The Political Economy of Television Sports Rights

Sport on television is big business. Broadcasters across the world regularly agree highly lucrative deals for the television broadcast rights to cover major sporting events or competitions. At the same time, however, sport is about more than just commerce. Sport is a social and cultural activity practiced and valued by millions of people throughout the world. The Political Economy of Sports Rights examines both the economic and the social significance of sports broadcasting, as well as how each of these contrasting perspectives have led to the extensive regulation of sports broadcasting by national governments and, in the case of many European countries, the European Union. Using a range of national case studies from Europe and beyond, this book highlights the need for a regulatory approach to sports broadcasting that balances the commercial priorities of sports organisations and private media companies with the wider social and cultural benefits to be gained from free-to-air sports broadcasting.