In The Great Game, Andres Martinez looks at how a generation of sporting billionaires, tech and media conglomerates, women players propelled by Title IX, computer game enthusiasts, and immigrants have sought to end America’s sports isolationism–not by continuing to expand the reach of ‘their’ games, but by turning their country into an unexpected power in the other, international, football. It’s a story of America’s changing cultural customs and demography, as well as a tale of shifting business philosophies driven by technology. Sport has become an ever more massive industry, its economic value soaring thanks to its unique ability to still bring together audiences in the tens of millions on a regular basis and a growing appreciation for its ‘soft’ yet impactful branding power. The Great Game is a fascinating examination of the evolving state of US sporting interests, as those with money, power, and celebrity seek to prevail in a global sport, eager to extend their reach, set the rules of play worldwide, and connect Americans to the outside world like never before.
