Pay Up and Play the Game. Professional sport in Britain, 1875-1914

Notes:

Provides a scholarly analysis of the history of the professional sportsman and the commercialisation of sport in the British context. Deals especially with cricket and football and to a lesser extent, rugby, particularly in the period of rapid change, 1875-1914. Provides: 1] 'Overview' - commercialisation of sport and sport history as economic history; 2] 'Development of professional gatemoney' - the 'revolution' in the character, structure and organisation of sport, emergence of a sports industry from 18th century, the economic variables impinging on it; 3] 'Sport in the market place. The economics of professional sport' - profit motive versus the winning motive, financing, entrepreneurship; 4] 'Playing for pay. Professional sport as an occupation' - earnings, professionalism, etc; 5] 'Unsporting behaviour' - social issues such as gambling, violence, etc