This book is the culmination of thousands of hours of thinking, researching, talking, and writing about the business of sports. We have attempted to provide a comprehensive overview of this industry in a novel manner. In interspersing our own narrative with significant existing works, we seek to “tell the story” of the business of sports so that it is accessible to a wide audience. It is our hope that sports industry practitioners, academics, students, business people, and sports fans alike will find this to be a useful resource and learning tool.
This project could not have been completed without the help of many others. Tamara English and Cherly Vaughn-Curry provided outstanding administrative and editorial assistance on this edition of the book. Lowell Lysinger provided valuable technological assistance. It is difficult to imagine a more talented, dedicated, or nicer group of support staff anywhere. Wharton Sports Business Initiative research fellows Glenn Valli, Alex Wong, and Matt Obernauer as well as research assistants Jeremy Fink, Benjamin Freeman, Ryan Brush, and Will Conroy all spent a significant amount of time researching, editing, and providing important feedback on the drafts of the book as well as the ideas and model answers for many of the discussion questions. Matt provided model answers to the discussion questions found in the Instructor’s Manual. All of their work was universally exceptional. The members of the Wharton School’s spring 2008 MBA sports business management class conducted research on the early draft of this edition.
We would like to thank the reviewers of the First Edition, who provided valuable feedback to make that edition a success: Warren K. Zola, JD, MBA, Boston College; Jeffrey R. Meyer, Wayne State College; John Wolohan, JD, Ithaca College; Aaron W. Clopton, PhD, Louisiana State University; and James Riordan, PhD, Florida Atlantic University.
We also have a list of individuals that we’d like to thank on a personal basis.
For Ken:
This book—more than any other work I am involved in—reminds me of how massive the sports business field has become. As always, thanks to my family for their support, time, and otherwise in allowing me to complete this project. As I wrote in the First Edition, this is probably the best place to acknowledge that the lion’s share of the effort in this book is Scott’s. I certainly hauled a great deal of the water, but Scott’s name goes first on this for more than alphabetical reasons. Even with that, I’ll share the blame for any perceived shortcomings.
For Scott:
Upon the completion of the First Edition of the book, I channeled my inner Apollo Creed and remarked to Ken, “Ain’t gonna be no rematch,” to which he found his inner Rocky Balboa and responded, “Don’t want one.” However, here we are again 6 years later with a Second Edition. This would not have occurred had the students enrolled in the undergraduate and MBA sports business courses and a number of people working in the sports industry not responded so enthusiastically to the book over the years. In many ways, we were left with no choice but to do it again! For this, I thank my students and those in the industry profusely, as I have certainly learned more from them than I have taught them.
Of course, this book also would not have happened without the authors whose works we have included. We are grateful for their diligence and contributions to the “business of sports.”
Working with Ken Shropshire on this as well as on a number of other projects both over the prior 14 years and presently continues to be a highlight of my career, and it remains an honor for me to do so.
I have dedicated this edition of the book to my family. My parents, Sandy and Jay Rosner, and my other parents, Phyllis and Ken Konner, have offered unending encouragement, support, and world class grandparenting. My wife and best friend, Kim Rosner, is an amazing woman whose remarkable ability to successfully balance career and family while (usually) maintaining her sense of humor is inspiring. She would make any man’s life complete. I am lucky that I get to be the one. (And I’m not just writing that because I have to …)
My family has doubled in size and exponentially more so in happiness since the First Edition was published with the arrival of my two children. Logan and Harrison are truly wonderful kids who make their dad very proud on a daily basis. Their willingness to periodically sacrifice their father to The Business of Sports is greatly appreciated. And yes, Logan, daddy is done writing and doesn’t have to go to the coffee shop, so I can play now.