6 Socio-cultural Influences

Question 1

social groups

Answer 1

gender
race/religion/culture
age
family/friends/peers
disability

Question 2

factors which contribute to the engagement patterns in social groups

Answer 2

attitudes
role models
accessibility to facilities
media coverage
sexism
stereotyping
culture/religion
family commitments
available leisure time
familiarity
education
adaptability/inclusivity
socio-economic factors / disposable income

Question 3

definition of commercialisation

Answer 3

The process of making a product available for sale for financial gain

Question 4

relationship between sport, sponsorship and media

Answer 4

all linked together

sport/sponsorship - sport is an easy way of cheaply advertising products
sponsorship can increase the population of a sport
sponsorship money can improve sporting facilities

sponsorship/media - media can attract sponsorship
businesses need media to promote products
media charges businesses to advertise their products

sport/media - elite sport is media commodity
sport is available to watch all day
media has celebritised sports players

Question 5

definition of sponsorship

Answer 5

a partnership between a sports team, or person, and a business (the sponsor) which provides financial support for the sport

Question 6

definition of media

Answer 6

a company who communicates sports to a wide range of audiences to educate or entertain or advertise

Question 7

types of sponsership

Answer 7

financial
clothing + footwear and equipment
facilities

Question 8

types of media

Answer 8

television
radio
the press
the internet
social media

Question 9

positive impacts of sponsorship and media - on the performer

Answer 9

Sponsorship may provide athletes with additional income; this may give them better access to training facilities, clothing, equipment and footwear which prevent injury and help individual improve

Being in a better financial position may free performers from paid employment, giving them more time for training helping them improve

Performers may be ‘gifted’ free clothing, equipment or footwear to use, and they may receive payment for wearing branded merchandise

Question 10

positive impacts of sponsorship and media - sport

Answer 10

Increased income from sponsorship for a sport and its teams reduces the pressure to receive income from spectators and fans; focus can instead be put on improving players’ skills or raising money for other facilities making a better experience for players and the fans get cheaper tickets

Sponsorship may allow clubs to improve facilities in the sport, such as new equipment, clubhouses, paying for coaching, physiotherapists, and the development of training and outreach programmes helping players improve and reducing injury chance

Question 11

positive impacts of sponsorship and media - official

Answer 11

Officials in professional sports are paid for their role; the more elite and high-profile a sport is, the higher their earnings can be

Officials get the opportunity to travel with the sport which can offer additional benefits, such as time away from daily life and routines

Some officials can become well known within their sport; this can bring in additional income and other opportunities

Question 12

positive impacts of sponsorship and media - audience/spectator

Answer 12

There are better facilities, better players and the sport is played at a higher standard

Spectators can view sports in a variety of ways, such as TV or the internet, from the comfort of their own homes

The use of better technology at matches, such as instant replay, means audiences can be more informed and involved in games

Watching sports on devices means there are a variety of camera angles and commentary used for a better viewing experience

Fans have an array of sports merchandise available to them which allows them to be more integrated with the sport and other fans

More popular sports may have longer seasons and more games which gives more viewing opportunities for audiences

Increased media coverage and sponsorships of sports means there are more sports to view with dedicated sports TV channels, radio, magazines, newspapers and websites

Question 13

positive impacts of sponsorship and media - sponsor/company

Answer 13

Sport in the media can help publicise and raise awareness of a brand; this can increase revenue through increased sales of products

Positivity associated with a sport, e.g. health and fitness, can be transferred to a brand or company; this can help sponsors reach larger audiences and improve their reputation

Question 14

negative impacts of sponsorship and media - on the performer

Answer 14

A high income for performers may give unwanted ‘celebrity’ status and take them away from normal life, routines and structures; this can cause unwanted attention and impact free time and privacy

Sponsors may give certain conditions in their contracts which may mean performers have to attend particular events or give interviews; this may take away free time or privacy

Performers may have to wear or use clothing or equipment which may not be suitable or to their liking; this may impact performance or go against their values

Poor performance may risk a loss of sponsorship and therefore income; this can put unnecessary pressure on performers to succeed

Question 15

negative impacts of sponsorship and media - sport

Answer 15

Some sponsorships, e.g. from alcoholic products, may give a negative image to the sport; this might distract from the values of the sport and promote other attributes such as poor health

High-income sponsorship is associated with the media and is focused on sports receiving high levels of media interest, such as Premier League football in the UK; this means there is less financial gain for minor sports

Question 16

negative impacts of sponsorship and media - official

Answer 16

The media output associated with some sports can put pressure on officials and bring negative attention to them because of decisions they have made during play; this could lead to losing their jobs or being dropped from the sport entirely

Question 17

negative impacts of sponsorship and media - audience/spectator

Answer 17

Popular sports with more media coverage have higher costs associated with viewing live matches (e.g. ticket prices) or purchasing merchandise; this may limit accessibility for some social groups, such as those with lower incomes

Question 18

negative impacts of sponsorship and media - sponsor/company

Answer 18

The reputation of a brand may be affected negatively by any wrongdoing from a sponsored team or performer; this may affect sales

Question 19

positive impacts of technology - performer

Answer 19

The health of the performer can be monitored through technology, such as heart rate monitors and body fat monitors

Nutrition can be analysed and diets altered by calorie tracking software; this means that performers can maintain peak health before events

The safety of performers has improved due to better technology, such as improved helmets and body armour

Sports equipment and clothing can improve an athlete’s performance, e.g. swimwear that reduces drag in the water

Disabled athletes have access to better technology, such as prosthetics

Apps and wearable technology exist that can analyse the performance of performers; this allows for detailed analysis after events and more targeted training goals

Question 20

positive impacts of technology - sport

Answer 20

Instead of humans, technology can now give more accurate analysis and visuals for a game:

Electronic timing
Instant replay
VAR (video assistance referee)
Hawk-Eye - a ball-tracking software to help improve the accuracy of official decisions

Question 21

positive impacts of technology - official

Answer 21

Officials can use technology to improve their decision making, meaning more accurate outcomes for performers and teams

VAR technology allows a team of officials to analyse real-time footage of games and work alongside referees and officials

Question 22

positive impacts of technology - audience/spectator

Answer 22

Spectators can have interactive and immersive viewing opportunities, e.g. through a mobile phone app; this can increase fan engagement

Smart software exists to improve the sound and visual effects for viewing sport in the home, creating a multi-sensory experience

Question 23

positive impacts of technology - sponsor/company

Answer 23

Digital advertising means that sponsors can reach a wider audience

Targeted advertisements on mobile phone apps mean that companies can reach target audiences easily

New technology means a company’s brand can be projected onto pitches and buildings or shown on-screen, without the need to install any physical advertisements

Question 24

negative impacts of technology - performer

Answer 24

New technologies cost money; not all performers have the funds to invest in technology to support and improve their performance

Match analysis technology can be used by opponents to identify weaknesses and gain an advantage

Some sports may use technology to cheat, such as electric motors being fitted to racing bikes; this is known as motor doping

Question 25

negative impacts of technology - sport

Answer 25

Sports facilities, clubs and teams with access to better technology have an advantage over those without; this creates an unequal playing field for competitors

Question 26

negative impacts of technology - official

Answer 26

Officials may become over-reliant on technology which means there is a lack of trust between spectators, players and officials

It can take time to analyse digital footage which can slow the game or sport, leading to frustration from performers

Question 27

negative impacts of technology - audience/spectator

Answer 27

New viewing technologies may be too expensive for some spectators, limiting access for all

Spectators may find delays during analysis of digital footage frustrating

Question 28

negative impacts of technology - sponsor/company

Answer 28

As with all sponsorship, any wrongdoing in the sport, or from a performer, can impact a company negatively and decrease their sales and profit

Question 29

definition of etiquette

Answer 29

the unwritten rules, or customs, of a sport; it is expected that performers and participants follow these rules

examples:
kicking the ball out in football if there is an injury
shaking hands after a match

Question 30

definition of sportsmanship

Answer 30

participants play by the rules and within the spirit of the game. It involves respecting others in the sport, including the opposition, and acting graciously upon losing

examples:
congratulating the opposition if they win
helping an injured player

Question 31

definition of gamesmanship

Answer 31

bending the rules in such a way as to not be punished or disciplined for rule-breaking; this is often to gain an advantage over other competitors

examples:
time wasting when winning
distracting an opponent

Question 32

definition of contract to compete

Answer 32

an agreement whereby a player will aim to win and play within the rules whilst allowing other competitors a fair chance to play and win

Examples:
trying your hardest
not doping or cheating

Question 33

positive effects of spectators at matches

Answer 33

creates an atmosphere
home field advantage

Question 34

negative effects of spectators at matches

Answer 34

negative performance of players due to increased pressure
crowd trouble / hooliganism
safety costs/concerns
negative effect on participation levels for younger players

Question 35

reasons for hooliganism

Answer 35

rivalries
hype
fuelled by alcohol/drugs
gang culture
frustration
display of masculinity

Question 36

strategies to combat hooliganism

Answer 36

early kick-offs - Local pubs may lose income as a result of this strategy but stops people coming already drunk

stadiums with only seats - spectators stay in their seats and are not able to move around as much so better control over the number of tickets that can be sold but this is costly to the sport and this cost may be offset by higher ticket prices or reduced funds elsewhere in the sport, e.g. player wages or employment of coaches

segregation of fans - This can be costly to police and seating that is purposefully left empty will impact ticket sales and profit but reduces fights due to opposition fans mixing

improved security - reduces chances of fights breaking out but is expensive

alcohol restrictions - reduces hooliganism as there are less drunk people but negatively effects businesses

travel restrictions - stops known hooligans travelling reducing the chance there will be fights but is expensive for police

campaigns to prevent - discourages bad behavior but people may not listen