'Professor Szymanski is the one of the leading academic authorities internationally on sports economics particularly the economics of (association) football. This volume brings together many of his most important contributions to the the economics of football. He combines first-rate theoretical insight with solid empirical analysis applied to all aspects of the football industry including the operation of the transfer system and the players' labour market, the collective selling of TV rights, the financial performance of teams, competitive balance and league restructuring, and the economic impact of mega sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup. Whether or not you agree with Professor Szymanski's conclusions, his analysis frames the key issues and highlights the crucial assumptions that must be considered. Read, understand, critically evaluate and, most of all, enjoy.' - Bill Gerrard, Leeds University Business School, UK.