Crossover: The New Sports Business Playbook

Sport is no longer just a game – it’s one of the world’s most powerful industries. From billion-dollar media rights to global sponsorship deals, elite player salaries to grassroots participation, the business of sport drives culture, economics, and innovation across every continent. In this groundbreaking book, David Murray and Dr. David Cockayne take you behind the scenes of the global sports economy. Drawing on decades of experience in negotiation, sports governance, and academic research, they unravel the value chain that powers professional sport – explaining where money flows, who captures value, and how the system is evolving. You’ll discover: How media rights, sponsorship, ticketing, and merchandising generate revenue and shape decision-making. Why players, teams, leagues, and governing bodies compete and collaborate for financial advantage. The critical role of negotiation, governance, and regulation in keeping the industry sustainable. The rise of women’s sport, esports, and new digital platforms as drivers of future growth. Lessons from football, cricket, snooker, and global mega-events like the Olympics and the World Cup. Clear, insightful, and packed with real-world examples, The New Sports Business Playbook is essential reading for sports executives, students of sports management, and anyone curious about the business that turns athletic performance into global entertainment.