Accounting for the cost of sports-related violence: A case study of the socio-politics of “the” accounting entity

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend the understanding of “the” accounting entity, demonstrating how it is a contestable socio-political construction informed by a nexus of market, state and community actors.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study method is utilised to follow debate relating to Swedish football clubs’ responsibility for the payment/non-payment of policing costs between 1999 and 2014. The case study uses documentary and interview data, focusing on one of the high-risk Stockholm clubs.

Findings

The paper makes four main contributions: first, demonstrating how the accounting entity is a changeable and contestable construction; second, outlining how distinctions informing contests about the accounting arena are materialised through accounting calculations and other devices; third, showing the importance of community in a coordinated sense in mediating accounting practices; and fourth, contributing to the literature on accounting and sport, highlighting the importance of state actors in this arena.

Originality/value

This research draws on original empirical data providing unique insights into debates regarding the responsibility for the payment of police costs in the context of sports-related violence. The authors show the importance of characterising accounting for sporting organisations as a shifting and contestable nexus of market, state and community actors.

Citation

Baxter, J., Carlsson-Wall, M., Chua, W.F. and Kraus, K. (2019), "Accounting for the cost of sports-related violence: A case study of the socio-politics of “the” accounting entity", Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Vol. 32 No. 7, pp. 1956-1981. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-02-2018-3364