Book excerpt: This book focuses on the emergence and expansion of media markets; high-performance sport’s transformation by, and effects upon, Cold War dynamics and inter-relations and the implications of the Treaty of Rome for an emerging European identity in sport as in other areas. It traces the connections between the forces of ideological division, economic growth, leisure consumption, European integration and the development of European sport, and examines the role of sport in the changing relationship between Europe and the US. Illuminating a key moment in global cultural history, this book is important reading for any student or scholar working in international studies, modern history or sport.