Research Handbook on the Law of Professional Football Clubs

This original Research Handbook examines the key legal aspects of a professional football club’s actions. Reflecting also on the role of key governing bodies such as UEFA, the Handbook informs and contributes to the ongoing debate surrounding the governance and behaviours of professional football clubs.

Introduction to the law of professional football clubs, 1
Robby Houben

PART I THE ORGANISATION OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL

1 The football industry, 7
Tom Bason and Benoit Senaux

2 Organisation of European professional football: A stakeholder theory analysis, 29
Richard Parrish

3 The European football competition model (under stress), 48
Katarina Pijetlovic

4 Scoring across the pond—a comparison of football governance models, 72
William W. Berry III and William N. Morris

PART II LICENSING AND FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY

5 Professional football club licensing in Europe, 90
Wino van Veen

6 Owning a football club, 116
Siniša Petrović

7 Financial fair play and financial monitoring in Europe, 135
Christopher Flanagan

8 Managing more than a football club, 161
Hallgeir Gammelsæter

PART III FINANCING PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CLUBS

9 The football club as media supplier: Media rights, 176
Steve Cornelius

10 Commercial contracts: Sponsoring and ticketing, 194
Shaun Star and Joost Vynckier

11 The football stadium, 217
Andrea Cattaneo

12 The listed football club, 236
Michiel De Muynck and Lennert Poelmans

PART IV PLAYERS

13 The status and role of players in the football industry, 258
Michele Colucci and Roy Vermeer

14 Player transfers, 274
F.M. (Frans) de Weger and D.J. (Dannick) Luckson

15 Football agents, 304
Stephen Weatherill

16 Taxation of professional football players and football clubs, 325
Anne Van de Vijver and Karolina Tetłak

PART V COMPLIANCE, CSR AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

17 Compliance and money laundering in professional football: An evolving field, 348
Niels Appermont and William Bull

18 Social responsibility, stakeholders and professional football clubs: From ‘window-dressing’ to civic wealth creation, 369
Annette Greenhow

19 Dispute resolution in professional football, 393
Jacopo Tognon and Priscilla Bortolin

PART VI CONCLUDING REMARKS

Conclusion to the law of professional football clubs, 407
Robby Houben

Index, 422