ABSTRACT
Professional sports in North America are organized along the model of closed leagues, which some major European soccer clubs are seeking to implement in order to reduce sporting uncertainty and allow for a reduction of risk in terms of return on investment. This research note examines the key governance principles of franchising applied to professional sports, highlighting the importance of collective regulation of the sector, based on cartelization and the application of strict rules for the sharing of earnings for each franchise team. The recent evolution of European soccer leads to the establishment of a “pseudo-league”, which argues for an adoption of the North American model in the coming years.
Keywords
Europe, Franchising, Governance, North America, Professional sports, Soccer.