13.7: Impact Of Commercialisation On Physical Activity And Sport And The Relationship Between Sport And The Media

Question 1

Media definition:

Answer 1

• an organised means of communication by which large numbers of people can be reached quickly.

Question 2

What is the ‘Golden Triangle’?

Answer 2

• the inter-relationship between sport, sponsorship and thr media.

Question 3

What is the relationship between sport and sponsorship?

Answer 3

• sponsorship increases popularity and stability of sport.
• sport is a relatively inexpensive form of advertising.
• money from sponsorship can help improve spectator provision
• powerful sports such as premier league football have some control over their sponsors.

Question 4

What is the relationship between sponsorship and the media:

Answer 4

• when sports are covered by the media sponsorship ultimately increases.

Question 5

What is the relationship between sport and the media?

Answer 5

• high level sport is a media commodity.
• sport is available 24/7
• media have control over some sports
• celebrities are created and role models can have a positive or negative image.
• low profile sports get little attention so minimal sponsorship opportunities.
• relationship can increase match fixing and other examples of deviance.

Question 6

What are the advantages of sport due to the ‘golden triangle’?

Answer 6

• increased income to the sport for allowing events to be televised.
• increased promotion of sport
• increased sponsorship and income from business sources
• sports are organised and funded
• improved facilities.

Question 7

What are the disadvantages of elite sport due to the golden triangle?

Answer 7

• media focuses on negative aspects of the sport
• media can dictate kick off times
• can change the nature of sporting activities - e.g. longer breaks
• only televise popular, high profile sports
• sponsors can be too demanding of their performers.
• sponsorship deals can increase pressure to win.

Question 8

OFCOM definition:

Answer 8

• the communicators regulator in regards UK (they regulate the television sector)
• designed to protect the availability of major listed events in sport.

Question 9

Ring-fenced definition:

Answer 9

• a number if sporting events at national must be available for viewing on terrestrial or free-to-access TV rather than on satellite and subscription channels.

Question 10

What are the reasons for continued ring-fencing?

Answer 10

• to access the widest number and range of viewers.
• to avoid restrictions to subscription channels for those than can’t afford the,.
• to increase geographical access to all viewers.
• sporting heritage and culture.
• to enable access to sporting events that should be freely available (Olympics/World Cup)

Question 11

Which characteristics make sports attractive to the media?

Answer 11

• high level of skills for viewers to watch
• visually appealing and demonstrate physical challenge (e.g. rugby)
• easily understood with relatively simple rule structures
• easy to televise and has a relatively short timescale which fits into viewers’ busy schedules.
• nationally relevant with easy identifiable personalities and role models.

Question 12

Why are certain sports less attractive to the media?

Answer 12

• e.g. tennis and badminton.
• seen as less popular with the viewing public and only have a limited target audience.
• seen as less exciting and less entertaining which makes it difficult for them to break into the male-dominated prime time slots.
• there is less commercial appeal to sponsors if sports aren’t receiving much coverage in the media. Therefore there may be very few full-time professional opportunities available to performers, e.g. canoeing or shooting.

Question 13

What are the advantages of media coverage for sport?

Answer 13

• increase the profile of the sport and individual performers within the sport.
• increased participation levels as a result of TV coverage. E.g. football due to World Cup coverage.
• more variations of a sport are developed to make it more ‘media friendly’. E.g. Twenty20 cricket).
• generates higher levels of income and makes a sport more appealing to sponsors. Thud increases commercial opportunities further increasing the financial gain of a sport or sports performers. E.g. football, tennis or golf.
• increase standards in performers and better behaviour.
• rule changes lead to a speeding up of an action and more entertaining, e.g penalty shootouts.

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of media coverage for a sport?

Answer 14

• NGBs lose control of tv sponsors
• traditional nature of sport is lost - timings, rules to suit viewers
• sometimes too much sport on TV - can lead to on boredom of spectators
• demands of media and sponsors negatively impact on high level performers, e.g. demands for interviews etc.
• the media can over dramatise certain negative events in sport
• win-at-all-costs attitude can develop deviance acts and players becoming poor role models.

Question 15

Commercialisation definition:

Answer 15

• the treating of sport as a commodity, involving the buying snd selling of assets, with the market as the driving force behind sport.

Question 16

Sponsorship definition:

Answer 16

• provision of funds, money and support for commercial return

Question 17

High-socio economic demographic:

Answer 17

• a sport played or watched by people with high disposable income.

Question 18

What are the characteristics that make sport become attractive as a commercial enterprise?

Answer 18

• extensive media coverage
• gaining large audiences
• professional/high profile sport
• players contracted to perform/endorse products
• extensive advertising
• winning is important as it links with success
• sport is media-friendly/entertaining

Question 19

How do televised sport offer companies an investment via sponsorship?

Answer 19

• increased sales and promotion of product
• increased brand awareness
• improved company image linked to the healthy image of sport
• opportunities to entertain clients via corporate hospitality
• decreasing the amount of tax a company pays as sponsorship is tax deductible.

Question 20

Reasons why an elite performer should consider the nature of a sponsorship

Answer 20

S: social duties
P: personal appearances demanding too much
O: opposed nature of the product to the reputation of the performer
N: negative impact on future sponsorship
S: support from sponsors is image dependent
O: opposed to the true nature of sport
R: role models for others

Question 21

Positive impacts of increased media coverage and commercialisation for coaches and managers:

Answer 21

• higher profiles as coaches
• increases public awareness of their role
• increases salaries
• invest money into their sport and training squads
• can learn to other high level coaches

Question 22

Negative impacts of increased media coverage and commercialisation for coaches and managers:

Answer 22

• intense pressure to win matches
• public expectation to produce positive results
• managers expect the sack quickly
• expectation to deal with media can be difficult when the pressure is on
• inequalities of sponsorship and funding mean coaches and managers so ,kw level clubs Dundee harder to attract the best performers which means they are financially disadvantaged.

Question 23

Positives of increased media coverage and commercialisation for officials:

Answer 23

• increased profile of officers promoting fairness in sport
• increase in salary and job opportunities
• increased funding to invest in support systems and training to improve standards of officiating
• increased opportunities to learn from other officials
• increased funding to invest in technology to aid officials in their decision making

Question 24

Negatives of increased media coverage and commercialisation for officials:

Answer 24

O: overuse/over dependent on technology
F: faulty decisions are highlighted
I: increased pressure to deal with media enquiries
CA: constant analysis of decisions made
L: lack of available to technology at lower levels of sport

Question 25

Positives of increased media coverage and commercialisation on spectators:

Answer 25

• increased performance standards
• improved facilities
• improved viewing experience
• increased access to sport
• rule changes provide extra excitement (cricket 2020)
• increased funding improved technology at a ground
• increased spectator excitement while waiting for decisions (e.g. Hawkeye in tennis)
• increased awareness of sport, role models for fans to idolise.

Question 26

Negatives of increased media coverage and commercialisation on spectators:

Answer 26

• increased costs to watch
• loss of traditional nature of the sport
• increased breaks
• fewer tickets available for fans
• change of kick off times
• links to team or player merchandise are sometimes viewed negatively due to their high cost and regularity of change
• minority sports have less coverage

Question 27

Positives impacts of commercialisation and sponsorship for elite performers:

Answer 27

• increased wages, prizes
• increased availability of professional contracts devoting themselves to more sport
• performers increasing in the public eye, protect positive image
• increased funding to pay for access to high quality training support and specialist equipment.

Question 28

Negative impacts of commercialisation and sponsorship for elite performers:

Answer 28

• increased pressure to win
• an increase in deviant behaviour due to increased pressure to win
• inequality of funding mean those in minority sports (e.g. table tennis, badminton, etc) miss out.
• performers treated as commodities and sought and sold for economic reasons, sponsors become too demanding (special appearances instead of training)

Question 29

Positive effects of commercialisation and sponsorship on sport:

Answer 29

• increased funding to provide more facilities snd equipment and talent ID programmes coaching to develop performers in sport.
• technology funding increase
• increased positive role models
• increased spectator interest
• increased number of events and competition

Question 30

Negative effects of commercialisation and sponsorship on sport:

Answer 30

• sports over-reliant on funding from commercial sources
• money goes to popular sports
• tickets go to hospitality and organisations rather than true fans (sport loses control)
• traditionalists are against new competitions, rules, timings of games suiting demands of sponsors
• location of events influences by commercial considerations