The Club: How the English Premier League Became the Wildest, Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports

Great gift for my soccer (football)-loving husband for Father's Day. He enjoyed the book!

I never thought a non-fiction book could be a page turner but this one is it. I blew through it in under one week which is pretty fast for me! As an American who is relatively new to European soccer/football, this book really gave me a lot of insight into the Premier League.Have you ever looked at the list of Prem champions and wondered how and why Blackburn Rovers snuck their way onto that list? This book goes over a lot of interesting stories like that.It’s non-fiction but reads like a novel. I highly recommend it.

English football used to be drunk fans beating each other up in stadiums made of wood and chicken wire. Today it's corporate and very profitable.Book explains how the sport built US-style stadiums and monetized everything possible. US football is #1 in only one country, while soccer-football is supreme in 150-plus. TV rights go for zillions!This is both a sports and business book, showing how upgrading facilities and looking for every possible revenue source can increase profits.

I was unfamiliar with European football until a friend tried explaining how it works. I decided that I needed more information, and this book did the trick! It was interesting to read the history of the sport and how it is constantly changing. A great book to own!

When I read the first edition of Soccernomics 5 or 6 years ago, I didn't think I could like a book about football as much. And true to form, I haven't since. But this book was incredible. Well-written, funny, interesting, and full of so many things I didn't know! For PL die-hards, reading this book is a little like reading a book after you've seen the movie: you spend a lot of time like "I remember that!" and being excited (or heart-broken) to relive some pieces of your club's history, anticipating a build-up to some key events in Premier League history, BUT you find out SO MUCH backstory, it's fascinating!Now I'm reading the 3rd edition of Soccernomics, and it doesn't feel as good as the first two versions, but ONLY because The Club was so good it simply eclipsed it.Hard recommend this book to any football fans, and even to people who know nothing about football.

Very well-written. Learned a ton about the business side of the premier league with some added humor from the writers. Wasn't too technical when getting in depth on certain deals/contracts made within the league. Written much more like a story than a history lecture. Would highly recommend to anybody interested in sports business....definitely a must read if you're a soccer/football fan.

...football, business, empires or all the above, you'll enjoy it. An easy reading, full of anecdotes and memories, that will give you a different time perspective on the Premier League

As a major soccer (football) fan, I found much to like about The Club. The story of how England's Premier League came about and became the dominating force in world soccer is a tale of ambition, greed, egos, and innovation. These authors know the territory and uncover aspects of the Premier League story I did not know. Recommended reading for those interested in the business side of soccer.