'Professors Dobson and Goddard have improved on their already excellent treatment of what the world calls football. Whether it is revenue structure, player salaries or management performance, their combination of sharp economic reasoning and statistical enlightenment cut through complex issues with laser precision. Required reading for those truly interested in the international football scene.' Rodney Fort, Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan 'This volume contains a wealth of information and will make a fascinating read for policy makers and football fans. The book is also [a] great resource for academics and students who are interested in football as a setting for both teaching and research. The authors successfully blend theoretical reasoning with empirical analyses, which distinguishes this book from many others.' Ruud Koning, Professor of Sports Economics, University of Groningen

List of figures List of tables 1. Introduction 2. The economic theory of professional sports leagues 3. Competitive balance, uncertainty of outcome and home-field advantage 4. Forecasting models for football match results 5. Game theory and football games 6. English professional football: historical development and commercial structure 7. Determinants of football players' salaries 8. Professional footballers: employment patterns and racial discrimination 9. The football manager 10. Football referees 11. Spectator demand for football 12. Gambling on football 13. All around the world: club football in France, Germany, Brazil, Japan and China 14. The economics of the World Cup References Index