FQ2: What is the relationship between sport and national and cultural identity?

Question 1

Describe the nature of sport as big business.

Answer 1

Participation rates of Australian men and women in sport and PA = quite high for our population

Ensuring future sales: businesses constantly market new fashions or products
- e.g. Nike, Dunlop, Spalding, Reebok - compete to increase profiles and sales

Growth of modern sport is paralleled by a growth in costs
- Major sports need large venues (e.g. SCG) → ticket collectors, tiered seating, grandstands, toilets, food outlets, souvenirs, security guards, technicians, cleaners → new jobs
- Teams in major competitions e.g. NRL

Question 2

What are the benefits of sponsorship, advertising and sport?

Answer 2

Economic growth for city or state - especially in tourism (business, employment) - E.g. rivalry between states to stage AUS Grand Prix

Improved administration of sport

Athletes have opportunities to compete overseas
- Expenses covered by sponsors in return for exposure
- Lesser known athletes - may need several sponsors to cover costs

Greater recognition of sport through increased media coverage

Many large sponsorship deals for clubs
- Money put towards supporting development of juniors
- Long-standing associations → promotes club development

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of sponsorship, advertising and sport?

Answer 3

Media coverage dominated by high-profile sports
- Tend to be traditional male sports
- Lesser known sports struggle - do not have exposure needed to encourage new members
- E.g. AUS women’s water polo team - highly successful who only recently received recognition of achievements

Inappropriate sponsorship occurs
- E.g. Carlton Draught sponsors AFL teams - Brisbane Lions

Sponsors can force change in rules
- E.g. time outs needed for advertisements, Sherrin ball in AFL

Sponsors can ignore decades of tradition - rename sporting events to suit themselves
- E.g. 1999-2008: Went from Sheffield Shield → Pura Cup

Some clubs likely to lose identity
- Traditions are bypassed to make clubs attractive to new sponsors
- Power lies in sponsors rather than club

Question 4

What are the benefits of hosting major sporting events?

Answer 4

Build tourism
Economic influx
Eager to showcase city off to others
Pride and patriotism
Image as a global player
Employment opportunities
Increased funding for sports development

Question 5

What are the economics of hosting major sporting events?

Answer 5

Infrastructure; arenas, transport, accommodation
Capacity to host
Security; threat of terrorism- associated costs

Question 6

Provide an example of hosting a major sporting event.

Answer 6

HOSTING THE OLYMPICS:
Countries must ensure the following:
- They can cater for the size of the event (housing of athletes and staff)
- Construction of stadiums
- Transportation to events
- Media coverage
- Politician support
- Tourism

Question 7

What are the advantages of sport as a commodity for spectators?

Answer 7

Elite/high quality performances on international stage
Rule changes increase excitement e.g. T20 Cricket, IPL
Merchandise
Entertainment
Technology

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of sport as a commodity for spectators?

Answer 8

Delayed telecast
Players moved between clubs (salary cap)
Ticket prices too expensive
Player injured meaning sport may not be as good to watch therefore less spectators
Ticket demands

Question 9

What are the advantages of sport as a commodity for participants?

Answer 9

Skilled players earning high incomes
Better training facilities and research being used
Increased skill level and competition
Endorsements
National and international competitions
Travel the world
Skills/knowledge (career security post retirement from the sport) e.g. Johnathon Thurston, Paul Gallen

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of sport as a commodity for participants?

Answer 10

Beginners on short term contract with little payment
Private lives no longer private- pressure to behave
Expectation to adapt to climate and time changes (impact on performance)
Players become a commodity within the sport and are traded easily

Question 11

Provide examples of athletes and sporting codes that faced consequences of adopting a business focus?

Answer 11

South Sydney Rabbitohs - South Side
- Russel Crowe endorsed
- new club, new product - dressing for success = redesigning the jerseys
- adding to historical perspective

Walked the red carpet premiere of Bra Boys
Bra Boys: sporting story of surfers, narrated by Crowe
Club culture
- lacked media savviness = lack of professionalism at the time
FOCUS: sell tickets for rugby league day!

Alan Jones
- Formerly coached Australian Rugby Union Wallabies
- Cronulla Riots instigator

investing in winners

Question 12

How is national identity created through sporting achievements?

Answer 12

Impact
- Sense of national pride
- Confidence
- High levels of morale
- Increased participation → relates to health of AUS
- Media coverage

World perceives AUS to have (when AUS is success, the world sees AUS’ success)
- Advanced facilities
- Great technology + scientific research
- Commitment and determination
- Passion for sport
- Healthy and able population
- Prosperity/wealthy
- Advanced coaching techniques and strategies

AIS came about in 1981 due to failure to win gold medals in 1976 Montreal Olympics

Question 13

How is regional identity created through sporting achievements?

Answer 13

COLONIAL TIMES: sporting successes have assisted the emerging nation of Australia to establish its identity
- Contests between colonies and Britain = tests of the new settlers + British admired the colonists
- AUS colonies demonstrated maturity through their successes in sport - e.g. cricket

Entire regions associated with particular sporting traditions — Country areas: being involved in sport
- Promoting social interaction
- Providing entertainment
- Developing toughness and resilience

Role of competitive sport in the community

Sportsperson who was born and brought up in the town and ventured onto great achievements
- Consistently reinforces the close alignment of sport with identity

Question 14

What are the similarities between the creation of national and regional identity through sporting achievements?

Answer 14

Entertainment
Connect with other people
Find purpose in people’s lives - following team + seeing team become successful
Source of pride and positivity

Question 15

Provide examples of national sporting identity.

Answer 15

Boxing Kangaroo - national sporting flag
E.g. 1983 America’s Cup: yachting race - US 132-yo winning streak broken by Australia II yacht
E.g. Sir Donald Bradman

E.g. Ashes - National pride between England and AUS (England = mother country)
E.g. Olympics (1956 Melb, 2000 Syd)
- Opportunity for AUS to participate at highest level + against large nations
- Showcase capacity to host large games = capable and advanced nation with great facilities + climate for sport
- 2000 Sydney Olympics - Opening ceremony: showed AUS culture = Cathy Freeman lighted cauldron in stadium + brought in by female athletes around the stadium
2012 Olympics in London - started commotion on need for more government funding to maintain AUS global sporting reputation

E.g. Commonwealth Games - most successful country is AUS
E.g. Rugby World Cup
E.g. Football World Cup
E.g. Australian Open Tennis - One of the 4 Grand Slam tennis (E.g, Ash Barty, Nick Kyrgios)

Question 16

Provide examples of regional sporting identity.

Answer 16

E.g. Sir Donald Bradman - Bradman museum in Bowral highlights regional identity/pride for where he grew up

E.g. State of Origin - rugby league games played between NSW and QLD - best of 3 games = REGIONAL IDENTITY
- NSW Blues = Cockroaches - Andrew Joey Johns (23 games, captain, 2023 series win, 8th immortal)
- QLD Maroons = Cane Toads - Wally Lewis - king of Origin games (12 years, 31 games, 8 Man of the Match awards, 9 series wins)
Statue outside the Suncorp park
Brought the winning record to QLD
- Cameron Smith - holds every record there is for Rugby League
RIVALRY - Motto: State against State, Mate against Mate
Politicians pick a side to promote performance of their state + boost connection with the people of states

E.g. Lithgow - statue of Lithgow flash = Marjorie Jackson Statue
E.g. Melbourne tennis courts named after Rod Laver and Margaret Court = Rod Laver Arena
E.g. Swimming pools in Sydney named after Ian Thorpe and Dawn Fraser = Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre

Question 17

How does the Australian Institute of Sport carry out government funding?

Answer 17

Commonwealth Government funds the Australian Sports Commission (ASC)
ROLE OF ASC
- Allocates funds to wide range of facilities, services and programs
- Develops elite athlete level at a national level - AIS (Australian Institute of Sport)
- Local community level
- Funding → Financing management of sports

Sport Australia = ASC NSWIS (NSW Institute of Sport)
ROLE OF AIS (officially opened in 1981)
- E.g. swimming, badminton, table tennis - offers a wide range of sport
- Provides training centres
- Pathways for skills and performance development → online support
- Programs to help manage personal aspects of elite sporting career → resilience and decision making
Collabs with research and innovation organisation
- Range of grant and funding programs
AIS SCHEME: Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth Games
National Officiating Scholarship Program: development of elite sports officials
Elite Indigenous Travel and Accommodation Assistance program
Grants for young sportspeople
Women Leaders in Sport program

Funding to multiple areas e.g. international competition, elite coaching and talent identification, training camps and centres

STATS:
2017-2018: $300M - facilities, services and programs,
HOWEVER dramatic reduction in funding: 2020: $54.5M

Question 18

Evaluate the impact of Australia using sport for political purposes on athletes.

Answer 18

Generally miss out on international and national representation - especially Olympics only occur every 4 years = affects potential and career
- Can impact on athlete training, skill development, opportunity to represent
- Can affect them economically too

Confusion, emotional distress for athletes due to pressure placed on them by government + public → emotional and social impact

Question 19

Evaluate the impact of Australia using sport for political purposes on the general public.

Answer 19

The public may not get the chance to view competition at international level if boycotts occur
- Would have liked to see best AUS athletes to perform
- Affects relationship with sport

Question 20

Evaluate the impact of using sport for political purposes in the 1980 Moscow Olympics on athletes.

Answer 20

May: Aus Olympic Federation voted narrowly (6:5) to defy the government and send a team to Moscow
- Considerably smaller than the previous Olympic teams
- Athletes marches under the Olympic flag instead of the Australian flag in protest

RAELENE BOYLE
World rated 100m and 200m runner
Won 7 Commonwealth Games gold medals + 3 Olympic silvers
- Never able to achieve her aim of Olympic gold → was paid $6000 by government to boycott
- Used as a political pawn + regrets opportunity to win a gold medal at Moscow Olympics

TRACEY WICKHAM
World records for 400m and 800m stood for 7 years
Youngest, most cherished + most high profile athletes who did not go to Moscow
At 17 years old - pressured to boycott 1980 Moscow Olympics
- Young athletes to do the dirty work of politicians

Question 21

Evaluate the impact of using sport for political purposes in the 1980 Moscow Olympics on the general public.

Answer 21

Placed plenty of pressure of athletes to make a decision
- A divided nation - protests and disgruntled fans
- Olympic sport and politics should not be mixed

Question 22

Evaluate the impact of using sport for political purposes in the Apartheid Boycotts on athletes.

Answer 22

PETER NORMAN
200m athlete
1968: Mexico Olympics
- US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their firsts to the sky = Black Power salute (stance against racism in US)
- Norman stood with them in support + wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge
- Not recognised for his Silver medal at the 1968 Olympics
Faced criticism for his stance = effectively ended his career
- Reflection of AUS at the time
- AUS was strongly allied with US
1972: overlooked for Munich Olympic Games
2012: finally recieved apology from gov + statue erected in his honour

LLOYD MCDERMOTT
Indigenous rugby player
Made Wallabies debut in 1962 (23 years old)
- Played 2 tests for Australia against All Blacks
Refused to tour South Africa in 1963 due to racist apartheid scheme
- Objected to being classified as an “honorary white” (only way he could enter the country and play union)
Inspired many since - despite never being able to play test rugby again

AUSTRALIAN REBEL TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA (1985-1986) - CRICKET
Rebel AUS team led by Kim Hughes played first of 3 unofficial test matches against South Africa
- SA was banned from international cricket due to apartheid
- But team played against them - planned years before → not supported by Prime Minister Hawke (labelled the athletes as traitors)
Divided

Question 23

Evaluate the impact of using sport for political purposes in the Apartheid Boycotts on the general public.

Answer 23

PETER NORMAN:
Public criticised his stance = effectively ended his career
- Reflection of AUS at the time
- AUS was strongly allied with US

Question 24

Evaluate the impact of using sport for political purposes in the Adam Goodes case on athletes.

Answer 24

In 2014, Goodes was named Australian of the Year, a role in which he used his platform to advocate for the rights of Indigenous Australians and to promote awareness about the impact of racism. This position placed him in the national spotlight and drew both support and criticism.

From 2014 onwards, Goodes faced persistent booing from crowds at AFL games, which many observers believed to be racially motivated. The booing intensified after Goodes performed an Aboriginal war dance during a match in 2015, which some interpreted as provocative.

Question 25

Evaluate the impact of using sport for political purposes in the Adam Goodes case on the general public.

Answer 25

Goodes’ experiences and the discussions they provoked led to greater awareness and initiatives aimed at combating racism in Australian sports. The AFL and other organisations have since worked to implement policies and programs to support Indigenous players and promote inclusivity.