World-Renowned Economist To Discuss FIFA Issues at CU Sports Governance Center
September 08, 2016 | General, Sports Governance
Presentation scheduled Friday at CU Champions Center
BOULDER — University of Michigan professor Stefan Syzmanski, recognized as one the world's most influential sports economists, will speak Friday in Boulder at CU's Sports Governance Center.
Syzmanski will discuss current issues surrounding FIFA, soccer's world governing body, and present possible solutions to the problems.
The presentation begins at 3 p.m. in the Petry & Harrington Family Auditorium on the third floor of the CU Champions Center.
Most governing bodies for international sport are based in Europe. The sports they oversee make most of their money from commercial activities in Europe, which means means they are subject to the antitrust laws of the European Union (EU).
In the past, legal issues in relation to sports in the EU have been similar to those in the United States. For example, restraints on the freedom of movement of players between teams can be justified by league policies intended to maintain competitive balance among teams within a league.
European authorities have also tended to give governing bodies a good deal of leeway to run their sport. But the recent scandals surrounding FIFA have provoked a debate within the European Commission surrounding the appropriate antitrust policy towards governing bodies, as autonomy and special treatment have been called into question.
Syzmanski will explore such issues and suggest a way forward.
Stefan Syzmanski is a co-director in the Michigan Centre for Sport Management at UM. He has published widely in the academic press on issues relating to the incentives in contests, competitive balance in sports leagues, the business strategy of football and other sports and the sale of broadcast rights. He has also written on the role of competition law, public subsidies of major sporting events, well-being and sports policy, and the economic history of sport. He has advised governments, sport governing bodies and clubs on various economic issues, and has has written in the media on business issues relating to football, cricket and the Olympics among others. In addition to "Why England Lose & Other Curious Football Phenomena Explained" (with Simon Kuper), he recently co-authored "Fans of the World Unite! A (Capitalist) Manifesto for Sports Consumers" (with Steve Ross, Stanford University Press), and authored "Playbooks and Checkbooks: An Introduction to the Economics of Modern Sports."