| National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World Plays Soccer | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 4 reviews)
Sales Rank: 732544
Category: Book
Authors: Stefan Szymanski, Andrew Zimbalist
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Studio: Brookings Institution Press
Manufacturer: Brookings Institution Press
Label: Brookings Institution Press
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 263
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.1
ISBN: 0815782586
Dewey Decimal Number: 338.47796334
EAN: 9780815782582
ASIN: 0815782586
Publication Date: April 2005
Release Date: April 1, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
This is the story of two great sports. One is Americas game, while the other is the worlds game. Baseball and soccer are both beloved cultural institutions. What draws fans to one game is often a mystery to fans of the other. Despite superficial differences, however, the business and culture of these sports share more in common than meets the eye. This is the first in-depth, cross-cultural comparison of these two great pastimes and the megabusinesses that they have become. In National Pastime, Stefan Szymanski and Andrew Zimbalist illustrate how the different traditions of each sport have generated different possibilities for their commercial organization and exploitation. They pay special attention to the rich and complex evolution of baseball from its beginnings in America, and they trace modern soccer from its foundation in England through its subsequent expansion across the world. They illustrate how Victorian administrators laid the foundation for Major League Baseball (MLB) and soccer leagues such as the English Premier League, Italys Serie A, and the European Champions League. The authors show how the organizers of baseball and soccer have learned from each other in the past and how they can continue to do so. Both sports are rich in tradition. In some cases, however, these traditionsoften arbitrary rules established by long-defunct administratorshave obstructed the healthy development of the sport. By studying the experiences of other sports, it might be possible to develop new and better ways to operate. For example, soccer might benefit from greater cooperation among teams as in baseball. On the other hand, MLB could learn from soccers relegation rules and more open system ofownership, thus avoiding some of the excesses (competitive imbalance, uneven team resources) associated with monopoly. National Pastime does not advocate the jettisoning of all tradition to adopt wholesale the approach of another sport, of course. In an era of globalization, where business interests are increasingly looking to transplant organizational ideas in order to maximize profits, the authors argue that fan-friendly reforms may be necessary in order to avoid something worse. Ultimately, they propose no simple solutions, instead suggesting specific reforms to the organization of baseball and soccer, drawing on each others experiences. Lively and accessibly written, this book is essential reading for business analysts, journalists, policymakers, and managers of both sports. Most of all, however, it will appeal to baseball and soccer aficionados, whether they root for the New York Yankees, Manchester United, or Real Madrid.
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| Customer Reviews:
 too little too late February 2, 2007
2 out of 14 found this review helpful
Where to begin? First of all, this book is a century out of date. Americans do not play baseball in great numbers anymore hence the low TV ratings for the World Series (actually lowest ever in 2006). Also, look at the "international" aspect of MLB now--Japanese, Koreans, Chinese (via Taiwan) as well as the usual Latin Americans who are now greater in number.
A more relevant comparison would be football (as in the NFL and college) and soccer. Anyway, more Americans play soccer than, say, the nation of Britain, if we are talking sheer numbers. It's just it's a recreational sport and always will be because soccer is flat-out too slow, low scoring and has too much diving in it.
Personally, although the writing is there, the research isn't with this book. A far superior book that understands soccer and North American sports is: Offside by Markovitz and Hellerman. Buy that off amazon here not this misguided piece of junk.
Scientific review of history and current settings May 30, 2006
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
The book is a thoroughly written book about baseball and soccer. It provides a lot of background and details to the extent that I sometimes thought that this is too much. You can't possibly memorize all those names and details.
However, the book is a very interesting reading, and if you are not interested in every single detail, some sections can be skipped.
In essence, the book is very interesting and many things can be learned. It is certainly not a light reading just for entertainment but more on the serious side.
 Home run analysis of sports economics April 5, 2006
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
Soccer and baseball enjoy fervent followings and generate wads of cash, so this study of the two games' economics and culture is as welcome as a towering home run (or a nifty goal). Economists Stefan Szymanski and Andrew Zimbalist compare and contrast the two sports' business models in a way that will fascinate anyone who is interested in athletics or international business. The authors offer a fascinating history of these sports, complete with plenty of telling anecdotes that are sure to enlighten even devoted fans. The only gripe is that the writers sometimes bog down in scholarly phrasing when the reader might prefer more active prose. Still, we recommend this intriguing study to anyone who specializes in sports business - or even just buys a ticket to a game now and then.
How good was this? May 14, 2005
13 out of 22 found this review helpful
This book was absolutely amazing. I loved it, an easy read through and through. Szymanski and Zimbalist as economists explain wonderfully why soccer is so much more popular than baseball, and you can understand everything, there was not a weak point. I would strongly reccommend this book to anyone, an amazing read
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