Knowledge@Wharton: Is Pro Football "the Perfect Symbol" of American Values?

In honor of NFL Playoff Weekend (Go Pittsburgh Steelers!), I would like to share this article about strategic management and football. The following description is quoted from the monthly Knowledge@Wharton Newsletter that I receive via email:

"On any given Sunday, any team in our league can beat another team." That famous adage of the National Football League not only validates pro football's competitive spirit but also points to one of the most successful commercial philosophies in the last half century of American business. As illustrated in Michael MacCambridge's new book, America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation, the rise of pro football was the result of an egalitarian structure conceived by league officials and approved by team owners whose playing squads battled on the gridiron with the zeal of warriors. MacCambridge weaves accounts of pivotal NFL games, as well as character sketches of key players, coaches and commissioners, into a detailed analysis of the NFL's road to preeminence.

Read the article: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/1119.cfm Visit the Knowledge@Wharton Newsletter for more stuff to read: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu