Allen L. Sack

Soccer and Croatian Nationalism A Prelude to War

In 1990, the Yugoslav Federation was on the verge of dissolution. Slovenia and Croatia had just voted communists out of power and were threatening to secede. The purpose of this study is to examine the role that soccer played at this critical juncture to bolster Croatia’s efforts to gain independence as well as to inflame ethnoreligious passions that would soon lead to the outbreak of war. By focusing on two soccer matches—one that led to the worst soccer riot in Yugoslavian soccer history and the other that Croats celebrate as the restoration of their national team—this study examines the often intimate relationship between sport, politics, and war.

Assessing the Value of Sports Facilities: The Importance of Noneconomic Factors

Capital projects have economic as well as social (i.e., noneconomic) outcomes. Therefore, one cannot evaluate such projects by focusing on economic data only. This article describes the first five years of a tennis facility, built with public funds in 1990-91 in New Haven, Connecticut, to host the Volvo International Tennis Tournament (VITT). In doing so, it explores the economic impact of the facility, discusses the shortcomings of economic impact studies, and defines appropriate criteria for evaluating the community value of sports facilities by calling attention to noneconomic factors such as political capital expended, potential for political conflict, and community pride and solidarity. The importance of a development logic to guide policy makers and to provide a framework for evaluation also is noted.

Spectator motives for attending professional women's tennis events: linking marketing and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory

The major purpose of this study was to assess spectator motives for attending a major event on the Womens Tennis Association (WTA) tour, and to determine whether spectator motives varied by gender and other relevant variables. Several hypotheses derived from Maslows (1970) hierarchy of needs theory, as well as from theories of social class and consumer behaviour, were tested. It was found that spectator motives varied significantly by gender, social class, and by whether spectators were active participants in the sport of tennis. The implications of these findings for marketing professional womens sports are examined.

Are 'improper benefits' really improper? A study of college athletes' views concerning amateurism.

This study was an attempt to assess the degree to which college athletes support various facets of the NCAAs amateur code. Data gathered from 644 male and female basketball players indicate that many athletes, especially males from lower class backgrounds, see nothing wrong with violating NCAA rules regarding the financial compensation of athletes. Black athletes were far more likely than others to think they deserve the same benefits as other workers, such as workmens compensation, the right to form unions, and the right to a share of TV revenue. Division I athletes in general, and blacks in particular, were far less likely than others to report that they compete for the sheer fun of it. The higher the Division, the more instrumental and extrinsic were the motives for sport participation. Female athletes were far less likely than males to approve of accepting improper financial benefits for such things as travel and living expenses.

Social approaches to sport

Essays about sports by sociologists, organized around the theme of social organization and differentiation, Sports are viewed as they reinforce the structure of Western industrial society. Other topics include the role of sports throughout the life cycle.

Book Reviews : The End of Autumn by Michael Oriard. New York: Doubleday and Company, 1982. 337 pp. Hardcover,

as a kid, I was no more familiar with famous Notre Dame landmarks than I was with the traditions, folklore, and architecture of the other major football powers that recruited me. I attended Notre Dame because it combined a fine academic reputation with a tradition of winning football teams. The legend of Rockne and the Gipper were of secondary importance to me. Mike Oriard, the author of The End of Autumn, entered Notre Dame when I