6.7 - Impact of Commercialisation on Physical Activity and Sport and Relationship between Sport and the Media Flashcards
What are the three parts of ‘the golden triangle’?
Sport
Business
Media
Define the media?
An organised means of communication by which large numbers of people can be reached quickly
Name the advantages in elite sports of the ‘golden triangle’?
- Increased income to the sport for allowing events to be televised. This can be spent at all levels of the sport - funding participation initiatives at grassroots level as well as providing finance to support elite athletes at the top of their profession
- Increased promotion of the sport to gain more fans and increase its popularity
- Increased sponsorship and income from business sources to pay for advertising at grounds and sporting events
- Sports are organised and funded, which in turn improves the way they are run (ie more professional manner)
- Improved facilities benefit performer and spectator alike
Name the disadvantages in elite sports of the ‘golden triangle’?
- Possibility of sensationalist media reporting which focuses too much on negative aspects of sport
- The media and sponsors can dictate kick-off times and scheduling of sports events, to the detriment of performers and fans
- The media and sponsors can change the nature of a sporting activity (e,g introducing longer breaks in play to allow for advertising)
- The media and sponsors only televise already popular, high profile sports
- Sponsors and the media can be too demanding on elite performers and coaches (e.g in relation to personal appearances and giving interviews)
- Sponsorship deals can increase the pressure to win or maintain lucrative contracts with companies willing to pay for an association with successful sports and sports performers
Define ring-fenced?
A number of sporting events at national and international level must be available for viewing on terrestrial or free-to-access TV rather than on satellite and subscription channels.
What are the reasons for continued ring-fencing of certain major sporting events?
- To access the widest number and range of viewers
- To avoid restricting coverage to subscription channels available only to those who can afford them
- To increase geographical access to all viewers in all parts of the country to major sporting events
- To enable viewing of certain events which are seen as part of our sporting heritage and culture
- To enable access to sporting events which should be freely available to all to view (ie Olympic Games, football World Cup etc)
What characteristics do sports have that are attractive to the media?
- They have high levels of skill
- They are visually appealing
- They are easily understood (simple rules)
- The sport or sporting event is easy to televise and has a relatively short timescale which fits into viewers busy schedules
- They are seen as nationally relevant with easy identifiable personalities and role models
Name advantages of media coverage?
- Increase the profile of the sport and individual performers within the sport
- Increased participation levels within a sports as a result of media coverage
- More variations of a sport are developed to make it more media friendly
- Generates higher levels of income and makes sport more appealing to sponsors
- Increase commercial opportunities which further increases the financial gain
- Increased standards in performance as well as behaviour as a result of increased media focus
- Rule changes lead to speeding up of action/more excitement/entertainment in sport (e.g penalty shootouts)
Name disadvantages of media coverage?
- NGBs/sports performers lose control to the TV/sponsors. The traditional nature of a sport is lost e.g. rule structures/timings of a sport are adapted to suit the demands of TV or sponsors.
- The media control the location of events as well as kickoff times and in some cases playing seasons.
- There are inequalities of coverage i.e. more popular sports such as football gain at the expense of minority sports such as squash. Certain prestigious events are now available only on satellite TV which requires a subscription payment.
- Demands of media and sponsors negatively impact on high-level performers e.g. demands for interviews, personal appearances etc.
- The media can sometimes over sensationalise or overdramatisise certain negative events in sport. A win at all costs attitude develops due to high rewards on offer which leads to negative ,deviant acts and players becoming poor role models (e.g in football arguing with officials, diving to cheat and trying to win a penalty etc)
- More breaks in play (e.g. for adverts) can disrupt the spectator experience.
Define commercialisation?
The treating of sport as a commodity, involving the buying and selling of assets, with the market as the driving force behind the sport.
How has sport become attractive as a commercial enterprise?
- It has extensive media coverage
- It gains larger audiences, viewing figures and high levels of ticket sales.
- It links to professional/high-profile sport.
- Players are contracted to perform with or endorse products.
- They offer extensive advertising, merchandising or sponsorship deals.
- Winning is important as it creates a link with success.
- The sport is media friendly/entertaining.
Why do businesses use sport as an investment opportunity?
- It increases sales and promotion of a product
- It increases brand awareness
- It improves company image linked to the healthy image of sport
- Opportunities to entertain clients via corporate hospitality
- Decreasing the amount of tax the company pays a sponsorship tax is deductible
Name the positive effects of sponsorship and commercial deals for elite sports performers?
- Increase wages, prize-money and extrinsic rewards
- Increased availability of professional contracts where performers are able to devote themselves full-time to sport, training harder and longer to improve performance.
- Performers are increasingly in the public eye and increasingly well-known so they need to maintain discipline and behave appropriately to protect a positive image.
- Increased funding to pay for access to high-quality training support and specialist equipment.
Name the negative effects of sponsorship and commercial deals for elite sports performers?
- Increase pressure to win and a win at all costs attitude to maintain high level prize money, extrinsic rewards, wages, sponsorship deals etc.
- An increase in deviant behaviour due to increase pressure to win (e.g. performing when injured or over training; taking illegal drugs; off field drinking and gambling)
- Performers are treated as commodities, bought and sold for economic reasons; sponsors become too demanding.
- Inequality of funding means performers in ‘minority sports’ (e.g. badminton, table tennis) miss out on funding and full-time professional opportunities.
What is the memory tool for the reasons why an elite performer should consider the nature of a sponsorship deal before accepting it and define it?
SPONSOR
S - Social duty to others
P - Personal appearances demand too much
O - Oppose 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 model for others
