Reviews
"Finally we have the full story of business and sports, told with a mastery that only a writer of Matthew Futterman's years of experience in both fields could bring to the table. As I read Players I was reminded of Michael Lewis's Moneyball because it's one of those great stories that's been hiding in plain sight, and it also shows us how the games themselves were changed by the action off the field. Anybody with an interest in money or sports will devour this book." --Jim Nantz, "The magnitude by which athletes have become bigger, faster, and stronger is dwarfed by the degree to which they have become richer. Players is a deeply reported expose of the forces that have so often morphed sports from pure fun into pure business. It's a fascinating read whether you're interested in big time sports, big time business, or the intersection of the two." --David Epstein, author of The Sports Gene, "A complex tale, compellingly told . . . Players might be the best book about the business of sports since Moneyball ." -Grace Lichtenstein, The Millions, "An insightful, reader-friendly study of the economic transformation of pro sports in America and beyond." -- Booklist, " Players is an entertaining, illuminating read. . . . Futterman's investigative research reveals insights and insider perspectives that even those highly knowledgeable in the sports featured will find informative, even intriguing." -- New York Journal of Books, "Sports is big business. We all know that today, but how and why did football, baseball, basketball, and the Olympics become so big? And what does that mean to athletes and fans? Matthew Futterman provides the answers in this revealing and wonderfully readable book. Players is a winner." --David Maraniss, author of When Pride Still Mattered , Clemente , and Rome 1960, "Finally we have the full story of business and sports, told with a mastery that only a writer of Matthew Futterman's years of experience in both fields could bring to the table. As I read Players I was reminded of Michael Lewis's Moneyball because it's one of those great stories that's been hiding in plain sight, and it also shows us how the games themselves were changed by the action off the field. Anybody with an interest in money or sports will devour this book." -Jim Nantz, "Could not be more timely . . . No part of the media and entertainment industry has seen a more substantial economic transformation than sports. . . . Mr. Futterman, a sportswriter for The Wall Street Journal , takes us on a half-century tour spanning a variety of widely recognized and lesser-known sports figures and competitions that have played roles in the industry's development." - New York Times, "Sports is big business. We all know that today, but how and why did football, baseball, basketball, and the Olympics become so big? And what does that mean to athletes and fans? Matthew Futterman provides the answers in this revealing and wonderfully readable book. Players is a winner." -David Maraniss, author of When Pride Still Mattered , Clemente , and Rome 1960, "The business of sports has been completely transformed over the course of my lifetime, and Players is a riveting behind-the-scenes look at the beginnings of that revolution. I couldn't put it down." -Billy Beane, "A complex tale, compellingly told . . . Players might be the best book about the business of sports since Moneyball ." --Grace Lichtenstein, The Millions, "The business of sports has been completely transformed over the course of my lifetime, and Players is a riveting behind-the-scenes look at the beginnings of that revolution. I couldn't put it down." --Billy Beane, "Masterful . . . A remarkable saga . . . Filled with insights not only into sports, but also into human nature . . . Downright thrilling." - Dallas Morning News, "Masterful . . . A remarkable saga . . . Filled with insights not only into sports, but also into human nature . . . Downright thrilling." -- Dallas Morning News, "A smart, rollicking read about the business of sports, with fresh insight into the breathtaking financial boom that has revolutionized every sport we love and every game we watch. Populated with the boldest pioneers, from Mark McCormack and Arnold Palmer to George Steinbrenner and Marvin Miller, Players is a landmark book that will be consulted, and cherished, for years." --Don Van Natta Jr., ESPN investigative reporter, Pulitzer Prize winner, and New York Times bestselling author of First Off the Tee , Wonder Girl and coauthor of Her Way, "Could not be more timely . . . No part of the media and entertainment industry has seen a more substantial economic transformation than sports. . . . Mr. Futterman, a sportswriter for The Wall Street Journal , takes us on a half-century tour spanning a variety of widely recognized and lesser-known sports figures and competitions that have played roles in the industry's development." -- New York Times, " Players is an entertaining, illuminating read. . . . Futterman's investigative research reveals insights and insider perspectives that even those highly knowledgeable in the sports featured will find informative, even intriguing." - New York Journal of Books, "Fascinating . . . Insightful . . . Despite the multiple sports explored and the large cast of characters, Futterman develops his theme seamlessly in a book that will appeal to casual fans as well as those who live and die according to the accomplishments of athletes." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
