Introduction

Item does not contain fulltext Sport clubs have a long tradition in nearly all European countries. They play an important role in the sporting activities of the population, not only for elite and competitive sport but also for sport for all. During the period of over a century in which sport clubs have been existent in Europe, the world around them has been changing continuously. Changes in society, in politics, in population, in economy, in leisure culture and in lifestyles have undoubtedly had an impact on sport and sport clubs all over Europe. Unmistakably, there will be differences between countries with regard to the position and functioning of sport clubs. With this book we aim to present an up-to-date portrait of the characteristics of sport clubs and their embedding in society and the national sport system in 20 European countries, using both a historical and future perspective. This chapter outlines the European context, the applied framework for the cross-national comparison and the structure of the book.