The Attention Economy: Understanding the New Currency of Business Review

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(More customer reviews)The war for eyeballs and attention can only grow fiercer over the next few years. In the Information Economy we all suffer from overload and the need to multitask through the day. Tom Davenport and John Beck makes the case that in the future we will need to `attention manage' as a metric. They ask whether `we are the first society with ADD' (attention deficit disorder), and they list symptoms of organizational ADD.
As mentioned in the editorial review the Attention Economy is littered with anecdotal pull-outs and "overheard" comments; as well as random factoids such as that the Sunday edition of the New York Times contains more written factual information than was available to reader in the 15th century. Though these factoids are intriguing they can be distracting as they are not always connected to the main body of material. But in some ways they exemplify the attention problem as you are often drawn to reading them.
The main body of the book is devoted to looking at tactics for companies to achieve and manage attention both on an internal basis and with their customers and partners. Softer issues such as personal time management are looked at in the context of the wider picture and have implications for both people and organizations. I found the book however to be missing a `model' or framework that companies could really use. Aside from having an in-depth awareness of the issue, I am unsure what I would do/have done differently after reading it.
The book is well written and engaging, and the authors present an excellent perspective on this most-precious resource.

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A History of Mass Communication: Six Information Revolutions Review

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(More customer reviews)This was an excellent book. This book should make a great Textbook in "Media Studies" or "History of Technology."

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This exciting new text traces the common themes in the long and complex history of mass communication. It shows how the means of communicating grew out of their eras, how they developed, how they influenced the societies of those eras, and how they have continued to exert their influence upon subsequent generations. The book is divided into six periods which are identified as 'Information Revolutions' writing, printing, mass media, entertainment, the 'toolshed' (which we call 'home' now), and the Information Highway. In looking at the ways in which the tools of communication have influenced and been influenced by social change, A History of Mass Communication provides students of media and journalism with a strong sense of the way their chosen field affects how society functions. Providing a broad-based approach to media history, Dr. Fang encourages the reader to take a careful look at where our culture is headed through the tools we use to communicate with one another.A History of Mass Communication is not only the most current text on communication history, but also an invaluable resource for anyone interested in how methods of communication affect society. The most up-to-date textbook for mass communications history courses Traces common themes in the complex history of communication An invaluable reference for anyone interested in how methods of communication affect society

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Forza Italia: The Fall and Rise of Italian Football Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a very enjoyable book to read. Lots of great perspective on Italian Football. It is not the most complete book on the subject, but it is a very easy read. I always appreciate a book that is easy to follow and keeps your attention. The author is also very objective. He addresses allot of issues that are quite controvercial, but he tends to never come across as too judgemental or as somebody that has all of the answers.
Unfortunately, the subject matter was a little bit disheartening. Agnew pulls some really ugly skeletons out of the closet on the subject of Italian Football. Knowing what I know now, it will be hard for me to enjoy Italian football quite as much.

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When journalist Paddy Agnew and his girlfriend touched down in Rome in 1985 in search of adventure, sunshine, and the soul of Italiansoccer, they were traveling into the uncharted terrain of a country they did not know and a language they did not speak. It soon became clear that neither Italy nor Italiansoccer would be boring. In that first week in Italy, Michel Platini and Juventus won the Intercontinental Cup, while just days later the PLO killed 13 people in a random shooting at Rome's Fiumicino airport. Paddy covered both stories. The coming years saw the rise of TV tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, as he became owner of AC Milan and then Prime Minister of Italy, naming his political party Forza Italia after a football chant. In that same period, Argentine Diego Maradona became the uncrowned King of Naples, leading Napoli to a first ever Scudetto title in 1987, notwithstanding a hectic, Hollywood-esque lifestyle that mixedsoccer genius with off-the-field excess. Forza Italia is a fascinating tale of inspired players, skilled coaches, rich tycoons, glitzy media coverage, Mafia corruption, allegations of drug taking, and fan power—culminating in the 2006 World Cup victory that delighted a nation and a match-fixing scandal that shocked the world. It is also a personalized reflection on the consistent and continuing excellence of Italiansoccer throughout a period of huge social, political, and economic upheaval, offering a unique insight into a society wheresoccer has always been much more than just a game.

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Star-Spangled Soccer: The Selling, Marketing and Management of Soccer in the USA Review

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(More customer reviews)Gary Hopkins provides a terrific inside view of the extra-ordinary growth of soccer in the US over the last two decades.He is able to chronicle the quantum changes that were wrought by the ascendancy of Steinbrecher, Rothenberg, Gulati and Garber to the helm of the sport in the United States.
While Hopkins played a significant role himself he does not dwell on his own contributions but instead examines how a unique mix of personalities, corporate interests and FIFA's desire for a greater presence of soccer in the US came together with immaculate timing for the development of the game. Using his strong personal relationships he also takes us behind the scenes revealing the enormous leaps of faith required for the US to host the 1994 World Cup, the Womens' World Cup in 1999, and to initiate and sustain MLS through its early struggles.
This is however no dry academic study of the economic forces and management strategies that influenced soccer's development. His book has sufficient focus on the personalities of the major players and has enough humor to make it an easy read.
While his view of the future of soccer in America may indeed be overly influenced by his European roots he knows whereof he speaks. And who knows, he may be right!

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Star-Spangled Soccer charts America's 25-year journey to becoming a soccer nation, the key business, decisions, personalities, and events that shaped its growth, and the developing perfect soccer storm that will propel its unstoppable march forward. The book takes its lead from a single premise that the granting of the 1994 World Cup to the United States set in motion a chain of events that has redefined soccer in America forever, good and bad, up and down, but ultimately positioned to become a major force in the rapidly changing American sports landscape. Drawn from a 20-year career as a senior executive in the American soccer market and supported by first person interviews and insights with all the key personalities and decision makers, Star Spangled Soccer is a must read for anyone wanting to understand the American soccer market, where it has come from, and why it is positioned for tremendous growth over the next 10 years.

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Leveling the Playing Field: How the Law Can Make Sports Better for Fans Review

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(More customer reviews)Many of the major issues of modern professional sports revolve around issues of the law. Harvard's Henry J. Friendly professor of law Paul C. Weiler believes this firmly and "Leveling the Playing Field" is his attempt to explore this subject. Much of this terrain has been pursued in other works, but Weiler's perspective is interesting. Weiler takes the reader through the looking glass world of the sports business, exploring the nature of free agency, the various revenue streams of the major sports franchises, the long history of the shakedown for new sports complexes paid for with public money, the problems of steroids and other methods of cheating, and television and other revenues generated through sports activities. It is a familiar story, and Weiler tells it relatively well. His approach is balanced and his tone is evenhanded, even when the subject does not deserve it.
His solution to the problems of Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League boil down to one piece of national legislation. "The only way to avoid a regular replay of the experience of the 1990s is to have Congress pass a law that bars redistribution of middle-American taxpayer dollars into the pockets of wealthy Americans like George Steinbrenner." He adds, "I hope my readers now understand that as fans we would be better off if our favorite sports had the combination of a salary tax and a stadium cap" (p. 345). That might help, although I am opposed to any restraint on the ability of players to receive whatever income they are able to negotiate for their services since they are fundamentally the stars of the show, but I only wish it were that simple! I very much question all the problems of the sports business could be cured in this way, and I must add that the devil would be in the details of any such congressional action and its ramifications might be strikingly different from what was intended. Witness the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act and how it simply changed the rules of the game; it did not appreciably alter the game itself. Additionally, the ability to pass legislation of this type in early twenty-first century America appears virtually nil.
While I found this book quite interesting and worthy of consideration, I was annoyed by the relative lack of academic rigor in the discussion. At no point, for instance, did Weiler offer detailed thoughts on the nature of the legislation that he believes is necessary. Additionally, the book is completely without scholarly apparatus, not even a selected bibliography, and I find this unacceptable in a serious work.

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Soccernomics: Why England Loses, Why Germany and Brazil Win, and Why the U.S., Japan, Australia, Turkey--and Even Iraq--Are Destined to Become the Kings of the World's Most Popular Sport Review

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(More customer reviews)I was made aware of this book when I heard one of the authors give an interview. Many of the topics in the interview weren't in the book, but a host of other areas where. The book is easy to read and well researched. However, it is very much written from a British point of view - so don't let the Americanized title of Soccernomics fool you. It mainly appears to be a book that hopes to explain to the English that they are not the most rabid fans nor the best players of the game they invented 150 years ago.
Some of the chapters were so absolutely fascinating, I couldn't stop reading. Other chapters were so ultimately boring that I skipped them. The good thing is that you can skip around and read each chapter independently without really losing any overall scope of the book.
Even though I didn't agree with some the conclusions and read the data differently, I certainly feel much more knowledgeable about the current game and how we got here. If you are a fan of soccer, you should seriously consider this fact-filled book. It will make for great discussions around the TV during next summer's World Cup.

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Plunkett's Sports Industry Almanac 2009: Sports Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends & Leading Companies Review

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(More customer reviews)I used Plunkett's Sports Industry Almanac to gather information on a Reebok campaign I was working of for class. The information was extremely helpful and easy to sift through. I expecially like all the stats.
Plunkett's Sports Industry Almanac 2009: Sports Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends & Leading Companies

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The sports business is a dynamic and growing industry in the U.S., Europe, Asia Pacific and elsewhere. In addition to major sporting leagues and teams, related sectors include sporting goods manufacturing, sports apparel, sporting events broadcasting and retailing. Sports and professional athletes attract companies interested in endorsements, advertising, merchandising and marketing opportunities. Plunkett's Sports Industry Almanac covers such sectors, providing competitive intelligence, market research and business analysis. Our coverage includes sports business trends analysis and sports industry statistics. We also include a sports business glossary and a listing of sports industry contacts, such as industry associations. Next, we profile over 350 leading teams, leagues and sports sector companies. Profiles include business descriptions and up to 27 executives by name and title. Price includes a CD-ROM, which enables you to search, filter, view and export selected contact data, including executive names for mail merge and contact management. You'll find industry analysis, an overview and market research report of sports, sporting goods, sports marketing, stadiums, teams, and leagues business in one value-priced package.

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Beyond the Scoreboard: An Insider's Guide to the Business of Sport Review

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(More customer reviews)If you suspected that sports are big, big business this book will confirm that. It gives a detailed picture of just about every business aspect of major sports including TV, ownership, corporate sponsorship, government involvement, stadium design and financing, and union/sports agents involvement. It even has a chapter of the sports video gaming industry and fantasy leagues that have flourished in the last decade. There are interviews with the commissioners of the principal sports: Roger Goodell (NFL), David Stern (NBA), Gary Bettman (NHL) and Brian France (NASCAR). In addition to its thorough descriptions of the mechanics of the sports business, the book has "case studies" interspersed throughout the chapters that give examples of the complex dealings of the sports business world.
One domain of the sports world, just to give one example, is the evolution of the design, construction and financing of sports stadiums (stadia?). There is an architectural sub-specialty of sports stadiums and arenas that has brought about many design innovations now commonly seen across the nation: single sport stadiums (no longer shared between football and baseball) luxury suites, club areas, strategies for seating placement, vendors and concessionaires, and more. It's no surprise that complicated financing schemes have emerged to fund these mega million structures, involving corporate resources and government/business partnerships.
There is hardly an aspect of the business of sports that isn't covered in great depth by the authors. Whatever one's favorite sport might be there is much to be learned about what makes it tick in this book.

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Go behind the scenes with your insider's access to the high-pressure, high-stakes business of professional sport.

In Beyond the Scoreboard, Rick Horrow, sport business analyst for Fox Sports, Bloomberg TV, Bloomberg Businessweek, and the BBC and host of PBS Nightly Business Report's "Beyond the $coreboard," and Horrow Sports Ventures' vice president Karla Swatek take you to the boardrooms, negotiating tables, and executive suites of sport's most influential powerbrokers.

Beyond the Scoreboard tackles sport's hot-button topics head on. You'll see

• how sponsors measure return on investment with sport organizations;

• how pro teams negotiate with governments to make a stadium deal;

• the effect of the sport facility building boom on teams' bottom lines;

• how sport agents try to maximize the value of their in-demand clients; and

• the effect on teams and fans of revolutionary changes in modern ticket selling.

Whether you are one of the millions of people who play fantasy sports or you just want to know more about how your favorite teams determine their strategies, you'll learn how the experts make deals happen.

And with engaging sidebars and exclusive interviews from the most powerful figures in sport, including Roger Goodell, David Stern, Brian France, and Gary Bettman, you'll gain expert analysis from people who have played leadership roles in some of the most intense negotiations and lucrative business deals in sport history.

There's nobody better equipped to explain what it takes to be a success in sport marketing, sponsorships, facility financing, or generating media coverage than Rick Horrow, the Sports Professor. In Beyond the Scoreboard, Horrow and Swatek provide you with an all-access pass to the multibillion-dollar world of professional sport.

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Major League Losers: The Real Cost Of Sports And Who's Paying For It Review

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(More customer reviews)By ANDREW CLINEMark S. Rosentraub, Major League Losers: The Real Cost of Sports And Who's Paying For It: Basic Books, 1997, $27.50, 513 pages.
Within the past generation, the pro sports team owner has become one of the top threats to state and local taxpayers. He has achieved this position by hiring hack economists to conduct trumped-up economic studies purporting to show that new sports arenas will bring large financial returns to the general public.
In his new book, Major League Losers, economist Mark S. Rosentraub shows very persuasively how pro sports arenas do not generate the economic returns to the general public that the owners claim, and therefore public subsidies are not justified.
Major League Losers is more than an economics book, and Rosentraub more than an economics professor. The book is written not for the policy wonk or academic, but rather for the sports fan and the taxpayer. Rosentraub covers the issue from the perspective of a concerned citizen and avid sports fan who just happens to be an economist rather than an economist looking to win tenure.
Rosentraub, a professor at Indiana University at Indianapolis and an Indiana Pacers season ticket holder, begins his book by laying down a little background so the reader will not jump straight into a bunch of economic mumbo jumbo.
In the first chapter Rosentraub outlines in simple terms how a city's economy works and how professional sports fit into that economy. In the second chapter he gets into a bit of psychology by explaining why sports occupy so exalted a position that they can garner public subsidies when other, far more important industries cannot.
The next chapter covers the theory of supply and demand, or why all cities that want pro sports teams cannot have them. In this chapter Rosentraub serves up a history of the big sports leagues, showing how each formed and evolved and how each was designed as a cartel that would maximize owner profits by minimizing competition.
Chapters four and five get into the nitty-gritty of economic analysis. In them Rosentraub explains just how little pro sports actually means to a city's overall economy. Professional sports, the author shows, never make up more than one half of one percent of all jobs in any community in which they exist. Nor do they account for two-thirds of one percent of the total payroll of any community in which they exist.
Also, when it comes to generating job growth, pro sports produce jobs only in a very tiny area localized usually within the stadium's own zip code. There is no large ripple effect throughout the community. In fact, pro sports can sap jobs from outlying areas because people who would have spent their money on movies and restaurants in the suburbs will instead spend that money at the sports stadium, reducing business for suburban entertainment and food venues.
In chapters six through ten, Rosentraub uses the specific examples of Indianapolis, Cleveland, St. Louis, Toronto, Montreal, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh to show how little return taxpayers receive when they opt to spend tax money on pro sports stadiums.
Chapter eleven focuses on the fight between suburbs and center cities that occurs whenever communities try to land or keep pro sports teams within their boundaries.
In the last chapter, Rosentraub offers a quick prescription for how to avoid the subsidized disasters that have befallen so many communities that have caved in to the demands of sports team owners.
Major League Losers could have been a much shorter book. The educated reader will skim through much of the fluff to get to the meat of the economic discussion. But this fluff may prove important in explaining the situation to those serious sports fans who otherwise may tolerate subsidies to teams as a means of obtaining their favorite entertainment. The book clearly and simply achieves the author's objectives. It is a must read for all hard-core sports fans as well as all taxpayers.
Andrew Cline is director of publications at the John Locke Foundation, a nonprofit think tank in Raleigh, N.C.

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Money Games: Profiting from the Convergence of Sports and Entertainment Review

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(More customer reviews)Money Games is a great book for anyone who wants to learn about where sports are and where they are headed. Money Games is able to get interviews with extremely knowledgeable people including David Stern, the commissioner of the NBA. Despite being filled with quality information from reliable sources Money Games is an extremely easy read and is never too dense for the common consumer. Money Games covers all sports vehicles from the behemoth NFL to the relatively smaller market WWE and everything in between. I highly recommend this book for someone who is interested in pursuing a career in sports administration or anyone who wants to really understand the franchises they follow so closely.

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The businesses behind Dubai Sports City, the branding of David Beckham, and the presence and popularity of fantasy sports leagues on the internet are unmistakable indicators that the sports and the entertainment industries are quickly becoming one and the same.But, you needn't travel far or be a hard core sports fan to appreciate this fact.Whether you play Madden NFL on the Wii, use Nike+ along with your iPod to monitor your workouts, or channel surf and take note of the number of athlete-driven commercials, evidence of this transformation is ubiquitous in today's sports viewing and consuming experience.In recent years, the rapid convergence of sports and entertainment has been key to the sports business industry's continued growth and financial success. Money Games not only analyzes how industry stakeholders have monetized this convergence, but also provides readers with answers to this core question: how can the sports business continue to profit from the blurring of sports and entertainment?Author David M. Carter considers a wide array of implications for television content, video gaming, athlete branding, the Internet, mobile technology, gambling, sports-anchored real estate development, venue technology, and corporate marketing-in short, those areas where business opportunities exist now that sports and entertainment have become one.Money Games is a must-read for professionals and future leaders of the sports and entertainment industries, and sports fans will also find an intriguing story about the evolution of the games that they cherish and follow.

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