Sports Law
Publisher: Palgrave
Author: Mark James
Price: £24.99
Edition: 2nd Edition (June 2013)
ISBN: 978-1-137-02644-6
Buy from Palgrave: Click Here
There
are more universities offering sports law as a separate module than they
did ten or twenty years ago. This is, perhaps, recognition that
sports law has gained its own place as an area of law on its own like
tort, contract or crime. It is, however, commonly accepted that
there
is no specific definition of sports law (as
James readily accepts) but, like the proverbial bus, everyone knows
sports law when they see it. To try and lead the reader through
the laws affecting sporting activities, which can be of general and
specific application, comes this second edition of Sports Law by
Mark James. Its aim (which it easily achieves) is to provide a
comprehensive overview of the ways in which the law has impacted on how
sport is played, administered and consumed.
Sports Law is split into four parts: origins and sources of sports law; sports participation and the law; stadiums, spectators and the law; and the commercialisation of sport. Each part includes a number of chapters. Part 2 includes chapters on: liability for injuries causes by other participants; liability for injuries caused by non-participants; and the legality of fighting sports. Part 3 includes chapters on: liability for dangerous premises and dangerous events; and stadium disasters and spectator safety. Part 4 includes chapters on: regulating sporting relationships in English law; the fan as consumer and the commercial exploitation of sport; and Olympic law and sporting mega-events.
Written in a practical and engaging way, Sports Law provides an excellent overview of the various principles of law which apply to sports. Each chapter adopts a familiar style: a chapter summary (which is an excellent road map to the chapter), then an explanation of key terms, then the body of the text, then 'hot topics' and then (finally) suggested further reading. This is a superb approach and really helps with the reader's understanding. Sports Law also comes with a companion website (available from: http://www.palgrave.com/law/james2e/) which, even though the text was only published in June 2013, includes a number of updates (which were posted in July 2013). It is hoped that the companion website continues to be updated so that the reader can ensure he or she is fully up to date.
If you are interested in sports law, or the legal issues which apply to sport, you should not be without a copy of Mark James' Sports Law. It is clearly and succinctly written and explains the principles in a thought-provoking way. I have always been a fan of Palgrave's Law Masters series and this text follows in the great tradition of others. Its companion website is also impressive; already including an update so soon after the text's publication. I have no doubt that Sports Law will continue to receive excellent reviews from students and practitioners alike; all of them will appreciate the layout and the clarity of the written style and the more experienced ones will enjoy the debates around the latest hot topics.
Reviewed on 27 December 2013
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