![Sample our Social Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110822/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Social-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
The current labour dispute in the National Hockey League raises the question of why work stoppages in North American team sports happen frequently, while in European sports no serious labour disputes have been observed to date. The long history of work stoppages in major North American leagues such as Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League and the National Hockey League is related to industrial organization in these leagues. The monopsonistic environment in North American professional sports leagues enables employers to restrict the mobility of players, while on the European sports labour market restrictions have largely been abolished since the Bosman ruling in 1995. Players in Europe therefore do not have to fight for their labour rights, while in North America professionals have to fight to prevent further restrictions. The industrial organization of leagues therefore plays a crucial role in the compensation of players and differs between Europe and North America, especially through the relegation system which governs most European leagues. It is concluded that industrial structure in European sports limits monopolistic power in the labour market. An “Americanization” of European sports would make labour disputes more likely than they are now.
My special thanks for helpful comments goes to three anonymous reviewers, the editor, colleagues from Ernst & Young and Janet L. Duke. Any mistakes remain my own.
Notes
In 2002 “strikes” took place in Italy and Greece, but in both instances clubs were fighting clubs and no actual labour dispute occurred. In August and September 2004 strikes happened in Danish and Slovenian soccer, but hardly affected play in these leagues.