Money in Sports

April 1, 2012

Gr 7 Up-These volumes will have students thinking about athletics and the impact of personal ethical actions. Perhaps the most thought-provoking title is Getting Ahead, which looks at how new technologies, steroids and other drugs, and gene therapy have the potential to change sports competitions as we know them. Money asks whether the current distribution, with a handful of stars receiving huge salaries and endorsement deals, is optimal. Sportsmanship examines why some people feel they are above the rules, and the impact that a win-at-all-costs attitude can have on the spirit of the game. Society shows how a culture's sports mirror, and sometimes shape, its values. Abundant photos, captions, sidebars, and occasional charts and diagrams make this set approachable. Excellent source notes round out the more standard back matter fare.

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2012
Grades 7-10 *Starred Review* Although many youth nonfiction books use sports as a high-interest hook for reluctant readers, this entry in the new Ethics of Sports series takes a different tack by challenging readers to think about one of the most complex and pressing issues, along with drugs, in the modern sports world. Hunter first provides a quick history of how athletics grew from roots in religion and warfare in the ancient world, evolved as leisure activities during the industrial era, and transformed into the mega-money-making machine of the present day. His survey is an emphatically global one, focusing just as much on sports like cricket, soccer, and the Olympics as it does on the NBA, NFL, or MLB. He discusses the vast swells of cash that slosh around between fans, owners, players, networks, media, and advertisers, and he challenges his readers to think about all kinds of pertinent questions: Do massive salaries and endorsement deals dilute the purity of athletics? Is it fair for some teams to have more money to spend than others? Are fans getting screwed by skyrocketing ticket prices and $150 sneakers? Most critically, Hunter's evenhanded and thorough treatment refrains from passing judgment on how money and sports have become so essentially linked. His point is that it's worth thinking about and being as informed as possible. The robust back matter includes thorough source notes, challenging topics for discussion, and a list of things to keep in mind while attending your next sporting event.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)