Though the end result remains uncertain, it might be yet another factor bringing Europe closer to the American way of doing sports. In 1876, the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs pioneered the for-profit, closed league granting teams exclusive rights to operate in a city or region. In the NFL, players get a fixed share—roughly 48%—of the league’s revenue through a collective-bargaining agreement. In Europe, by contrast, clubs bring youngsters up and hold players under contract until a rival pays a transfer fee. In recent years, European soccer has started enforcing “financial fair play," which in a roundabout way also edges closer to U.S. sports.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 18, 2024 10:13 UTC