Routledge The Geopolitical Economy of Sport: Power, Politics, Money, and the State

This is the first book to define and explore the geopolitical economy of sport – the intersection of power, politics, money and state interests that both exploit and shape elite sport around the world. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the global response and the consequent ramifications for sport have put the geopolitical economy of sport front and centre in both public debate and academic thinking. Similarly, the Winter Olympics in Beijing and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar illustrate the political, economic and geographic imperatives that shape modern sport. This book brings together case studies from around the world to describe this new geopolitical economy of sport, from the way in which countries use natural resource revenues, accusations of sport washing, the deployment of sport for soft power purposes, to the way in which sport has become a focus for industrial development. From the Gulf States’ interests in European soccer to Israel seeking to build a national competitive advantage by positioning itself as a global sports tech start-up hub, and the United States continuing to extend its economic and cultural influence through geopolitical sport activities in Africa, Latin America, and the Indian subcontinent. This book captures a pivotal moment in the history of sport and sport business. This is essential reading for any student, researcher, practitioner or policy maker with an interest in sport business, the politics of sport, geopolitics, soft power, diplomacy, international relations or international political economy. About the Author Simon Chadwick is Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy at Skema Business School in Paris, France, where he is also a member of its Publika think tank and Director of its Global Executive MBA in Sport. Chadwick’s work combines his global interests in sport, geography, politics, and economics, meaning that his current research is focused on, for example, sponsorship of football by state-owned corporations. He has worked extensively in sport with clubs, governing bodies, commercial partners and governments. Paul Widdop is Senior Lecturer at University of Manchester, UK. His research explores social and economic networks on the consumption and production of sport. He has published widely in the areas of sport and culture including articles in the Journal of Consumer Culture, Cultural Sociology, Cultural Trends, Electoral Studies, and the Journal of Political Marketing. Paul serves on the editorial board of several academic journals and is co-founder of the Football Collective, a learned society of academics researching impacts of football on society. Michael M. Goldman is Professor with the Sport Management Program at the University of San Francisco, USA, while also working with the Gordon Institute of Business Science in South Africa. He works with students, managers and clients to enhance their abilities to acquire, grow and retain profitable customers and fans.