The Book

Professional football is the most popular sport in the world in terms of both spectator attendance and television viewing figures. As its popularity has grown so has its monetary value.

Kieran Maguire examines how professional football clubs operate as businesses and explains how to read, understand and interrogate the finances of professional clubs.

The book begins by exploring the financial accounts of the football club – the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow – and shows what they tell us about a club’s financial health.

How assets are financed and how clubs account for players in different ways is explored, including the reasons for the rise in wage levels at the elite end.

How ticket prices are determined, the benefits and costs of television rights, and how brand monetization impact on the finances of clubs are all explained as well as the role of financial fair play.

The book explains how clubs are valued, what to look out for in the published accounts, and why they are bought and sold. At a time when many commentators are bemoaning the effects of “too much money” in the game, this clear-headed analysis and presentation of the financial imperatives and challenges facing football clubs will be welcomed not only by students of the industry, but by a wider consituency of fans and supporters looking to understand their club’s latest season ticket prices or transfer deal.

The Price of Football second edition has just been released and you can order it here!