Sports Agents and Labour Markets : Evidence from World Football

The sports agent has become a significant figure in contemporary sports business. Drawing on extensive empirical research into football around the world, this book explains what agents do, how their role has changed, why this is important for future sport business, and how understanding the role of the agent can help us understand labour markets and labour relations in an increasingly globalised sports industry. Focusing on the major European football leagues but also covering the MLS, smaller European leagues, South America, and the Far East, this book goes further than any other in illuminating an important but under-researched aspect of contemporary sport business.

The sports agent has become a highly significant figure in contemporary sport business. The role of the agent is essential to our understanding of labour markets and labour relations in an increasingly globalised sports industry. Drawing on extensive empirical research into football around the world, this book explains what agents do, how their role has changed, and why this is important for future sport business.

Offering analysis from economic, legal, social and historical perspectives, the book explores key topics such as:

• the history of sports agents including the emergence of the modern agent in US sport
• typologies and demographic profiles of agents in football
• valuations and organisational analysis of leading European agents and agencies
• relations between agents and clubs
• future directions for research into sports agents.

Focusing on the major European leagues, this book goes further than any other in illuminating an important but under-researched aspect of contemporary sport business. It is a valuable resource for any student, researcher or policy-maker with an interest in sport business, sport management, sport policy, the economics of sport or labour economics.