Barca's Miami U-turn highlights culture divide: Experts

FE Team | Published: December 12, 2018 22:42:52

UNITED STATES, Dec 12 (Reuters): Barcelona's decision to back out of next month's La Liga match against Girona in Miami highlights the differences that epitomise the European and American models of sport, according to sports industry analysts.
The Spanish league applied in September to move the January 26 game to Florida from Catalonia but met opposition from various governing bodies who feel official matches must be held within the territory of the respective member association.
Spencer Harris, an assistant professor of sport management at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, had a simple explanation for the protracted saga.
"In the U.S. context, commercialization is firmly understood and accepted whereas the same unadulterated tactics in Europe -whilst (they) may be desired by some - are more commonly frowned upon," Harris, who teaches a course called Managing Soccer: Global and Local Perspectives, told the news agency.