1. Socio-Cultural Issues Affecting Performance
Contemporary Issues
Commercialisation and Media

2. Learning Objectives Learning Objective:
Understand the effects of commercialisation on sport
Learning Outcomes:
All: Describe how sport has been commercialised
Most: Explain the relationship between sport and the media
Some: Evaluate the effects of commercialisation on society, individual sports, performers, spectators

3. Key Terms Commercialisation Spectatorship Advertising Sponsorship
Golden traingle

4. Factors leading to the commercialisation of contemporary physical activity and sport
growing public interest and spectatorship,
more media interest,
professionalism,
advertising,
sponsorship

5. Factors leading to the commercialisation of contemporary physical activity and sport
Growing public interest and spectatorship
Commercialisation in sport has increased dramatically
This brings more opportunities to sell goods, use sport as a ‘billboard’ to show off company brands
Sport has benefited as commercial activity has attracted more money to increase participation, develop facilities and to improve sporting performance.
Sport is used to advertise goods
Sport is then promoted through this advertisement
Public awareness of sport is increased
More people are likely to participate
The more people who participate /spectate the more money the sport gets from businesses/advertising/sponsorship

6. Factors leading to the commercialisation of contemporary physical activity and sport
Growing public interest and spectatorship
Sport England research 2015
More people play sport at least once a week
Jan – March 2015 – 16+ yr olds million participated, compared to 4million from 05/06
More men play than women
40.6% men once a week
30.7% women
More younger than older
54.8% 16-25yr olds
31.9% 26+
More managerial/professional workers and intermediate social groups participate regularly than manual workers and unemployed
The number of black and minority ethnic and while British adults playing sport is increasing
Slightly more people with disabilities are taking part in sport
17.2%, up from 15.1% in 05/06
Increased number of people watching sports and attendances at live sporting events

7. Factors leading to the commercialisation of contemporary physical activity and sport
More media interest, advertising and sponsorship
The fact that sports are televised leads to companies wishing to sponsor events and their participants
E.g. When England hosted the Rugby World Cup in 2015 the revenues from advertising for ITV went up by 13%
Players will be sponsored to advertise products through the media. The players/teams/sports who are shown more through the media will receive more sponsorship
Businesses will have to pay more to advertise through the bigger sporting events, bringing more money into the sports.

8. Factors leading to the commercialisation of contemporary physical activity and sport
Professionalism
Professional players are more likely to attract sponsorship from commercial organisations.
E.g. Andy Murray signed a £15million 4 year kit sponsorship from under armour in 2014
With more sports and players becoming professional there’s more sponsorship, more money, so they can train more and afford higher quality training/coaching/facilities/equipment etc so performance improves, which in turn attracts more media attention and sponsorship

9. Positive impacts of the commercialisation of physical activity and sport
On Sports
Sports can promote themselves through media, thus attracting more participants or spectators, which in turn leads to increased revenues.
More money in sport can be used to help develop facilities etc
Sports competitions (leagues/tournaments) can only take place if commercial companies invest significantly.
E.g. hockey – Investec London Cup, Investec Women’s Hockey League Finals, ‘Quicksticks’ programme in primary schools.
On Individuals
Sponsorship of individual performers allows them to train full time and afford top quality facilities, coaching, equipment etc.
On society
Media promotes sport, so more people can watch it, and are more likely to participate
More money coming into sport through media helps the sport develop competitions, leagues etc at grass roots levels and build better facilities across the country.
On Spectators
Athletes who are sponsored and can train full-time improve performances, so better/more exciting to watch
More sport is shown on TV now, so more opportunity to watch
Better experience for spectators if an event has been supported well commercially as there is often extra entertainment.

10. Negative impacts of the commercialisation of physical activity and sport
On Sports
Less popular sports attract less sponsorship and are therefore unable to develop their sport to the same extent as more popular sports.
Females and disabled athletes may lose out on commercial investment because they are less popular and therefore attract less media exposure for the potential sponsor
On Individuals
Pressure to perform well to secure and keep sponsorship deals
Press to win and please sponsors and retain commercial interests has led to some deviant behaviour – e.g. drugs or violence
Performers are reported to be at the beck and call of the businesses and will have to attend promotional events, have to only wear their clothing and use their equipment. This can take up their time and create anxiety
Some performers find they are limited in their control over their careers, with sponsors demanding that they enter particular tournaments, or play when injured.
On Spectators
Actual sporting action can take second place to advertisements for goods which they may not be interested in.
Ad breaks can be too intrusive and interrupt the flow of the game.
Spectators may not agree with a particular company’s ethics or may be against the use of goods being advertised – e.g. Heineken sponsoring Olympics – should alcohol be promoted through sports events?
Spectators may not want their team to be associated with particular brans
Spectators for some sports have to pay a considerable amount of money to watch – e.g. subscriptions to televised sports channels.

11. Coverage of sport by the media today and reasons for changes since the 1980s
Coverage of sport today is extensive and different types of media make sport accessible to many people.
- television –free to air, satellite-subscription, pay per-view,
- radio – dedicated sports stations, local and national radio
- written press – newspapers, magazines, - internet

12. Coverage of sport by the media today and reasons for changes since the 1980s
In the 80s
Most sports presenters were male
Most sports being covered were male
Sexism was a feature of sports coverage
Football hooliganism was rife and often the media were dominated by the negative aspects of sports spectators

13. Coverage of sport by the media today and reasons for changes since the 1980s
In the 90s into the 21st Century
Satellite TV was developed
Sky spent enormous sums on securing the rights to televise football, other TV companies have followed suit – BT sport
All different types of media are more available to most people – computers – internet, mobile phones – internet, 3/4G, apps.
Media coverage is more global in terms of sports events recorded or streamed live, in the 1980s it was limited to Olympics and World Cup.
More minority sports are represented, as are female and disabled sports, however they are still under-represented compared to the major sports and men.

14. Positive effects of the media on sport
Individual sports
Media can raise the profile of a sport
Media coverage can increase financial revenues in terms of sponsorship and funding for sports events and facilities.
Media can attract more funds for international teams which can in turn boost participation
Rules of sport have been influenced by the media, which can make it more accessible to a wider audience
Minority sports and a wider range of sports are represented.
The media can highlight sensational news about sport
Performers
Media an raise the profile of individual performers
The media can highlight individual successes
Spectators
media can increase the numbers of people watching and participating
When Wimbledon is on more people play and watch it

15. Negative effects of the media on sport
Individual sports
rules and timings of games can be changed to suit the media and viewers in particular countries
Adverts can interrupt the flow of the game
Performers
The media can put pressure on individual sports performers and their families
Spectators
Media has highlighted the negative aspects of sports - hooliganism

16. Relationship between sport and the media
Sport is viewed as a commodity (an article that an be traded) by commercial organisations.

17. Relationship between sport and the media
The relationship between sport, sponsorship and the media is often referred to as the ‘golden triangle’
Sport, media and sponsorship are interlinked – one can influence the other.
Commercial organisations pay large sums of money to advertise their products in the media, which then pay sports organisations for the rights to show their sport
The media show sports because of the perceived needs of viewers, but there are also healthy advertising revenues.
Many sports get to raise their status and profile via the global media and thus can invest in the development of their elite athletes as well as increase grassroots sport
Sponsors use the media to advertise their products, and make them even more desirable by recruiting sports stars to promote them and be seen wearing their clothes or using their equipment