Growth in spectator sports from the 1920s

Question 1

Spectator sports 1918-39

Answer 1

Football - cheap entertainment, attracting tens of thousands.
Players did not enjoy high salaries until 1960 - end of maximum wage.

Question 2

Sport in the 1930s

Answer 2

Took people’s minds off of economic problems.
Football attendances remained high.
Other sports also enjoyed MC audiences - 50,000 paid to see the Ryder Cup golf tournament 1933.

Question 3

Broadcasting

Answer 3

BBC radio outside broadcasts began in 1927.
Fears this would reduce attendance - actually increased.

Question 4

Sport during WW2

Answer 4

Stadiums initially closed - fear of bombing, opened again due to public demand, positive impact on morale.
May 1943 - 55,000 attended a Chelsea football match, raised £8000 for naval welfare charities.

Question 5

Spectator sports 1945-79

Answer 5

After WW2 the media covered sport exhaustively.
British newspapers devoted more coverage to sport than any other topic - huge demand from the public.

Question 6

Televising sport

Answer 6

Increased access to sporting events around the world.
Enabled viewers to support British representatives in world events - Olympics, football World Cup.
1966 World Cup final - 32million viewers when England defeated West Germany.

Question 7

‘Sport for All’

Answer 7

Increased government investment in sporting during the 1960s and 1970s.
Sports Council of Great Britain developed in 1972 - designed to promote sport among both elite athletes and the public as a whole.