Calcio e società nell’Europa del secondo Novecento. Introduzione

In the second half of the 20th century Europe, thanks to the influence of the media – above all television – football moved beyond the predominantly urban setting to which it had been confined, extending its influence to smaller towns as well. This rise in popularity prompted local businesspeople, politicians and, of course, the media to focus on the sporting phenomenon, thereby strengthening it further. The phenomenon is well known in Italy, but nevertheless experienced similar booms in other European countries too. Through the concept of «provincialism», this special issue analyses the relationship between football and the local area, as well as the social and political influences.