Commercialisation

Question 1

Define commercialisation

Answer 1

The act of making something available for purchase with a profit incentive

Question 2

How do sports as a whole benefit from commercialisation?

Answer 2

Increased revenue helps individual sportspeople and sports organisations to increase participation by improving grassroots facilities, improve performances and attract support

Question 3

How does the media benefit from commercialisation?

Answer 3

High profile sports stories help to attract audiences,

listeners and readers

Question 4

How do sponsors benefit from commercialisation?

Answer 4

• High profile coverage of sport ensures a high profile for their companies and products.
• Increase sales/profit

Question 5

State one advantage and disadvantage of sponsorship for sports as a whole

Answer 5

• Provides funding for sport, so money can be spent on improving grassroots facilities, producing better
  players in the long term + increasing participation
• Money may not filter down and may only be seen at the top of the sport

Question 6

Give one example of an inappropriate sponsor for an u16 badminton tournament, and explain your answer {3}

Answer 6

• A tobacco company,
• As it is a youth tournament, many participants will be young and impressionable {A02}
• May make them more likely to start smoking, negatively impacting their health and performance
  {A03}

Question 7

Describe and explain 2 reasons why media coverage is beneficial for a performer

Answer 7

• Coverage increases the chance of receiving sponsorships, benefiting the performer as there is more
  money to pay for better facilities, better equipment and coaches
• Being in the media spotlight can turn performers into superstars and role models, benefiting the
  performer as they can become rich and famous, and have influence beyond sport

Question 8

AO1 Points on advantages/disadvantages of media coverage on sport and spectator

Answer 8

A
Increased money in sport
More opportunities to watch live sport on TV/Sky
Can encourage greater participation in sport

D
Can lead to deviance/cheating
Some sports might lose out on exposure as other sports are favoured for popularity/profit reasons
Attendance figures may drop as people watch from home
Can lead to unpopular rule changes

Question 9

AO2 points for advantages/disadvantages of media coverage on sport and spectator

Answer 9

A
Increased money = better facilities to train and produce better players
Changes can be made to make the sport more exciting for the viewer
Enables low profile sports to gain greater recognition e.g. netball superleague
Creates better role models/better informed supporters

D
Greater deviance due to prize money/fame/rewards/pressure
Playing times altered/increased ticket prices
Ticket allocations could be given to sponsors instead of fans
Lack of atmosphere at games due to lower attendance

Question 10

AO3 points for advantages/disadvantages of media coverage on sport and spectator

Answer 10

A
Sports have reinvented themselves to make games more attractive e.g. scoring systems altered/ better facilities
Coaching aid - watching skilled professionals can help improve performance of others
Increased participation = increased health of the nation/less strain on the NHS

D
Less popular sports may not survive at expense of higher profile ones
Over- saturation of sports on TV might make spectators bored/ would rather watch than play
Media has too much influence on sport e.g. KO times with no consideration for travelling supporters
Deviance increase due to rewards

Question 11

Explain why Nike ended their contract with Armstrong after he came out as devious

Answer 11

Nike originally sponsored him due to his high profile/excellence

Lance engaged in deviant behaviour which went against the moral code of his sport

This could reflect negatively on the company if they chose to continue to sponsor him (would he seen as endorsing actions)

Would lead to drop in sales

Question 12

Describe ways that the media increases participation

Answer 12

They broadcast/advertise to a greater number of people, therefore more people become aware of lesser known sports, and are influenced to play

Media provides funding for the sport (through payment and coverage), therefore sports can develop at grassroots levels, allowing more people to participate

(Media increases people’s knowledge of sports, which raises awareness, so that they want to play the sport/more people know how to play the sport)