Special Topics: Soccer Economics

Soccer is the world’s most popular sport by far. Over 160 years, the sport has built an infrastructure to coordinate the operation of the global game, and in almost every country, this structure shapes the professional game and the commercial framework. The US is a glaring exception to this system. The course will explore the origin, meaning, and consequences of these differences.

Building on the knowledge you have acquired about the American professional sports model, students will identify the key elements of the global soccer system and the ways they diverge from the US model. Students will examine the club/league system and the organization of representative national team competition. In doing so, students will consider both the historical and cultural context of these systems and their economic logic.

This elective course is designed for students enrolled in the MS Sports Management Program who have completed the Foundations of Sports Management course. It is an in-person block week and is not open for cross-registration.