3.2.4. Commercialisation

Question 1

What is commercialisation?

Answer 1

The management of sport for profit

Question 2

What are the factors leading to commercialisation?

Answer 2

• growing public interest and spectatorship
• more media interest
• professionalism
• advertising
• sponsorship
• globalisation

Question 3

How does growing public interest and spectatorship lead to commercialisation

Answer 3

The rise in spectatorship means more money is attracted to sports.

Question 4

How does media interest lead to commercialisation?

Answer 4

Higher levels of media interest generated by high profile sports which attract greater levels of sponsorship.
Certain sports have adapted rules/ formats

Question 5

How does professionalism lead to commercialisation?

Answer 5

Sporting professionals/ better players attract greater levels of sponsorship

Question 6

How does advertising lead to commercialisation?

Answer 6

Sports present opportunities for extensive advertising and merchandising deals to capture a global audience.

Question 7

How does sponsorship lead to commercialisation?

Answer 7

Sport is an avenue for many companies to promote their products through sponsorship.

Question 8

How does globalisation lead to commercialisation?

Answer 8

Sport is global and international exposure attracts sponsors.

Question 9

Positive impacts on society

Answer 9

• sponsorship allows equal opportunity to compete
• sporting success can lead to ‘feel good factor’ and nation building

Question 10

Negative impacts on society

Answer 10

• attracting sponsorship can depend on several factors -> some people are more ‘marketable’ than others
• leads to win at all costs ethic and the over-focus on elite sport can be unpopular

Question 11

Positive impacts on individual sports

Answer 11

• improved facilities
• professional sport
• develop grassroots
• increased profile of sports = increased revenue
• increased media coverage
• increased sponsorship

Question 12

Negative impacts on individual sports

Answer 12

• less popular sports attract less sponsorship -> female/ disability sports
• sports loses control to media companies
• traditional values of sport are lost with new rule changes or changes to the sport’s format

Question 13

Positive impacts one performers

Answer 13

• sponsors provide kit/ equipment to promote their products e.g. Keely Hodgkinson sponsored by Nike
• commercial organisations e.g. Keely Hodgkinson trains and stays in South Africa for training camps
• more time training/ competing rather than having to go to work

Question 14

Negative impacts on performers

Answer 14

• pressure to win or perform well to secure and keep sponsorship deals e.g. Lance Armstrong
• exploitation -> performers find they have little control over their careers
• pressure to win can lead to deviant behaviours e.g. Lance Armstrong doping

Question 15

Positive impacts on spectators

Answer 15

• increase performance standards provide higher levels of excitement
• giant screens and play-back technology provide more info
• improved quality of facilities e.g. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
• increased access to sports coverage -> 24/7

Question 16

Negative impacts on spectators

Answer 16

• unethical sponsors e.g. does alcohol/ betting sponsors, have a place in sport?
• increase in advertising disrupting flow of play
• actual sporting action can take second place in advertising
• increase in cost of watching sport, for tickets or to buy subscriptions