Ken Reed’s Book, ‘How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan,’ Will Be Released As an Updated Paperback With a New Introduction On Feb. 8th
Rowman & Littlefield, the publisher of League of Fans’ sports policy director Ken Reed’s impactful book How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan, will be releasing an updated paperback version of the book, including a new introduction, on February 8th. The paperback will also have a revised action plan and resources section.
The book can be preordered now at Rowman & Littlefield or Amazon.
The book, which has a foreword by Ralph Nader, examines nine of the most pressing problems in sports today, including concussions and CTE, overzealous adults in youth sports, the disappearance of physical eduction from many school curriculums, the focus on finding new revenue streams over education in college athletics, discrimination in sports and more.
The hardcover edition of How We Can Save Sports has been popular with sports fans who are interested in current sports issues — and potentially getting involved as sports reformers to help make the world of sports more fair and just. The book has also been used in sports management and sports studies courses across the country.
“Sports, at all levels, have become so overcommercialized and professionalized that we are losing the original intent and spirit of sports,” says Reed.
“There are many things anyone who cares about sports can do to help enhance the positives and eliminate the negatives in the world of sports. This book was designed to give readers ideas regarding how they can get involved on critical sports issues, at the local, state or national level. I’m thrilled Rowman & Littlefield has decided to publish a paperback version of the book.”
Reed’s book has received numerous positive reviews, including the following:
“If you see yourself as a citizen more than a spectator, this book provides a game plan for organizing and preserving sports that are ethical, fair, and humane. Beyond identifying the major challenges confronting sports today, Ken Reed outlines strategies that will revive and sustain sports as a source of pleasure and meaning in our lives. His call to action is hard to ignore if you care about sports.” — Jay Coakley, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, author of Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies
“Ken Reed’s book How We Can Save Sports is a reformer’s guide to cleaning up sports in America. His prescriptions are worth attention if America is to put sports competition back into perspective. The book takes on the tough questions surrounding the commercialization of sports in America and raises provocative questions about the proper role of sports in our society.” — C. Thomas McMillen, Former Congressman; College, NBA, and Olympic athlete
PREORDER HOW WE CAN SAVE SPORTS: A GAME PLAN : Through Rowman & Littlefield or Amazon
— The Editor

Sports Forum Podcast
Episode #30 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The State of College Athletics with Dr. David Ridpath: Problems and Potential Solutions – Ridpath is a sports administration professor at Ohio University and a long-time member of The Drake Group, a college sports reform think tank.
Listen on Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and others.
Follow on Facebook: @SportsForumPodcast
More Episodes on Apple Podcasts; Spotify; Google Podcasts; PocketCasts; & Anchor
Episode #29 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: The Honorable Tom McMillen Visits League of Fans’ Sports Forum – McMillen is a former All-American basketball player, Olympian, Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Congressman. We discuss the state of college athletics today.
Episode #28 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: A Chat With Mano Watsa, a Leading Basketball and Life Educator – Watsa is President of PGC Basketball, the largest education basketball camp in the world. We discuss problems in youth sports today.
Episode #27 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Kids’ Sports: How We Can Take Back the Game and Restore Quality Family Time In the Process – Linda Flanagan is author of “Take Back the Game: How Money and Mania Are Ruining Kids’ Sports and Why It Matters.” We discuss how commercialized and professionalized youth sports are hurting kids and their families.
Episode #26 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: How Can We Fix Youth Sports? – John O’Sullivan is Founder and CEO of Changing the Game Project and author of “Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes and Giving Youth Sports Back to Our Kids.”
Episode #25 – League of Fans’ Sports Forum podcast: Physical Education Should Be a Critical Component of K-12 School Design – Michael Horn is co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation.
Media
"How We Can Save Sports" author Ken Reed appears on Fox & Friends to explain how there's "too much adult in youth sports."
Ken Reed appears on Mornings with Gail from KFKA Radio in Colorado to discuss bad parenting in youth athletics.
“Should College Athletes Be Paid?” Ken Reed on The Morning Show from Wisconsin Public Radio
Ken Reed appears on KGNU Community Radio in Colorado (at 02:30) to discuss equality in sports and Title IX.
Ken Reed appears on the Ralph Nader Radio Hour (at 38:35) to discuss his book The Sports Reformers: Working to Make the World of Sports a Better Place, and to talk about some current sports issues.
- Reed Appears on Ralph Nader Radio Hour League of Fans’ sports policy director, Ken Reed, Ralph Nader and the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner discussed a variety of sports issues on Nader’s radio show as well as Reed’s updated book, How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan. Reed's book was released in paperback in February, and has a new introduction and several updated sections.
League of Fans is a sports reform project founded by Ralph Nader to fight for the higher principles of justice, fair play, equal opportunity and civil rights in sports; and to encourage safety and civic responsibility in sports industry and culture.
Vanderbilt Sport & Society - On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss with guest Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director for League of Fans and author of How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan
Sports & Torts – Ken Reed, Sports Policy Director, League of Fans – at the American Museum of Tort Law
Books