ABSTRACT
The biggest sports clubs are media businesses that can generate revenue growth over 150 years or more – longer than even the most illustrious film studio. They are quintessential providers of live experience and (via media) live digital engagement. The Live Media Category and Media Value Creation Models are applied. Revenue lines including ticketing, corporate entertainment, merchandising, food and beverage and sponsorship are considered. Additional topics covered include celebrity football club investment, media rights exploitation, corporate valuation and the acquisitions of clubs. Sports covered include men’s and women’s football, American football, basketball, baseball and cricket. Sports analytics and technologies are discussed. There is a substantial section on Saudi Arabia’s investment in football and other sports, which considers whether arguments around ‘sportswashing’ are fair, or culturally prejudiced.
