Ro's Recz

Soccer is not my preferred sport of choice to watch or play, but it is undeniably the most popular sport in the world. The Premier League is the highest professional soccer league in England, and it is one of, if not THE biggest soccer league in the world. It comprises of 20 teams at a time, with some of the biggest names including Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, etc.

The Club: How The English Premier League Became the Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports is a book detailing the rise of the Premier League, especially in the last 20-30 years. Although many of the teams in the Premier League were founded in the 1800s, the Premier League in its current iteration wasn’t formed until the late 1980s.

I didn’t know that the Premier League as it is now wasn’t founded until so late, and I also did not know it was mainly for TV/marketing purposes. Since the teams in the Premier League are so big and well known around the world, I had assumed they had always been popular and a mainstay in people’s lives. However, The Club: How The English Premier League Became the Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports talks about how English soccer struggled to gain much traction in international markets until recent decades; before then, the teams were popular throughout England, but mostly in the communities where they played.

I found reading the book fascinating, and it shows how quickly businesses and companies can grow and become seemingly ingrained in cultures throughout the world. Even huge leagues and corporations like the Premier League have to start from humble beginnings, and it is only through a combination of luck and strategy that they grow into recognizable brands.

The Club: How The English Premier League Became the Richest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports Recommendation Rating: 4

1: Something worth checking out if you have time

2: Something that is a hit for some people, but not a must for everyone

3: Something worth prioritizing if interested

4: Something worth making time to check out

5: An absolute home run, worth going out of your way for