The Business of Sports: A Primer for Journalists (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Business of Sports: A Primer for Journalists Liz Matson (bio) The Business of Sports: A Primer for Journalists By Mark ConradMahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.2006. 329 pp. (counting index) 301 pp. (not counting index) $39.95. Good sports reporters should live, eat, and sleep sports. They should rattle off every minute stat and fact of the players, coaches and sports they cover, as if reciting their ABCs. But there is more to sports than scores and über athletes. In The Business of Sports: A Primer for Journalists, Mark Conrad argues that sports journalists should also have vast knowledge of the inner-workings of the sports industry, "a multi-billion dollar business that involves many unique and complicated issues." Conrad, an associate professor of legal and ethical studies at Fordham University, has written a book that will round out a sports journalism writing class. The book covers a lot of ground and deals with subjects such as labor relations, sports agents, drug testing, intellectual property, sports facilities and discrimination. Conrad starts off with what makes sports a "unique" business. He compares it to the entertainment business; a comparison he acknowledges will make some readers "wince." However, the comparison is apt. Conrad also points out the factors that make this industry unlike any other. Throughout The Business of Sports there is a heavy emphasis on the four major league men's sports—the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Hockey League (NHL). Conrad breaks down the business model and legal structure of each league and points out the strengths and weaknesses of each organization. Fortunately, Conrad doesn't forget that there is more to sports than the four majors and includes information on the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), World Tennis Association (WTA), Professional Golfers' Association (PGA), Ladies Professional Golfers' Association (LPGA), the Olympic games, and more. There is a chapter devoted to high school and college sports, with an [End Page 110] extensive look at the National College Athletic Association (NCAA), one of our more-complex sports organizations. There is also a chapter that providing an overview of international sports. Conrad, who has a legal background, is particularly effective at explaining the complexity of player contracts and labor relations. The author stresses that sports journalists need to understand contract law. He writes that, "Labor relations between sports leagues and athletes present some of the most contentious issues in professional sports." These two detailed chapters make up a good portion of the book. Throughout the text, Conrad gives historical background, including the legal decisions that set precedents for how the industry is run today. At the end of each chapter, Conrad provides a list of questions a journalist should ask under the heading, "Information Check." He also includes a reference list at the end of each chapter and provides relevant Website addresses for further research. There is a useful glossary at the end of the book. Due to the complexity of some of the material, the book would benefit from more visuals. There are a few useful tables scattered throughout. Some flowcharts of the organizational structures would help the reader visualize the layers that make up sports organizations. The book would also be served by some specific examples of sports journalism. Without going to specifics, Conrad makes sweeping statements on areas where sports journalists fall down in their coverage. But there isn't much material to back up these statements. Additionally, examples of good sports journalism that delve into some of the book's topics would benefit the reader. The Business of Sports book comes at a time when the sports industry is fielding one scandal after the other—everything from steroid use to recruitment practices. Conrad has written a solid primer on how the business and its various components work. It is a valuable supplement to any sports writing textbook. The book also provides working sports journalists with a tool to broaden their educations on the business they cover. It deserves a place next to the keyboard on any sports writer's desk. [End Page 111] Liz...