Download full text
(1.679Mb)
Citation Suggestion
Please use the following Persistent Identifier (PID) to cite this document:
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.40.2015.4.221-254
Exports for your reference manager
The path of European football: a level playing field for only 90 minutes
Der Pfad des europäischen Fußballs: ein gerechtes Spiel für lediglich 90 Minuten
[journal article]
Abstract Football in Europe has an apparent trend towards unfairness. This contribution takes a coherent theoretical approach to explain this trend. On that account, it creates a framework on the special characteristics of sport and, in that light, evaluates interventions by European institutions concerning ... view more
Football in Europe has an apparent trend towards unfairness. This contribution takes a coherent theoretical approach to explain this trend. On that account, it creates a framework on the special characteristics of sport and, in that light, evaluates interventions by European institutions concerning the governance of European football. In a next step, reproductive mechanisms inherent to path dependent processes will be specified within a multi-layered analytical framework. It will be shown that these mechanisms are interspersed throughout the system of European football and foster the trend of unfairness in regard to the relationships between success, money, and power. Empirically statistical evidence will show that football clubs within leagues, on an international level, as well as leagues in comparison to each other are drifting apart in terms of success. Furthermore, an additional qualitative approach will shed light on the mechanisms concerning power and how these influence the rules of the game on an organizational level. All in all it, will be demonstrated that path dependence is inherent to European football and that the European Union has interfered unguidedly in the system of football triggering consequences contrary to its vision of sport.... view less
Keywords
EU; path dependence; justice; sports; fairness; organizations; power; success; reproduction; money; soccer
Classification
Leisure Research
Free Keywords
Champions League
Document language
English
Publication Year
2015
Page/Pages
p. 221-254
Journal
Historical Social Research, 40 (2015) 4
Issue topic
Football history: selected contributions to sport in society
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed