From its inauguration in 1973 until today, the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has been transformed from a little-known series to a pop-cultural roadshow worth millions of euros.
In a promotional context this has spurred a debate between those who want rallying to be what it was historically and those who desire a real shift into 'the commercial age'.
Drawing upon interviews with key people in the sport and trans-local ethnographic research from rallies, spectator cultures, the inner life of a WRC team, and the media production facilities, this book explores these questions of commerciality and sporting identity, arguing that the WRC's sporting identity is in fact a promotional asset.
Placed at the intersection of sociology and sports management, A Sociology of the World Rally Championship is essential reading on how to combine sporting heritage with commercial progress.
Contents
1. Introduction: The Paradox of Commercialisation
2. The Promotional Context
3. Imagining the Story
4. The Sense of Place in Rallying
5. The Spectator Culture of Rallying
6. The Legacy of WRC Cars
7. Heroes behind the Wheel
8. The WRC's Promotional Value