MediaCommercialism

SponsorshipTechnology

MediaWe live in a media informed society

A media influenced societyAnd therefore media has influenced sport

Sport is now a marketable commodity that is worth millions

1. Best medium for live events – images2. Not as handy as radio, newspapers? New

technology changing this?3. Satellite TV transformed sport – it’s

development was based on sport4. Sky Sports dominate a range of sports – lead

to Government ring - fencing certain traditional events to be kept on terrestrial TV e.g. Grand National, FA Cup

TVPay per view – a system by which the viewer can pay for private

telecast to their home of an event

Used a lot for boxing

NewspapersTabloids

(Redtops) versus

broadsheets

Tabloid – • Traditionally working class readership

• Tend to sensationalise events and personalities

• Most have sizeable proportion of total newspaper devoted to sport

• Tends to only focus on a few sports (e.g. Football and racing )

• Minority sports ignored

Broadsheet –Middleclass readership traditionally

Tends to focus on providing informationLess space devoted to sport

More sports coveredTend to provide more critical analysis of events and issues affecting sport

Both sell to make a

profit – but adopt

difference strategies to attract readers

Task – compare the amount of coverage given to different

sports by a tabloid newspaper and a broadsheet newspaper for the same day – Tip – use a ruler!

Radio

Good at getting in to the heart of

everyday lives – cars, homes

Talk based radio programmes –

commentary and debate/discussion

shows

Internet

Social Media

Access to TV, radio, newspapers in one place on the go, 24-7 access to

information, chat, debate……..

New tools in an ever developing

technological world

Commercialism1. TV found sport fairly cheap

entertainment (compared to period dramas or wildlife programmes)

2. lots of entertainment3. Only a few periods when the actions

slows 4. Can easily be picked up at any point or

dipped in/out of without losing the plot

5. Sport has benefited from technological advances e.g. replays

6. Many, many hours dedicated to sport – more and more new channels

7. Commercialisation of sport has grown

Commercialisation – the treating of sport as a

commodity, involving the buying and selling of

assets, with the market as the driving force behind

sport

Sport realised that there was money to made here – sale of TV rights to highest bidder - become

the major contributor to sports funding - think Premier League!

Merchandising: practice in which the brand or image

from one product is used to sell another. The most

common adult-orientated merchandising is that related to professional sports teams

and players

Televised sport offers business investment

opportunities

Advertising

Endorsement

Also those involved can get income from ticket sales

And merchandising.

The Golden Triangle1. The media pay sport to gain viewers

to sell satellite packages.2. The media are used by businesses to

advertise their products.3. Businesses pay sport for advertising

space.4. Sport has the potential to gain more

viewers/spectators/participants as a result of increased media exposure.

Sport

MediaBusiness

Commercialism has changed sport – in order to make a profit for the stakeholders – sports have to

appeal to a wider audience

No longer ex-player amateurs running sport – it is business people

These administrators know that in order for sport to make money it must have a sponsor

Sponsors only interested if there is good media coverage

Therefore necessary to make the sport attractive to the media

Characteristics of sport that is attractive to the media

Demonstration of skill, strength

and physical fitness

Well-matched

competition

Demonstration of aggression

and/or physical challenge

Visual spectacle with detail available

Identification of personalities

and/or nationalistic

relevance

Ease of televising e.g. camera can

keep up with play

Fits in to a reasonable timescale

Uncomplicated rule structure

Tradition

Effects of coverage of sport

Some sports have lost popularity due to lack of

coverage (e.g. table tennis)

Others have gained through lots of

promotion

Some NGBs encourage media to concentrate

of more exciting events as money

raised can support other events or grass

roots level development

New events formed as more attractive to

performers e.g. Skiing – slalom – technical skill

lost on TV, Downhill (12 min) – many viewers

thought no skill. Giant Slalom created

Changes that happened due to TV:

• Coloured cricket shirts• White ball in football• Summer rugby league•Change of evening/time

of kick offs in football

International events – timings changed e.g. World Cup – Europe

biggest audiences so kick-offs changed to suite our times no matter where they are in the worldIn Beijing Olympics – 100m final at 10.3o –

3.30pm in UK, Breakfast in USA

Media also effects individuals

Media wants personalities

The high income is often offset with some loss of privacy

Big issue at moment – Leveson enquiry

Does the media show a true picture

of sport?No Bias from

commentators? Analysis unbiased

Exaggeration of incidents to attract

viewers?

Sport can last a long time and doesn’t always finish

at a set time

Causes problems for schedules TV prefers highlights

programmes

Control timesCan turn a boring draw in to a 90sec clip of incidents

and near misses

Arguments for and against TV coverage of sports

FOR• Provides info service e.g. results. Tables, fixtures• Provides entertainments service e.g. excitement, drama and spectacle• Provides educational service e.g. teaching, coaching, debates on issues• Provides an advertising service e.g. sports, goods, business• Aids sponsorship• Creates role models, personalities, heroes• Draws attention to top level sport

AgainstLimited to a few male sports – impact on participation?

Sensationalises – controversies may be createdHighlights personalities rather than the team effort

Possibility of boredom owing to saturation coverage of sport – Oh not football again!Minority sports suffer because of lack of interest

Possible loss of gate moneyNeeds of television dictate the selection of sport action

How to support media

coverage poor sports?

Swimming is primarily a participation sport – relatively few spectators – little gate money – Olympics the

exception!

1. Marketing of minority sports (Cost!)

2. Rule adaption to create more exciting games for spectators – e.g. 20 20

3. Sponsorship deals (hard to get without media coverage)

Why?Discuss.

What would make swimming more TV friendly?

Sponsorship

Companies invest for many reasons:

The sponsor’s name and product is given publicity

Association between product and performer (popularity of

performer key)

Sponsor associated with supporting the community or

country

Sponsorship reduces the amount of tax paid

Governing bodies

Individuals Professional teams

Stadium, Stands Awards

schemes

Coaching schemes

Events

Most aspects of sport have a sponsor

Sponsorship advantages & disadvantages

Advantages:

Sports are expensive to run – extra money allows a more professional

approach

Sport is promoted through extra publicity

Sponsorship helps create atmosphere at events

Sports are organised better – more efficient management techniques are

use

Disadvantages:

Sport becomes associated with the product – this may not be desirable

Sponsors gain control over organisation of sport

Sponsors gain control over timing, seasons and location events

There is financial interdependence between media and large sporting

events

Sports rely to heavily on sponsors – withdrawal of funds can be disastrous

Team selection may be affected

Fact

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• The success of the team or individual

• The popularity of the sport, team or individual

• Media coverage

• Participation levels in sport

• The suitability of the sport for the product

Ethical Aspects of sponsorship

PositivePromotes individuals and teams

Individual sponsorship allows the performer to train longer, facilitates improvement

Allows the development of new competitions and tournamentsAllows development of better facilities and equipment

It helps create atmosphere at eventsAttracts high-class performers

Generates additional media interestSport can be expensive to run and income from traditional sources is not enough

NegativeAttention is on high profile individuals or teams

Product association is an intrusion in to sportSponsors can gain too much control over a sport

Sponsors can give sport a bad imageSponsors control the timing of events to obtain peak viewing time

Institute of Sports SponsorshipI.S.S

• Non-profit making group• Run by a committee• Set up in 1985• Links to Sport England

and Sport and Recreation Alliance (Formerly CCPR)

Aims:• To bring sports and sponsors

together• Ensure that companies receive

a fair return on their investment

• Try to preserve the traditional nature of sport

• Run the Sportsmatch scheme for the government

Sportsmatch has a strong history of using Sport England investment to

encourage sponsorship of community sport. In recent years we’ve extended

the offer of matched funding to donations from private individuals and charitable trusts as well as commercial

sponsorship – under review

Technology

Video replay – TMO (Television match official)

– sports official called upon to help adjudicate

a sports match using television footage

e.g. used in cricket, rugby league

Hawkeye – used in tennis - cricket

Innovations in equipment – British Cycling team ordered to share their developments!

Carbon fibre racing bike replacing traditional aluminium

Hockey – sticks now carbon fibre – pads for goalies size, material and shape changes

Figure skaters – individualised boots – dependent on discipline

Artificial surfaces – all-weather surfaces –

e.g. Astro turf – 3G

Aim of all developments is to increase speed, competitive edge

and spectator interest.None take in to account the

traditional role that sport once played within society i.e.

amusement, fun, a simple past time

Dilemma - should stick with tradition or move with new

developments

Advances in sports technology has been rapid over the last 4 years.

A £15 million sport technology insituite has been built at Loughborough university to aid UK sport.

Sports Technology

Sports TechnologyProjects have included the development of equipment, football boots, next generation sports clothing (i.e. under armour) and sports drinks/supplements (lucozade and creatine).

The impact of Hawk Eye – Case study 1How does it work?Court/pitch side cameras us infra red beams to capture the balls motion. Camera frames are analysed every second and can predict possible ball flight.

The first time this was used in a major competition was

Wimbledon 2007.

The impact of Hawk EyeIts impact on sport?This Hawk Eye technology in tennis has led to a change in rules. (3 challenges per set. If you are successful in a challenge you do not lose a challenge).

Other sports.

Hawk Eye technology has also been introduced into cricket.

The impact of hawk eye

How has it been received?Players, officials and spectators seem to have embraced hawk eye.

• Players feel that the right decision is made and therefore has improved player/official relationships. • Officials have less pressure on them as the technology is a definitive answer.• Spectators appear to enjoy the build up in hawk eye delivering a verdict. (entertainment/drama)

Is it a benefit to sport?

The impact of Hawk EyeIs there any disadvantages of hawk eye?

Hawk eye gamesmanship – Players will ask for a challenge to take a breather or unsettle their opponent rhythm.

Swimsuits developments – Case study 2How does it work?

The high-performance swimsuit use a new high-technology swimwear fabric designed to hold the body in a more hydro-dynamic position and allows for better oxygen flow to muscles.

Banned at London Olympics!

Swimsuits developments – Case study 2Impact on swimming?Swimsuit technology has been linked to dramatic improvements in swimming times and world records.

25 world record times were broken at the 2008 Beijing Olympic games.

Is this due to better athletes or sports technology?

Speedo's LZR Racer suit

Why are people debating the use of racer suits?

Is it cheating?

Benefits to swimming: Spectators have been entertained with world record times been shattered regardless of the athlete’s swimwear.

Disadvantages: winning not due to pure athletes performance but due to better suit technology than competitors.

Swimsuits developments – Case study 2

Technology – coaching/officiatingFollowing controversial decisions at the Beijing Olympics taekwondo will now be using an electronic hit register and video replays.

Technology – coaching/officiatingMany coaches will use video to record and analyse performances. This can highlight tactical and strategic points for reflection or match preparation.

Coaches can compare, slow down and analysis

technique using Dartfish.

Nike Precool vest

The Precool is a vest that holds a bunch of pre-frozen ice packs, The athlete wears the frozen vest for about an hour prior to the start of competition, reducing his core temperature enough

so the body won't be wasting energy trying to keep cool.

DOES IT WORK? Keeping cool is likely to be an issue for middle-distance and endurance events, so being able to start the event with you muscles warmed up but your core cool as a cucumber

has to be an advantage.

Technology in horse racing: Photo finishes in horse racing have taken the pressure off the officials. They can now just turn to a computer which can accurately show who passed the line first.

Nike Total 90 - Laser II

Designed with a sweet spot to give perfect ball-to-ball contact, which increases shooting and passing accuracy. The unique rings give the player the opportunity to

hit the ball more aggressively and enhance ball spin and swerve opportunities.

Adidas Predator

The new hi tech foam in the predator element ensures added power, better ball control and more swerve.

Lotto Zero Gravity Boot

The first football boot to have no laces. There are no laces because to gives the boot perfect fit to the foot and it offers maximum ball feel.

Nike Vapours

The most advanced ones have a carbon fibre sole plate, which reduces the weight by 100g, which means that a player can reach the ball in o.2 seconds quicker.

Participant Coach Official Spectator

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