Product Description
The contributions here cover the major socio-economic, political, cultural and sporting dimensions of the 1998 World Cup. It is set within the sporting context of the history and organization of French football and the French tradition of using major sporting events to focus world attention. ... Read more

Product Description
In this long-awaited book from the risingsuperstar of sportswriting, whose blog “The Edge of Sports” is read each week by thousands ofpeople across the country, Dave Zirin offers ariotously entertaining chronicle oflarger-than-life sporting characters anddramatic contests and what amounts to analternative history of the United States as seen through the games its people played. ThroughZirin’s eyes, sports are never mere games, but a reflection of—and spur toward—the politicalconflicts that shape American society.

Half a century before Jackie Robinson wasborn, the black ballplayer Moses FleetwoodWalker brandished a revolver to keep racist fans at bay, then took his regular place in thelineup. In the midst of the Depression, whenalmost no black athletes were allowed on theU.S. Olympic team, athletes held a CounterOlympics where a third of the participants wereAfrican American.

A People’sHistory of Sports in the United States isreplete with surprises for seasoned sports fans, while anyone interested in history will be amazed by the connections Zirin draws between politicsand pop flies. As Jeff Chang, author ofCan’t Stop Won’t Stop, puts it, “Afteryou read him, you’ll never see sports the sameway again.”

... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The "Conscience" of Sport
Please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe it was The Washington Post who called David Zirin "the conscience of sport media". He tells you all the rest of the information that has been left out on the daily news feeds & sports talk shows for one reason or another; often the info you really should hear about. Mr. Zirin puts things into perspective & that is an understatement. If you want to be truly informed on sport, if you want to develop your opinions based on "the rest of the information" then read Zirin.Even if you find that from time to time you don't agree with him, you'll still have pertinent information to expand your sport knowledge base. Oh yes, and I recommend getting on his Edge of Sports email list.

great book
excellent book for people who care about the dirty, hidden side of sports. writing is excellent. zirin is a pioneer and we need to hear his voice over the maddening sports crowd. hopefully he'll continue to produce reams of additional spectacular material.

A must-read even if you're not a sports fan
Zirin reports on how sport is more than just about winning a game.There's more at stake than bragging rights and fat paychecks.Like it or not, sport has effected our views about race, gender, sexuality, economics and government.There are no ifs, ands or buts when it comes to rules of game, "but when the playing field is shown to be unlevel, it stings.This sporting reality can wake people up and reveal the hidden inequities in our society that otherwise go unnoticed."

Before reading this book I had a fuzzy opinion about whether or not athletes should raise their voices on political issues.I can now strongly say that indeed they should.If not for the words and actions provoked by athletes of our nation's past, then the many inequalities suffered both on and off the field would have continued to endure today.

ESSENTIAL READING FOR OPEN MINDED SPORTS FANS
David Zirin's masterfully researched and well-written "A People's History of Sports in the United States" is essential reading for anyone interested in sports and its relationship to society. My only gripe with the book is that I wish it were 150 pages longer, with more in-depth analysis of the events described. Nonetheless, this is a compelling read. From the Revolutionary War to the events at Jena, Louisiana (the lynching jokes and fights that got African American students in trouble), "A People's History" reveals that sports in this country isn't simply a red, white, and blue, non-political game, but a landscape where revolutionaries have thrived, both in competition and in their attempts at social change.A must read.

Eye-opening
Games are never just games. Even when children play, they are mastering the skills and cultural messages they will need to become successful adults. Yet in America, we cling to a cultural myth that sports are apolitical. We have the news channel CNN and the sports channel ESPN, and they are supposed to be entirely separate and distinct.

In this enlightening book, sportswriter Dave Zirin debunks this myth, exposing the politics, business interests, and cultural forcesthat have shaped modern sports. Zirin traces the history of sports from the lacrosse-playing days of the Choctaw Indians all the way to the modern steroid scandals and the behind-the-scenes politics of the international Olympic Games. Throughout, he focuses on how race-related conflicts have helped to shape modern athletics.

The host of a popular blog called "The Edge of Sports" (edgeofsports.com) and a regular contributor to the L.A. Times and the Nation magazine, Zirin has an engaging style that will appeal to sports fans, history buffs, and anyone else who wants their eyes opened. The favorable reviews and high sales certainly suggest that this book will help reduce the myth of sports as apolitical. (See the publisher's website, newpress.com, for links to recent publicity, which includes a favorable plug in Time Magazine.) Author Jeff Chang promises that after reading this book "you'll never see sports the same way again"; author Jim Bouton (Ball Four) goes even further by predicting that this is "the opening shot in the battle to reclaim sports."

Not only is the book enlightening, it is also a fun read full of engaging stories that you can share with friends and family while you are waiting for the game to begin. And if by game time you haven't yet convinced them that politics is embedded in sports, Zirin recommends an exercise that will unmask the "coercive patriotism" surrounding them: Have them try staying seated while the national anthem is being played, and they are being told to stand to support the troops in Iraq. ... Read more

Product Description
From the foremost authority on event management

A comprehensive, totally up-to-date guide to your career in the rapidly changing global event management business

With the event planning industry’s emergence as a mainstream career choice--combined with new global economic realities--those who work in this exciting field must keep up with the times in order to grow and succeed. Event professionals must master the specialized skills to transition from event manager to event leader. In this new Fourth Edition, Dr. Joe Goldblatt, CSEP, imparts all the logistical know-how and theoretical understanding event managers need, with a new focus on honing the skills, knowledge, and ability required to become a true leader. Taking into account the industry’s new global nature, Goldblatt covers the new skill set leaders need in order to deal with other cultures, societies, and business practices. Combining trusted wisdom, helpful and illustrative examples, and a wealth of new and updated information, Special Events, Fourth Edition features:

• A 16-page full-color photo insert
• Inspiring profiles of Event Leaders
• Real-world case studies in 21st-century event management
• Expanded coverage of the role of leadership in event planning
• An emphasis on the growing globalization of the profession
• New information on risk management and security issues for the new century
• Updates on using new technologies, including the Internet and recent software packages
• A study prep section for candidates taking the Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) exam

The Wiley Event Management Series--Series Editor, Dr. Joe Goldblatt, CSEP
The Wiley Event Management Series provides professionals with the essential knowledge and cutting-edge tools they need to excel in one of the most exciting and rapidly growing sectors of the hospitality and tourism industry. Written by recognized experts in the field, the volumes in the series cover the research, design, planning, coordination, and evaluation methods as well as specialized areas of event management. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Special Events
I have found this book to be great. Event Management is the Business of the future amongst us in Africa and this book in a very synchronised way does give us very good background.
Regards, ... Read more

Product Description
Management and marketing of sport events demand an interdisciplinary approach, where one major component is often underestimated if not forgotten. The emotional influences on sport event spectators play a significant role when it comes to the decision whether or not to take part at a sport event.The aim of this scientific work is to analyse the importance and awareness of the emotional impact on spectators¿ behaviour towards a sport in general and sport events in particular with regards to sport event marketing. The biggest challenge therein lies in the area of measuring the different categories of emotional impact and to subsequently identify strategies how to incorporate these emotions in marketing communication. Research in this area has shown a strong upward trend in recent years, however a sophisticated implementation of emotional influences on sport event marketing cannot yet be considered as realised and put into practice. The point of accomplishing and developing a strategic and fundamental basis for applied emotion marketing has not been reached yet. ... Read more

Product Description
Nothing unites—and excites—the sporting planet like a World Cup. For one month every four years, billions of people rearrange their lives, play hooky, and ignore their loved ones in order to watch 22 men kick a ball in pursuit of a small gold statue and athletic immortality.


On the eve of one of the most historically significant World Cup of all—the first to be held in Africa—you need a tour guide more than ever. Learned yet lively, elegantly designed, and bursting with historical photos, The ESPN World Cup Companion celebrates every World Cup since 1930, highlighting each era’s Greatest Players, Games, Teams, Players, Rivalries, and Cult Figures. But coauthors David Hirshey and Roger Bennett relish the game for all its beauty and vulgarity, subtlety and brutality, examining every aspect of World Cup culture; here you’ll find a rogue’s gallery of the game’s biggest divas and divers, the DNA of the world’s powerhouses, the psychodrama of the penalty shoot out, the physics of the free kick, the five soccer fans you’ll meet in hell, and even the art of scoring off the field.  
 
The ESPN World Cup Companion captures all the sweat, blood, tears, and bad hairdos of the last 80 years. Whether you’re a casual fan or a long-time aficionado of the sport, this book bridges the gap between merely watching the planet’s biggest sporting event and truly understanding it.
 
So paint your face, hoist your vuvuzela, or just grab your trusty remote, but whatever you do make sure The ESPN World Cup Companion is by your side.
 Amazon.com Review
Roger Bennett on The ESPN World Cup Companion

The World Cup has been a dominant force in my life, creating a spine against which I have come to mark time.Some of my earliest television-watching memories revolve around the delirious spectacle of the 1978 World Cup, as stadiums exploded with confetti whenever Argentina took to the field. 1982 was defined by Brazil’s intense midfielder, Falcao, maniacally celebrating a goal with the veins in his arms bulging from the screen as if in 3-D (Youtube it) and Diego Maradona's 1986 destruction of my beloved England by means foul and fair which caused my brother and I to run out into the street and vent our grief by blasting a soccer ball through the window of our home.My parents, thankfully, understood our pain.

Customer Reviews (53)

Great World Cup Compendium
I have a few world cup history classics like Brian Granville's etc - but this one is a real masterpiece and very different and at times a bit irreverent- not only covers all the world cups but also has some quirky facts even for the discerning fanatic

like "The Five World Cup Fans You'll Meet in Hell", "The DNA of the World's Greatest Teams", "Wanted: Multilingual Marathoner with Encyclopedic Memory", "Rogues" (Parts I and II), "Worst Teams Ever", (Brazil 1990 is classified as one)Authors debate: "Pelé, Maradona- Who's Better?","Classic World Cup Superstitions", "The Wags(Wives and Girlfriends) that Tail The Dogs(players)", etc.

I think i like the anecdotes and quirkiness more - as a history book it falls short of details but makes up in photos

Great!
This is an excellent coffee table book. The text is not particularly compelling, but the book is well-designed and the layout is intriguing.

Not too many other books like this on the market, anyway. A good book for soccer fans, for sure.

Very Nice Compilation
I was surpsied at the complete book.It covered the modern era of soccer.There was even discussion about the US.The book I received did not have the cover shown for the product, but that did not matter.The pictures also were able to convey the feelings of players and fans.

I especially liked the coverage of key games in the past and what it meant to each country.It also covered the rivalries and other topics that helped me to enjoy the entire 2010 World Cup.

great stats and tidbits
it is one of our coffee table books.it always gets picked up and read.

WOW...are there any standards!?
This guy was on Morning Joe and he didn't even know what stoppage time (the minutes added to each half when play is stopped) was! He called it "injury time"! NOT A JOKE, SERIOUSLY HE DIDN'T KNOW! Mindnumbing. I am the MOST CASUAL OF CASUAL soccer fans and I even knew what stoppage time is. "Injury time" doesn't even make sense. Time is added for substitutions, fouls, celebrations after goals, bookings, all kind of things NOT just injuries. Have you never heard when PA comes on and announces "1 minute of stoppage time, 1 minute" or an announcer say "3 minutes of stoppage time has been added". Also he didn't even know that extra time doesn't always have to have two sections. WHY in the world would I read a book by a guy that doesn't even know the bare essentials of the game. Especially the sport, the only sport he is commenting on. Espn should be ashamed to include his name on any of their publications! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Tedious and too focused on the unusual
Most of the books in this series have been excellent. This is the rare exception. I want to read what the title promises -- the best of the previous year's writing. This completely fails to deliver, in what I suspect was an attempt by this editor (who hopefully won't be asked to play this role again) to assemble what amounts to a sideshow of sports largely ignored by the public -- for good reason, as you'll discover by reading. The writing is average at best and the subjects are just not that interesting.

Some very solid, some forgettable
No way is this collection worthy of only one star. There are too many good or better than good stories, as David Maraniss mixed it up to include a lot of different sports. His focus is on the human element, not actual game stories or their immediate aftermath, as they usually are far too ephemeral for a collection, not matter how sharply done.

The challenge for this particular set is that only a few are at all memorable enough to stick with you after completion. Too many are not that interesting or are nothing special or simply didn't appeal to me, such as the one on John Cheney and the odd take on Bugs Bunny.

My favorites were the high school football game that went 73-72, the running Hoyts, surfing technology, the Saturday hoops tradition, and Jake Scott. The surfing was a nice touch, as it was on a subject about which few readers probably have a clue, making it especially fresh and informative.

If you are only interested in a single sport or two, look elsewhere.

3.5 stars

Does waste your money
I read the reviews here, but thought, "how bad can it be?"It's very bad.Every single story was dull, dull, dull.David Halberstam, we miss you!!!

A vast array of quality sports writing
This book takes for you for a loop in that you think that the major sports are going to be covered in baseball, football, basketball and maybe some hockey.The first chapter is actually about racoon hunting and the next one is a satire about Bugs Bunny if he played in an actual baseball game.

In fact here is a list of the additional sports covered in this book:

-High school "futbol"
-High school football
-Former NFL player Jake Scott's wherabouts today
-Mark McGwire in retirement
-The first $100,000 bonus given to a baseball player
-Horseracing
-Don King & boxing
-Olympic skiier Bode Miller
-Cycling
-A woman race-car driver
-Fishing
-Surboarding
-Bill Parcells
-John Cheney
-Red Aurbach
-Shady HS Basketball sneaker company recruiting
-Travel baseball
-Former college football star's life after serious injury
-Pickup basketball games
-Pool
-Former college basketball player's encounter with stopping the shoe bomber
-Iraqi soccer
-Running
-Rodeos
-Turkey hunting


I am giving this book 5 stars to off-set the one-star rating because this book doesn't deserve that low of a rating.Most of the short-stories are from well-respected publications and notable authors.It is hard to read this book straight through because of the variety of the work, but it was a very high quality read.

Best American Sports Writing not even Good
I bought most of the books in this series and gave them for Christmas gifts.My husband loves the Sports pages, so I gave him this book.He said the book has very few good stories, very poor writing in many of them.He said he felt that the editor decided he needed to have one story about each sport, rather than the best stories about a few sports. ... Read more

Product Description
For the first time Events Design and Experience draws together the relationship between event design and the experience of consumers and participants. It explores and analyses the event experience of the individual and how this can be 'controlled' by design.

By drawing upon ongoing research conducted over several years into the experiences of groups and individuals who attend events this text will ask questions such as: What was the rationale behind a particular event being designed in a certain way? What was the actual experience of consumers? How was the event materially delivered and did the experience created provide a satisfactory outcome? How can experiences be understood (via semiotics) especially the physical elements of an event?

Structured in four sections, Events Design and Experience discusses:
* What are events? An overall view of the industry, its definitions and market demand.It also covers an analysis of previous literature, and draws upon real life events such as Wembley plc, Leapfrog Corporate events and the British Cycling federation
* What is an event experience? An explanation of the nature and stages of experience, and the emergence of the experience industry itself. Cases such as the Proms, London Fashion week ands the Nike Fun run are used to illustrate.
* Designing Experiences. Considers how design itself can impact upon the experience, in some cases fundamentally changing the nature of experience. It asks the question of how experiences are designed and what do they signify to the customer once complete.
* Analysing Event Experiences. Considers how experiences can be analysed and evaluated looking at the artificiality of the event and how this reflects in the experience of consumers. Also includes a review of the psychological processes of perception and interpretation and how meaning and experience can be analysed, and how we may begin to unravel the meanings attributed to certain events.

With international case studies throughout, Events Design and Experience has a coherent user-friendly structure including chapter summaries, review exercises and topics for discussion to consolidate understanding.

* Explores and analyses the event experience of the individual and how this can be 'controlled' by design.
* Examines the differences between individual and group experiences and how to cater for each one
* Uses case studies to analyse the 'how' and 'what' of event experiences such as business conventions, graduation and award ceremonies, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, London Fashion Week, Nike Fun Run and many more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Events Design and Experience
Excellent...finnaly a book which covers events design and not only the organizational and planning part...excellent work!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
For more than a century, the World Series has captivated baseball fans. From Babe Ruth's Called Shot in 1932 and Reggie Jackson's three-in-a-row home runs in 1977, to the "reverse the curse" wins by Boston in 2004 and Chicago in 2005--this action-packed volume is sure to please. Quotes from the star athletes, photos of the best plays, and a complete list of results since the first series in 1903 round out the book that young baseball fans will find is an out-of-the park home run! ... Read more

Product Description

Beijing 2008: Preparing for Glory - Chinese Challenge in the 'Chinese Century' brings together international scholars with an interest in sport and politics and sinologists with an interest in China - past, present and future - to explore global reaction to the Beijing Olympics - China's anticipated moment of glory on the world stage.

Product Description
Capturing the world of sport with all of its drama and humanity, the ultimate anthology includes articles from more than 350 magazines and newspapers on topics ranging from the late Buster Smith, world checkers champion, to U.S. Open tennis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent .Very well chosen anthology.Not at all dated.
I recently (in 1997) read the 1993 and 1994 books of this series, and am anxious to get copies of the others. A problem with putting a year in the title of a book is that it makes the book seem dated and maybe no longer of interest.Don't be misled by that notion.This is good stuff and just as intersting now as when it was published. Also, I find myself recommending many of the pieces to people who are not necessarily interested in sports.Appreciation of the material is independent of whether you care about sports.It's all very good writing about interesting people. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Useful for PR
I found this book fairly useful for use in public relations activities.It could have a little better organization though. ... Read more

Product Description
An illustrated almanac of track and field facts and records such as the first competitor to pole vault 18 feet and record-holding women hurdlers. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume contains a blueprint for conducting evaluations and 20 field tested forms that can be used or modified to fit specific evaluation needs. It explains how to reflect on personal and organizational philosophies; identify who will help in the evaluation process; assess which programmes and individuals need to be evaluated; develop an evaluation plan; implement the plan; and review and revise the plan. ... Read more

Product Description
The story of the creation of Britain's national game has often been told. According to the accepted wisdom, the refined football games created by English public schools in the 1860s subsequently became the sports of the masses. Football, The First Hundred Years, provides a revisionist history of the game, challenging previously widely-accepted beliefs.
Harvey argues that established football history does not correspond with the facts. Football, as played by the 'masses' prior to the adoption of the public school codes is almost always portrayed as wild and barbaric. This view may require considerable modification in the light of Harvey's research. Football's First One Hundred Years provides a very detailed picture of the football played outside the confines of the public schools, revealing a culture that was every bit as sophisticated and influential as that found within their prestigious walls.
Football, The First Hundred Years sets forth a completely revisionist thesis, offering a different perspective on almost every aspect of the established history of the formative years of the game. The book will be of great interest to sports historians and football enthusiasts alike. ... Read more

Product Description
Industry Market Research Synopsis

This Industry Market Research report from IBISWorld provides a detailed analysis of the Live Music, Event & Sports Venue Promotions in the US industry, including key growth trends, statistics, forecasts, the competitive environment including market shares and the key issues facing the industry.

Industry Definition

Companies in this industry are engaged in organizing, promoting and/or managing live performance arts productions, sports events, and similar events, such as state fairs, county fairs, agricultural fairs, concerts, and festivals, held in facilities that they manage and operate. Also, the industry manages and producing the staff to operate arenas, stadiums, theaters, or other related facilities for rent to other promoters.

Report Contents

The Key Statistics chapter provides the key indicators for the industry for at least the last three years. The statistics included are industry revenue, industry gross product, employment, establishments, exports, imports, domestic demand and total wages.

The Market Characteristics chapter covers the following: Market Size, Linkages, Demand Determinants, Domestic and International Markets, Basis of Competition and Life Cycle. The Market Size section gives the size of the domestic market as well as the size of the export market.The Linkages section lists the industry's major supplier and major customer industries. The Demand Determinants section lists the key factors which are likely to cause demand to rise or fall. The Domestic and International Markets section defines the market for the products and services of the industry.This section provides the size of the domestic market and the proportion accounted for by imports and exports and trends in the levels of imports and exports. The Basis of Competition section outlines the key types of competition between firms within the industry as well as highlighting competition from substitute products in alternative industries.The Life Cycle section provides an analysis of which stage of development the industry is at.

The Segmentation chapter covers the following: Products and Service Segmentation, Major Market Segments, Industry Concentration and Geographic Spread.The Products and Service Segmentation section details the key products and/or services provided by this industry, highlighting the most important where possible to demonstrate which have a more significant influence over industry results as a whole. The Major Market Segments section details the key client industries and/or groups as well as giving an indication as to which of these are the most important to the industry.The Industry Concentration section provides an indicator of how much industry revenue is accounted for by the top four players. The Geographic Spread section provides a guide to the regional share of industry revenue/gross product.

The Industry Conditions chapter covers the following: Barriers to Entry, Taxation, Industry Assistance, Regulation and Deregulation, Cost Structure, Capital and Labor Intensity, Technology and Systems, Industry Volatility and Globalization.The Barriers to Entry section outlines factors that can prevent a new company from entering this industry and also gives an indication of the extent to which this occurs.The Taxation section details all kinds of taxation that are specific or are particularly important to this industry, including taxation concessions.The Industry Assistance section refers to any government and/or other measures designed to improve the performance of this industry.The Regulation and Deregulation section details any applicable regulation and/or deregulation to this industry. The Cost Structure section details the average costs for a company operating in this industry as a percentage of total revenue. The Capital and Labor Intensity section provides a guide to the amount of capital used in production/providing a service compared to the amount of labor in the total mix of inputs.The Technology and Systems section acknowledges the latest technology and/or systems available to this industry within the country. Technology refers to machinery and equipment and systems refers to methods of production that enable better and more efficient production.The Industry Volatility section refers to the year on year fluctuations which occur in industry output.The Globalization section gives an indication of the extent to which the industry is global based on factors such as the level of foreign ownership, the proportion of demand accounted for by foreign operators and the volume of production conducted in other countries.

The Performance chapter provides an analysis of both the industry's Current Performance and Historical Performance.The Current Performance section provides the key analysis for the industry over the past five years with key performance indicators discussed. The Historical Performance section details previously important events in the development of the industry.

The Key Competitors chapter lists the major players in the industry as well as an analysis of each major player's activities in the industry.Market share information is included where possible.

The Key Factors chapter covers the industry's Key Sensitivities and Key Success Factors.The Key Sensitivities section outlines the key factors that are outside the control of an operator in the industry, but are likely to have significant impact on a business.The Key Success Factors section details the factors within the control of an industry operator and which should be followed in order to be successful in the industry.Often this will include behavior that will help to minimize the effects of the Key Sensitivities.

The Outlook chapter is a key analysis section of the report and outlines expectations for the key industry indicators over the next five year period, including forecasts. ... Read more

Product Description
This reference work, updated since the 1997 edition, provides comprehensive information on the major professional leagues in North America--baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer. Arranged chronologically, the entries for each league in each sport include individual statistical leaders, championship results, major rules changes, winners of major awards, and hall of fame inductees. ... Read more

Product Description
Ask most Olympians how their story begins and they will answer, "When I was young, I always dreamed of going to the Olympics. . ."Some will then go on to tell of their great athletic triumphs. Others will recall agonizing near-misses. But for most, the very fact that they reached the Games at all was a dream come true.For the Olympic Games offer athletes something few others sporting events can: the chance to be recognized as the best in the world at a chosen sport.

With stories of great triumphs and great tragedies, the Olympics not only embodies the competitive human spirit, but also sets a stage stage for foreign relations and politics. Historical references combined with amazing sports stories give this book both an educational and exciting appeal. ... Read more