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Global Struggles, Local Impacts: Rugby League, Rupert Murdoch’s ‘Global Vision’ and Cultural Identities

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The Political Economy of Sport

Part of the book series: International Political Economy Series ((IPES))

Abstract

The profound local impacts of the reconfiguration of the global media sports economy were demonstrated by tumultuous changes within British rugby league during the 1990s. Entwined with wider configurations of the media industries, the attempted global takeover of the sport by Rupert Murdoch in 1995 culminated in the emergence of a ‘European Superleague’ competition. While signalling a departure from the historic playing structure of the game, the implications extended beyond simple shifts toward media and corporate alignment as central to the structure, ethos and formats. Significantly the transition exerted pressures on the historically rooted cultural attachments of the game.

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Authors
  1. Mark Falcous
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Georgia Southern University, USA

    John Nauright

  2. Kent State University, USA

    Kimberly S. Schimmel

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© 2005 Mark Falcous

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Falcous, M. (2005). Global Struggles, Local Impacts: Rugby League, Rupert Murdoch’s ‘Global Vision’ and Cultural Identities. In: Nauright, J., Schimmel, K.S. (eds) The Political Economy of Sport. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230524057_4

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