The New Business of Football : Accountability and Finance in Football

This book is an academic study into the new business of football. It is aimed at those who have a background, a knowledge and an interest in Association Football, as well as in business, particularly in the areas of accountancy and finance. It draws on contemporary literature on professional football in the disciplines of accounting, finance and economics and, to a lesser extent, sociology. It will be relevant to anyone who seeks a more rigorous discussion of the issues arising from the business than that which newspapers and other popular media have space for. It is also hoped that the book will interest those who have the responsibility of running today's football clubs, dealing with conflicts which arise out of the incorporation of football and wrestling with the new financial regime in the game. Thanks are due to all those who have assisted me in writing this book and in my earlier research into accounting issues in football, in particular to those representatives of clubs, banks and fund managers who have willingly met with me on various occasions. My thanks to those clubs in England and Scotland which provided me with copies of their annual reports and provided information requested; to Gerry Boon of Deloitte & Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction....Pages 1-3 The New Economics of Football....Pages 4-29 Rich Man, Poor Man — Players in the New Business of Football....Pages 30-57 The Capital Structure of Football Clubs....Pages 58-120 Accounting in the Football Industry....Pages 121-156 Accountability within the Football Industry....Pages 157-197 Conclusion....Pages 198-201 Back Matter....Pages 202-236 This dynamic study of the business of football considers its income and cost drivers, its capital structure and its accounting policies through UK examples and international comparison. Also addressed are the conflicts arising out of the incorporation of football and the dichotomy between sport and business, leading to a suggested contemporary framework for accountability and business behaviour. Discussion de la problématique du football professionnel aujourd'hui du point de vue économique et financier : régulations, structure financière et juridique des clubs, joueurs professionnels, comptabilité des clubs, l'avenir. Un ouvrage intéressant d'un analyste écossais spécialisé dans l'industrie financière du football