Футбольный мяч от Belle époque до зари глобализации

Abstract

The article dwells on the material aspects ofthe economic history ofsports of the late XIX century and first half of the XX century. Those aspects are analyzed on the example of the development of the French and international footballs market in the context of globalization involving a wide range of archival materials. The text combinesseveralstory lines: the evolution of the technology for the production of sporting shells from leather (which represented for a long time something intermediate between craft and industry) and itsimpact on the game itself, with a brief excursion into the technological history ofthe leather ball (standardization of dimensions and weight, care requirementsfor him, etc.), from the XVI century to modern high-tech production. Author highlights a significant segment of the sports business, its market, commercial and advertising strategies, forms of interaction with sports organizations, etc. The central place in the article occupies the history of the French market of fooballs, the relationship between the producers of balls and FIFA, as well asthe procedure ofselecting the "official ball" of football tournaments, including the World Cups. Author offers an explanation why the markets and ball-related industries remained national until the late 1960s. Then the era of global domination of adidas products began as a result ofsuccessful competition (with French firm 'Hungaria' among othersrivals) that established adidasthe first world brand of sports equipment and outfits. The conquest of the French market was the prelude to the era of a globalized football.