Stephen Ross
Stephen Ross is currently Professor
of Law at the University of Illinois.
He graduated from the University of
California Boalt Hall School of Law,
where he was associate editor of The
California Law Review. He has served
as minority counsel for the
Committee on the Judiciary of the
United States Senate, as an attorney
with the Federal Trade Commission
and the Antitrust Division of the U.S.
Department of Justice, and as a clerk
for Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the
United States Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia. Ross
teaches courses in antitrust, sports
law, statutory interpretation, and
Canadian law. He has served on the
University’s Athletic Board and
currently chairs its panel to advise
athletes concerning careers in
professional sports.
Papers Published in World Economics:
Promotion and Relegation
One of the most distinctive differences between team sports in Europe and
North America is the institution of promotion and relegation. This paper looks
into the history of why this institution developed in Europe but not North
America, and considers what effects it may have on the competitive balance of the leagues. While dominance of the leagues by a small number of wealthy teams
is a more severe problem in Europe, its effects are mitigated by the opportunity
for new teams to enter from below and the excitement generated by the struggle
for survival among the weaker teams.
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