Paper 3 Contemoprary Issues - Commercialisation And Media

Question 1

Positive impacts of commercialisation

Answer 1

• Attracts more money to sports
  • Could be used to improve facilities or to buy new players
  • New facilities could help to improve the performance levels of athletes both amateur and elite level.
• Increased media coverage has lead to increased participation rates
  • Watching elite athletes perform in global sporting events motivates people to exercise and compete

Question 2

Negative impacts of commercialisation

Answer 2

• Less popular sports attract less sponsorship
  • Means that less popular sports are unable to develop their sport to the same extent as more popular sports
• Female Events ans those for people with disabilities may lose out on commercial investment.
  • Due to them being less popular and attracting less media exposure for the potential sponsor
• Competitors are under pressure to perform well and to secure and keep sponsorship deals
  • This pressure to win can lead to deviant behaviour
  • E.g. Lance Armstrong

Question 3

Factors leading to commercialisation of sport

Answer 3

• Growing public interest in participating and watching
  • Companies will be more likely to advertise on a football shirt as they will have more exposure
• Growth in media interest
  • New sports being broadcasted on live TV
  • E.g. the women’s World Cup
• Greater levels of professionalism amongst athletes.
  • Sporting professionals are more likely to attract sponsorship from commercial organisations
  • This is because they will be more well known and they will be involved in more large scale sporting events where they can show off either the products of the company sponsoring them or the company name on their clothes

Question 4

Impact of commercialisation on spectators

Answer 4

Positive:
- Spectators at sporting events that have been supported well commercially experience a more exciting spectacle with additional entertainment
• E.g. Singing, fireworks and light displays at the super bowl

• Commercially organised technology such as large TV screens at sports venues leads to a more entertaining experience for spectators
  • Can see slow motion replays

Negative:
- Actual sporting action can take second place to advertisements for goods in which they might not be particularly interested in
• During 2015 rugby World Cup, many viewers found advert breaks too intrusive.
• Adverts break up play and stop the flow of the game

• Some fans may not want their sports team to be involved with certain brands e.g. betting companies and loan companies.
  • E.g. Wonga with Newcastle United
• Comercial interests may be picked over the interests as supporters
  • E.g. Hull city owner trying to change name to Hull tigers to make the club more marketable
• Spectators at sporting events have to pay a considerable amount of money to watch and sports subscriptions cost a lot of money
  • Commercial companies are often motivated to make a profit and spectators often have to pay higher prices for these profits to be made

Question 5

Positive effects on media coverage of sport

Answer 5

• Media can raise the profile of a sport and of the individual players.
  • Am example of this is women’s cycling at the Tour De Yorkshire where women’s stages were broadcast in their entirety
  • This lead to an increased amount of viewers and an increased level of participation in the sport
• Media can attract more funds for sport which can be used to improve facilities and purchase new equipment and players.
  • Sky investing money into women’s cricket and disability cricket.
• Media have had an impact on rule changes in sport
  • For example creating rules that lead to more flowing play in hockey

Question 6

Negative impacts of media on sport

Answer 6

• Media can highlight deviance in sport and the negative aspects of sport