This book takes an important step forward in showing how Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) have been applied within the English Premier League (EPL) – arguably the most commercialised and watched sport league in the world – and how it can and should be utilised in the context of other sports properties.

Drawing on cutting-edge empirical research, the book offers a detailed view into the marketing communications practices of EPL clubs (such as brand management and communications alignment), the football clubs’ practitioners’ perspectives of IMC and the integration processes taking place within the clubs. It examines the key marketing communications practices that strategic IMC entails, including marketing strategies and goals, cross-functional communication, external communication management and brand management, and helps researchers and practitioners to understand how IMC can have the maximum positive impact on the brand of an organisation, by managing their content, channels, stakeholders and results.

This book is fascinating reading for any researcher, advanced student or practitioner with an interest in sport management, the business of football, sport marketing or innovative approaches to marketing and business communications in other commercial spheres.

This book takes an important step forward in showing how Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) have been applied within the English Premier League (EPL) – arguably the most commercialised and watched sport league in the world – and how it can and should be utilised in the context of other sports properties.

Drawing on cutting-edge empirical research, the book offers a detailed view into the marketing communications practices of EPL clubs (such as brand management and communications alignment), the football clubs’ practitioners’ perspectives of IMC and the integration processes taking place within the clubs. It examines the key marketing communications practices that strategic IMC entails, including marketing strategies and goals, cross-functional communication, external communication management and brand management, and helps researchers and practitioners to understand how IMC can have the maximum positive impact on the brand of an organisation, by managing their content, channels, stakeholders and results.

This book is fascinating reading for any researcher, advanced student or practitioner with an interest in sport management, the business of football, sport marketing or innovative approaches to marketing and business communications in other commercial spheres.

Bringing together leading match-fixing researchers from different fields, this book offers new theoretical and applied perspectives on this persistent problem in sport and wider society.

The book explores the foundations of match-fixing from multiple viewpoints, from sociology and criminology to policy and governance, exploring topics such as the use of network governance theory, ethics and integrity, and management aspects that position match-fixing in sport’s commercial landscape. Featuring cases and data from all around the world, the book explains how match-fixing has become a prominent feature of contemporary sport, and considers the efficacy and practicability of interventions to solve these problems.

This is fascinating and important reading for any advanced student, researcher, practitioner, or policymaker with an interest in sport management, sports business, sport policy, sport development, sport law, or criminology.

Bringing together leading match-fixing researchers from different fields, this book offers new theoretical and applied perspectives on this persistent problem in sport and wider society.

The book explores the foundations of match-fixing from multiple viewpoints, from sociology and criminology to policy and governance, exploring topics such as the use of network governance theory, ethics and integrity, and management aspects that position match-fixing in sport’s commercial landscape. Featuring cases and data from all around the world, the book explains how match-fixing has become a prominent feature of contemporary sport, and considers the efficacy and practicability of interventions to solve these problems.

This is fascinating and important reading for any advanced student, researcher, practitioner, or policymaker with an interest in sport management, sports business, sport policy, sport development, sport law, or criminology.

This is the first book to examine the critically important topic of sustainability in sport through the lens of integrity. Adopting a holistic view on sustainability, it argues that integrity is the foundation on which sustainable sports organisations, actions and processes must be built.

This book shows how the interconnected values of integrity and sustainability can be embedded in sporting organisations, policies and activities. Featuring the work of leading sport researchers from around the world, this book first presents a conceptual model and a framework for understanding sustainability and integrity as applied to sport. It then examines these concepts in the context of sport business, the natural and built environments and wider society, covering important contemporary issues such as mega‑events, legacy, sport governance, climate justice, sport stadia, sport for development, sport sponsorship and marketing and corporate social responsibility.

Presenting cutting‑edge research and challenging sport practitioners to consider how to embed integrity and sustainability in their everyday work, this book is important reading for any student, researcher, practitioner or policymaker with an interest in sport, sustainable development and integrity.

This is the first book to examine the critically important topic of sustainability in sport through the lens of integrity. Adopting a holistic view on sustainability, it argues that integrity is the foundation on which sustainable sports organisations, actions and processes must be built.

This book shows how the interconnected values of integrity and sustainability can be embedded in sporting organisations, policies and activities. Featuring the work of leading sport researchers from around the world, this book first presents a conceptual model and a framework for understanding sustainability and integrity as applied to sport. It then examines these concepts in the context of sport business, the natural and built environments and wider society, covering important contemporary issues such as mega‑events, legacy, sport governance, climate justice, sport stadia, sport for development, sport sponsorship and marketing and corporate social responsibility.

Presenting cutting‑edge research and challenging sport practitioners to consider how to embed integrity and sustainability in their everyday work, this book is important reading for any student, researcher, practitioner or policymaker with an interest in sport, sustainable development and integrity.

This book explores how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport.

Despite decades of extensive research, brand management remains a priority for academics and practitioners alike. To this day, ample new and insightful research are being conducted on the matter, with questions around how a brand can be managed strategically still emerging. As the knowledge on the issue deepens, so does our interest in fully comprehending the fascinating and ever-developing strategic brand management, bearing in mind the ever-shifting environment in which brands operate.

A particularly interesting topic within the wider brand management literature is brand management both in and through sport. The study of how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non-sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport remains an interesting and unique field, offering valuable insights due to sport’s natural marketing advantage caused by people’s increased interest in sport and its socio-cultural importance in our lives.

This book explores strategic brand management both in and through sport, thus helping in deepening our understanding of this promising field, while offering directions for future research in the area. The chapters in this book were originally published in Journal of Strategic Marketing.

This book explores how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport.

Despite decades of extensive research, brand management remains a priority for academics and practitioners alike. To this day, ample new and insightful research are being conducted on the matter, with questions around how a brand can be managed strategically still emerging. As the knowledge on the issue deepens, so does our interest in fully comprehending the fascinating and ever-developing strategic brand management, bearing in mind the ever-shifting environment in which brands operate.

A particularly interesting topic within the wider brand management literature is brand management both in and through sport. The study of how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non-sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport remains an interesting and unique field, offering valuable insights due to sport’s natural marketing advantage caused by people’s increased interest in sport and its socio-cultural importance in our lives.

This book explores strategic brand management both in and through sport, thus helping in deepening our understanding of this promising field, while offering directions for future research in the area. The chapters in this book were originally published in Journal of Strategic Marketing.

This book explores key and topical issues that are emerging in the field of sport marketing, while calling for further attention to the thriving sports industry.

Marketing was one of the first topics to attract sport academics’ attention, based on its close relationship with revenue generating activities, for example ticket and merchandise sales, and television coverage. Soon after, sport marketing begun to be appreciated no longer as a mere commercial tool, but instead as a wider umbrella of promotional elements that encapsulates aspects such as commercial sponsorship, advertising and publicity, while centring on the fans and the engagement with them. Recent developments in technology, such as the creation and adoption of new and social media have also attracted sport marketing’s attention, with ample literature exploring this new hybrid element of the marketing communication mix and how it is utilized within the sport ecosystem.

This book will be relevant to scholars, practitioners, and students interested in the evolving strategies of sport marketing and the impact of technological advancements on fan engagement and industry practices.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Journal of Strategic Marketing.

This book explores key and topical issues that are emerging in the field of sport marketing, while calling for further attention to the thriving sports industry.

Marketing was one of the first topics to attract sport academics’ attention, based on its close relationship with revenue generating activities, for example ticket and merchandise sales, and television coverage. Soon after, sport marketing begun to be appreciated no longer as a mere commercial tool, but instead as a wider umbrella of promotional elements that encapsulates aspects such as commercial sponsorship, advertising and publicity, while centring on the fans and the engagement with them. Recent developments in technology, such as the creation and adoption of new and social media have also attracted sport marketing’s attention, with ample literature exploring this new hybrid element of the marketing communication mix and how it is utilized within the sport ecosystem.

This book will be relevant to scholars, practitioners, and students interested in the evolving strategies of sport marketing and the impact of technological advancements on fan engagement and industry practices.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Journal of Strategic Marketing.

Managing Public Relations in Sport is a comprehensive, practical guide to understanding public relations (PR) as a strategic governance tool in sport. Blending cutting-edge research, theory, and real-world insights, the book explores how PR shapes relationships, narratives, and value creation in globalised and politically visible sporting environments.

The book reconceptualises PR in sport as a strategic communication process that cultivates mutually beneficial relationships between sports entities and stakeholders, including fans, sponsors, media, athletes, and the wider community. Readers will gain tools to manage reputation, navigate crises, engage stakeholders, and craft compelling narratives that humanise athletes and align them with public values. The book explores key issues such as globalisation, social media, crisis communication, media relations, and working with PR agencies, while integrating international case studies, examples, and data to bridge theory and practice.

This book is invaluable reading for students in sport management, marketing, communication, and media, as well as researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals in sport organisations, governing bodies, agencies, and clubs. It is particularly relevant for those interested in governance, sustainability, global–local dynamics, and best practices in sport public relations.

This book takes an important step forward in showing how Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) have been applied within the English Premier League (EPL) – arguably the most commercialised and watched sport league in the world – and how it can and should be utilised in the context of other sports properties.

Drawing on cutting-edge empirical research, the book offers a detailed view into the marketing communications practices of EPL clubs (such as brand management and communications alignment), the football clubs’ practitioners’ perspectives of IMC and the integration processes taking place within the clubs. It examines the key marketing communications practices that strategic IMC entails, including marketing strategies and goals, cross-functional communication, external communication management and brand management, and helps researchers and practitioners to understand how IMC can have the maximum positive impact on the brand of an organisation, by managing their content, channels, stakeholders and results.

This book is fascinating reading for any researcher, advanced student or practitioner with an interest in sport management, the business of football, sport marketing or innovative approaches to marketing and business communications in other commercial spheres.

This book takes an important step forward in showing how Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) have been applied within the English Premier League (EPL) – arguably the most commercialised and watched sport league in the world – and how it can and should be utilised in the context of other sports properties.

Drawing on cutting-edge empirical research, the book offers a detailed view into the marketing communications practices of EPL clubs (such as brand management and communications alignment), the football clubs’ practitioners’ perspectives of IMC and the integration processes taking place within the clubs. It examines the key marketing communications practices that strategic IMC entails, including marketing strategies and goals, cross-functional communication, external communication management and brand management, and helps researchers and practitioners to understand how IMC can have the maximum positive impact on the brand of an organisation, by managing their content, channels, stakeholders and results.

This book is fascinating reading for any researcher, advanced student or practitioner with an interest in sport management, the business of football, sport marketing or innovative approaches to marketing and business communications in other commercial spheres.

Bringing together leading match-fixing researchers from different fields, this book offers new theoretical and applied perspectives on this persistent problem in sport and wider society.

The book explores the foundations of match-fixing from multiple viewpoints, from sociology and criminology to policy and governance, exploring topics such as the use of network governance theory, ethics and integrity, and management aspects that position match-fixing in sport’s commercial landscape. Featuring cases and data from all around the world, the book explains how match-fixing has become a prominent feature of contemporary sport, and considers the efficacy and practicability of interventions to solve these problems.

This is fascinating and important reading for any advanced student, researcher, practitioner, or policymaker with an interest in sport management, sports business, sport policy, sport development, sport law, or criminology.

Bringing together leading match-fixing researchers from different fields, this book offers new theoretical and applied perspectives on this persistent problem in sport and wider society.

The book explores the foundations of match-fixing from multiple viewpoints, from sociology and criminology to policy and governance, exploring topics such as the use of network governance theory, ethics and integrity, and management aspects that position match-fixing in sport’s commercial landscape. Featuring cases and data from all around the world, the book explains how match-fixing has become a prominent feature of contemporary sport, and considers the efficacy and practicability of interventions to solve these problems.

This is fascinating and important reading for any advanced student, researcher, practitioner, or policymaker with an interest in sport management, sports business, sport policy, sport development, sport law, or criminology.

This is the first book to examine the critically important topic of sustainability in sport through the lens of integrity. Adopting a holistic view on sustainability, it argues that integrity is the foundation on which sustainable sports organisations, actions and processes must be built.

This book shows how the interconnected values of integrity and sustainability can be embedded in sporting organisations, policies and activities. Featuring the work of leading sport researchers from around the world, this book first presents a conceptual model and a framework for understanding sustainability and integrity as applied to sport. It then examines these concepts in the context of sport business, the natural and built environments and wider society, covering important contemporary issues such as mega‑events, legacy, sport governance, climate justice, sport stadia, sport for development, sport sponsorship and marketing and corporate social responsibility.

Presenting cutting‑edge research and challenging sport practitioners to consider how to embed integrity and sustainability in their everyday work, this book is important reading for any student, researcher, practitioner or policymaker with an interest in sport, sustainable development and integrity.

This is the first book to examine the critically important topic of sustainability in sport through the lens of integrity. Adopting a holistic view on sustainability, it argues that integrity is the foundation on which sustainable sports organisations, actions and processes must be built.

This book shows how the interconnected values of integrity and sustainability can be embedded in sporting organisations, policies and activities. Featuring the work of leading sport researchers from around the world, this book first presents a conceptual model and a framework for understanding sustainability and integrity as applied to sport. It then examines these concepts in the context of sport business, the natural and built environments and wider society, covering important contemporary issues such as mega‑events, legacy, sport governance, climate justice, sport stadia, sport for development, sport sponsorship and marketing and corporate social responsibility.

Presenting cutting‑edge research and challenging sport practitioners to consider how to embed integrity and sustainability in their everyday work, this book is important reading for any student, researcher, practitioner or policymaker with an interest in sport, sustainable development and integrity.

This book explores how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport.

Despite decades of extensive research, brand management remains a priority for academics and practitioners alike. To this day, ample new and insightful research are being conducted on the matter, with questions around how a brand can be managed strategically still emerging. As the knowledge on the issue deepens, so does our interest in fully comprehending the fascinating and ever-developing strategic brand management, bearing in mind the ever-shifting environment in which brands operate.

A particularly interesting topic within the wider brand management literature is brand management both in and through sport. The study of how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non-sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport remains an interesting and unique field, offering valuable insights due to sport’s natural marketing advantage caused by people’s increased interest in sport and its socio-cultural importance in our lives.

This book explores strategic brand management both in and through sport, thus helping in deepening our understanding of this promising field, while offering directions for future research in the area. The chapters in this book were originally published in Journal of Strategic Marketing.

This book explores how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport.

Despite decades of extensive research, brand management remains a priority for academics and practitioners alike. To this day, ample new and insightful research are being conducted on the matter, with questions around how a brand can be managed strategically still emerging. As the knowledge on the issue deepens, so does our interest in fully comprehending the fascinating and ever-developing strategic brand management, bearing in mind the ever-shifting environment in which brands operate.

A particularly interesting topic within the wider brand management literature is brand management both in and through sport. The study of how sport brands can be managed strategically, as well as how non-sport brands can be managed strategically through their association with sport remains an interesting and unique field, offering valuable insights due to sport’s natural marketing advantage caused by people’s increased interest in sport and its socio-cultural importance in our lives.

This book explores strategic brand management both in and through sport, thus helping in deepening our understanding of this promising field, while offering directions for future research in the area. The chapters in this book were originally published in Journal of Strategic Marketing.

This book explores key and topical issues that are emerging in the field of sport marketing, while calling for further attention to the thriving sports industry.

Marketing was one of the first topics to attract sport academics’ attention, based on its close relationship with revenue generating activities, for example ticket and merchandise sales, and television coverage. Soon after, sport marketing begun to be appreciated no longer as a mere commercial tool, but instead as a wider umbrella of promotional elements that encapsulates aspects such as commercial sponsorship, advertising and publicity, while centring on the fans and the engagement with them. Recent developments in technology, such as the creation and adoption of new and social media have also attracted sport marketing’s attention, with ample literature exploring this new hybrid element of the marketing communication mix and how it is utilized within the sport ecosystem.

This book will be relevant to scholars, practitioners, and students interested in the evolving strategies of sport marketing and the impact of technological advancements on fan engagement and industry practices.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Journal of Strategic Marketing.

This book explores key and topical issues that are emerging in the field of sport marketing, while calling for further attention to the thriving sports industry.

Marketing was one of the first topics to attract sport academics’ attention, based on its close relationship with revenue generating activities, for example ticket and merchandise sales, and television coverage. Soon after, sport marketing begun to be appreciated no longer as a mere commercial tool, but instead as a wider umbrella of promotional elements that encapsulates aspects such as commercial sponsorship, advertising and publicity, while centring on the fans and the engagement with them. Recent developments in technology, such as the creation and adoption of new and social media have also attracted sport marketing’s attention, with ample literature exploring this new hybrid element of the marketing communication mix and how it is utilized within the sport ecosystem.

This book will be relevant to scholars, practitioners, and students interested in the evolving strategies of sport marketing and the impact of technological advancements on fan engagement and industry practices.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Journal of Strategic Marketing.

Managing Public Relations in Sport is a comprehensive, practical guide to understanding public relations (PR) as a strategic governance tool in sport. Blending cutting-edge research, theory, and real-world insights, the book explores how PR shapes relationships, narratives, and value creation in globalised and politically visible sporting environments.

The book reconceptualises PR in sport as a strategic communication process that cultivates mutually beneficial relationships between sports entities and stakeholders, including fans, sponsors, media, athletes, and the wider community. Readers will gain tools to manage reputation, navigate crises, engage stakeholders, and craft compelling narratives that humanise athletes and align them with public values. The book explores key issues such as globalisation, social media, crisis communication, media relations, and working with PR agencies, while integrating international case studies, examples, and data to bridge theory and practice.

This book is invaluable reading for students in sport management, marketing, communication, and media, as well as researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals in sport organisations, governing bodies, agencies, and clubs. It is particularly relevant for those interested in governance, sustainability, global–local dynamics, and best practices in sport public relations.