Author:
Quirk, James P.
Imprint:Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press, c1999.
Descriptionxi, 233 p. ; 25 cm.
Bibliography Note:Includes bibliographical references (p. 227-228) and index.
Note:"Quirk and Fort, two of the most prolific and respected members of the "sports economist" club, follow up their scholarly book Pay Dirt (CH, Sep'93) with a shorter volume that should appeal to popular audiences and those who love, study, or are affected by sports, including national public policy officials, big-city mayors, and taxpayers. Chapter topics include the historical background and evolution of monopoly power in professional sports leagues; the complementary roles played by the media, players and their unions, sports franchise owners, and league organizations; and, finally, local, state, and national politics. Special attention is given to one of the most vexing issues of the day--the abuse of power in the form of credible threats by owners and leagues to extract exorbitant concessions from local officials toward the construction of lavish, multimillion dollar sports stadiums. The authors conclude with their own prescription(s) for change.
