At its heart, history remains a genre of empirical knowledge that is based upon the remains of the past, and without suitable evidence, there can be no sports history. A burgeoning range of sources has stimulated new ...

Sport is an integral part of British culture and an important aspect of modern life. Although its importance has been recognised by academic historians, sport has yet to be fully appreciated in the growing and related fields of heritage and museum studies. Sport and heritage have operated as seemingly separate spheres, yet together they can convey powerful messages; convergence between them is seen in the rise and popularity of sports museums, the collecting of sporting art and memorabilia...

This book cuts through the jargon and complicated formulae to focus on the key concepts in sports economics, introducing the fundamentals in a concise and engaging way to give the reader without a background in economics the tools with which to read and apply sports economics in their work.Full of real-world cases and stories, the book offers a short economic history of sport and explains the economic foundations of the world of sport today, from local leagues to mega-events. Cover...

Games People Played is, surprisingly, the first global history of sport. Wray Vamplew shows how sport has been practised, experienced and made meaningful by players and fans, and assesses how sports have developed and diffused across the globe. He examines not only how sport is sociable and health-giving, but how economics has turned sport into a huge consumer industry. Sport’s dark side – its environmental impact, the use of performance-enhancing drugs, discrimination and match f...

Sport and Entrepreneurship combines perspectives derived from business history and sports history, focusing on the important but relatively unexplored relationship of entrepreneurship and sport.This important volume offers clearer definitions of both sports products and sports entrepreneurship, gives due regard to social entrepreneurs, and assesses the continuing relevance of Hardy’s pioneering study from the 1980s. Hardy himself provides an introduction to the volume, and...

The Encyclopedia of British Horse Racing offers an innovative approach to one of Britain's oldest sports. While it considers the traditional themes of gambling and breeding, and contains biographies of human personalities and equine stars, it also devotes significant space to neglected areas. Entries include:social, economic and political forces that have influenced racingcontroversial historical and current issueslegal and illegal gambling, and r...

This volume argues for a more quantitative, economic and theoretical approach to sports history. The author notes that sport can have peculiar economics as in no other industry do rival businesses have to cooperate to produce a sellable output. He also demonstrates, via a case study of early gate-money football in Scotland, that sports producers were not always seeking profits, and often put winning games and trophies ahead of making money. Another analysis examines how industrialisation a...

This reference work aims to provide sports enthusiasts, journalists, librarians, students and scholars with an authorative source of information on a comprehensive range of subjects covering the history and organization of football in Britain. Over 250 entries focus on key organisations or individuals, famous clubs, major competitions, events, venues and incidents, institutions and organisations as well as key issues such as gender, racism, commercialization, professionalism and drugs, alc...

The finest collection of writing about horse racing includes short stories, verse and anecdotes from some of Australia's best-loved writers.Did you know that Jorrocks raced till the grand old age of 19? Or that Melbourne Cup - winner Grand Flaneur never lost a race? Or that Sunline was the top stakes-winning mare in the world in her day?The Best Australian Racing Stories is chock-a-block with the victories and tragedies of these amazing champions a...

HIGHLIGHTS OF A CAREER IN CRICKET FROM BRITAIN'S BEST-LOVED UMPIRE, THE LATE DICKIE BIRD.'You know what you will get with Mr Bird, and he delivers it with unabashed aplomb in this amiable book' - Country LifeHardly a week went by without Dickie Bird visiting a county or Test match arena where he could keep up to date with all that was happening in the cricket world, while at the same time taking the opportunity to reflect, in the company of old f...

'Bower's book is a devastating indictment' Sunday Times'Explosive … Bower reveals a remarkable and sinister picture of the man who likes to appear as the ever-smiling hero' Daily MailA sensational critical biography of the man and his business practices.No British tycoon is better known, few claim to be richer and none has masterminded a more recognisable brand than Richard Branson.What is ...

Are you a football fan? Do you attend as many matches as you can? Have you visited any of the many famous football grounds? Can you name the home grounds of all the UK’s best-loved teams and more besides? If you think you know which team plays where, you are certain to enjoy this quiz book.With 250 questions all about English, Scottish and Welsh Football Grounds, you will need to be quick off the mark to answer some of these brain teasers? What non-League club is moving into the Moston Com...