ABSTRACT
Although the voluntary sector has been the key lead sector in sport over the past two centuries, and government has played a significant role at specific periods, as we enter the new millennium it is the commercial sector of sport that is the most dynamic sector of the supply side of the sports market. It is now realistic to talk about ‘the sports industry’ as an important generator of economic activity and employment, and it is the commercial sector in sport that accounts for the major share of sport-related economic activity and employment. In this chapter we define the boundaries of the sports industry and outline the key contributors to its economic importance.
