Post World War II (1950-Present) (Stage 3)

Question 1

Define the term commercialisation

Answer 1

The process of attempting to make money from sport

Question 2

What are 6 characteristics of sport?

Answer 2

1. Professional sport - it is high quality, has high skill levels
2. Sponsorship and business - they go hand-in-hand
3. Entertainment - watching sport is part of a mass entertainment industry, viewing needs to fit into a relatively short time scale
4. Contracts - e.g. involving sales of mechandise and bidding for television rights
5. Athletes as commodities - e.g. as an asset to companies through product endorsement, which brings increased sales/profits, athletes become well-known role models
6. Wide level of media coverage - and interest high-profile sports that are visually appealing and have high skill levels, well-matched competition and simple/understandable rules

Question 3

What is the golden triangle?

Answer 3

There is a close-knit relationship between business, sport and the media - they all influence and affect each other and so are mutually dependent on each other

Question 4

Explain the relationship between sport and media in the golden triangle

Answer 4

• Sport needs media to attract sponsorship/popularity

- Media needs sport to attract viewers/readers

Question 5

Explain the relationship between sport and business in the golden triangle

Answer 5

• Sport needs sponsorship from business

- Business needs sport to act as an advertising vehicle

Question 6

Explain the relationship between business and media in the golden triangle

Answer 6

• Media needs business advertising to generate income
• Business needs media to advertise their products so they as seen by as many people as possible and they can make more sales

Question 7

What are the effects of commercialisation on professional performers? (6 points)

Answer 7

1 - Receive high income for sports participation and commercial activities promoting products - gives financial security and allows full-time training and competition
2 - Are effectively entertainers who become household names
3 - Paid for successful results which makes winning important
4 - Controlled by the sponsor, become public commodities and suffer from lack of privacy
5 - Must specialise in a sport in order to compete, which requires serious training, dedication and self-sacrifice
6 - Can be put under pressure to perform when injured

Question 8

What are the effects of commercialisation on sport? (5 points)

Answer 8

1 - Rules and scoring systems have been changed or introduced to speed up the action and prevent spectator boredom e.g. the multi-ball system in football cuts down on time-wasting
2 - Breaks are extended/provided in play so that sponsors can advertise their products and services
3 - Competition formats have changed e.g. 20/20 cricket is a major revenue earner due to spectator, television and commercial interests
4 - Sports played by women receive less coverage which can negatively affect participation (due to fewer role models and there is less money to reinvest into grassroots and professional levels)
5 - The increased use of technology through the media has led to a more personal experience for the viewer e.g. HD coverage of sport, cameras in helmets of F1 drivers

Question 9

What are 7 reasons why companies invest large amounts of money into sport?

Answer 9

1 - Increased sales/commercial benefit/profit
2 - Increases brand awareness
3 - Creates an association with excellence at the highest levels of sport
4 - Creates an association with the healthy image of sport
5 - Gives and opportunity to link to corporate hospitality
6 - Sponsorship can decrease amount of tax; tax relief
7 - Improve company morale/employees feel linked to success of sport

Question 10

What is meant by the term globalisation?

Answer 10

The process whereby nations are increasingly being linked together and people are becoming more independent via improvements in communication and travel

Question 11

How is globalisation seen in sport? Give examples

Answer 11

via. ..
- The sponsorship of events e.g. coca-cola sponsor universally
- The way players are recruited to play for teams/compete in events in countries other than their own e.g. Chinese Super League paying lots of money for high profile footballers
- The spreading of different sports to ‘new nations’ e.g. Manchester United go on tours through China etc.
- Increasing pressure on athletes to perform to their best; this may lead some to use illegal substances to maintain high performance levels and the accompanying rewards that success brings in a number of high-profile sports e.g. Lance Armstrong

Question 12

How has media coverage changed since the 1980s?

Answer 12

• Coverage via lots of different types of media e.g. social media, the internet
• Increased opportunities to experience sport via the media, e.g. 24 hour access via subscription channels, and availability of pay-per-view, increased live global coverage
• Increased media scrutiny of sport/sports performers
• Increased promotion of sports performers in the media - creation of sports stars/role models
• Increased media control over sport; sports coverage is very important to the media and TV stations/newspapers often market themselves based on their ‘sports offer’
• Wider range of sports covered via the media

Question 13

What are the advantages of social media on sport?

Answer 13

• It has empowered athletes at every level o engage with a much wider audience than what was possible a few years ago
• It has enabled sports performers to build up a very large and engaged fan base in short spaces of time
• England Athletics view social media as a great potential way for athletics clubs to share information with their members, as well as with other individuals interested in athletics
• YouTube is increasingly being used by many athletes to help them achieve their goals

Question 14

What are the disadvantages of social media on sport?

Answer 14

• Lots of performers are not trained to understand the responsibilities and liability that go with such ‘global communication’
• Consequently, a number of elite performers have got into trouble for their postings on social media

Question 15

How has the status of amateurs and professionals changed from the 19th century to modern day?

Answer 15

19th Century:

• Amateurs were rich middle classes and were most respected as they could play sport not needing to be paid for it
• Sport was not seen as a way of making money - amateurism was seen as ‘playing for the love of the game’
• Corruption (wagering) was a feature
• Social discrimination

Modern Day:

• Professionals paid large salaries and are more respected
• Sport is very commercial, so people now aspire to be professional
• Media creates more pressure
• Win at all costs ethic prevalent
• Deviancy and gamesmanship more evident
• Players are now respected for their ability rather than social background
• Social discrimination now gone - social mobility can occur

Question 16

What are the positives of modern day amateurism?

Answer 16

• Codes of amateurism are still evident in British sport e.g. fair play and sportsmanship
• It is still viewed positively and promoted in a number of ways e.g. fairplay awards given out in football, shaking of hands prior to the game
• Sports like Rugby Union maintained their amateurism until late into the 20th century and still have codes of conduct based on such principles e.g. calling the referee ‘Sir’