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DUBLIN BUSINESS SCHOOL

Sport and sponsoring: Does sport only live by and for

money anymore?

By

Matthieu GIELLY

March 2010

A project dissertation submitted in a part fulfilment of the requirement

for the degree of bachelor business of DBS.

I, Matthieu Gielly, swear on my honour to be the sole author of this

thesis. No plagiarism has been made for writing this thesis.

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Abastract

Even if we do not like sport, even if we have no interest in it, it is difficult to escape

it. When you open a newspaper you can find an article about sport, when you turn

on your TV you have the last sportive results. And even when it is not about their

performances, the most famous sports stars invade the public space through

advertising. Football, rugby, tennis, swimming,… you name it ; because sports are

very lucrative products and everybody understood it. So much that the sums

surrounded in the sport world become astronomical there, the most damning

example being football.

But, what about the sport itself? When created in the ancient times, sports carried

the concepts of values and virtue; may we say today that its protagonists still

convey the principles of fair play and respect towards the others?

"I think it is a fair price. If Real and Manchester United agreed this amount,

there is nothing more to say, Great footballers cost a lot of money and if you

want them you have to pay for them. I am happy to be the most expensive

player in the world.”

Cristiano Ronaldo (football player).

We will try in is study to establish the current relations between sports and money

(sponsoring, endorsing, patronage) and try to understand if that relations have

indeed contribute to fade away the fundamentals values of sport

Hypothesis: It has now become impossible to dissociate money and sports, but even

if it was it probably would not be a very good idea since it does not seem to cause

any harm, quite the opposite actually.

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Acknowledgements

First I would like to thank especially my supervisor Gavin Mcallister for his advice

and his availability.

A big thank you to my friends who were always there to advise me and support me.

Thank you to my parents for allowing me to perform this year abroad.

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Summary:

Abstract 2

Acknowledgement 3

I Introduction: 6

1.1 Purpose of the study 6

1.2 Research question 7

1.3 Research methodology 8

1.4 Organization of the thesis 8

II Literature review: 9

2.1 Introduction 9

2.2 Sport 10

2.2.1 Presentation 10

2.2.2 Economy 11

2.3 Sport sponsorship 13

2.3.1 History 13

2.3.2 The different types of sponsorship 14

III Research methodology: 17

3.1 Introduction 17

3.2 Research Objectives 17

3.3 Research Design 18

3.4 Secondary research 19

3.5 Quantitative and qualitative research 20

3.6 Research method 23

3.7 Limitations 25

3.8 Questionnaire presentation 26

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IV Data analysis: 29

4.1 Questionnaire analysis 29

4.2 Conclusion 42

V Conclusion and recommendation: 44

5.1 Conclusion 44

5.2 Recommendation 47

Appendix 48

Bibliography 50

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I Introduction

1.1 Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to understand the current situation between sport and

money, especially in football and formula one where money is omnipresent. Years

after years, the relation between them becomes more and more inalienable. Indeed,

each year new companies chose to use the sport sponsoring, the right for the media to

broadcast sports events increase constantly, the salary of players become more and

more important, etc.

If I choose this subject it is for the interest that I carry on sports and my hankering to

understand this new face of this business (sponsoring, naming, incredible salary and

transfers), but also the impact of it on our society, the impact on us.

In order to succeed in this investigation, the study will based on a sample of literature

dealing with sport’s economy, the social impact of sport in our society, history of

business man in this sector, testimony of sportsmen and so on.

Furthermore, the use of press articles and web articles will come corroborate and

foreground the rest of the literature review.

Even if this study tries only to understand the current situation, it has to be compared

with the situation during the past, thus understand the difference between before and

nowadays.

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1.2 Research questions

Based on the literature review, three research questions will structure the sequence of

the study. These three questions will be explained in more details in chapter three.

Question 1: is sport still considered as such?

Question 2: does sport sponsorship has a real impact on customers?

Question 3: sponsorship is it because of changing face of sport?

1.3 Research Methodology

This research methodology is separated in two parts. The first part is, as we see

earlier, the analysis, the comparison and the understanding of the literature

concerning the economic and social aspects of sport. This depth analysis will bring a

quantity of information which will require a clear understanding and a precise sort

out of it.

This information will be used in order to create a thread from the beginning to the

end of the literature review; this thread will start by a global view of the sport’s

economy which will become more and more precise until end with the social impact

of sport.

Consequently, all of these researches of different authors, different points of view,

should be structured in order to create a consistent group and a clear view of the

literature review.

This allowed to the researcher to have a better comprehension of the subject and to

organize his analysis in the best way.

The second part, based on a questionnaire, is aimed of answering of the primary

research analysis. Distributing to people this questionnaire, we will be able to answer

of questions headed by the primary research; and this by the extraction and the

analysing of the results produced by people who answer of this questionnaire.

For analysing the questionnaire, Sphinx program will used and finally the results will

compared with the research questions in order to be pertinent.

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1.4 Organization of the thesis

Part II: Literature review.

As we see before, the literature review is a summary of information about the

economy of sport as well as the social aspect. This information will permit a better

knowledge of the subject and so makes easier the analysis of the topic and the

answering of the primary research.

Part III: Research methodology.

The first purpose of this section is to examine deeply the research questions which

are essential for the rest of this project.

The second purpose is to explain the methodology used to answer to these research

questions.

Part IV: Results and analysis.

This chapter contain the analysis of the primary research answering of the research

questions. Based on the questionnaire’s results, it allows also issuing a personal

opinion about the topic.

Part V: Conclusions and recommendations.

This final part gathers the most important points to remind it in the conclusion. In

adequacy with the subject and an own opinion, recommendations will be provided.

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II Literature Review

2.1 Introduction:

Sport has become a major social phenomenon; it is enough to observe the square that

it occupies in our life (Jean-Francois Bourg et al; Economie du sport, 2005). In its

professional expression, sport is at the same time a show and a communication tool.

In its most elaborate shape, it is an image of the triumph of the liberal globalization

(J. Fontanel et al; Regard sur l’économie et le management du sport et des sportifs

professionels, 2009). But the links between sport and money are not new; from the

antique games human and material resources were mobilized (Jean-François Bourget

al; Economie du sport, 2005).

The current difference is that professional sport is a complex phenomenon with

multiple facets liking its internationalization, its financing, its organization... (Jean-

Jacques Gouguet et al; Economie politique du sport professionel, l’éthique à

l’épreuve du marché, 2005). The economic reality has strongly involved with the

globalization which accelerated, and the sport has not escaped to this ground-swell as

we see with the increase of sport’s sponsoring (Eric Barget et al; Management du

sport, 2008). The market of sport’s sponsoring has also involved, an advanced

reflection and new expectations brought to the foreground this new sector of the

sport marketing. Although this one represents only 3.3 % of the economy of the

sport, it represents nevertheless with the media’s licence and the organization of

competitions, a business of €3.3 billion (Le Nouvel Economiste).

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2.2 Sport

2.2.1 Presentation

For several reasons, it is rather difficult to trace the beginnings of the sport in our

history. Even if historians are agreeing to admit that sport did exist at the time of the

first Pan-Hellenic Games of ancient Greece, there is no consensus however on

previous periods of history where physical activity had often as a primary goal of

survival and military training (TV5 article).

The other problem is the definition given to the word “sport”: for some, the sport is

limited by regulated competitions and for others; any physical activity may enter in

the field which thereby becomes unlimited. Without further clarifications the word

“sport” is meaningless (J-F Bourg et al, Economie du sport, 2005).

However if we had to give a definition we could say that sport is a social

phenomenon, an educational approach, a philosophy, a hobby and a reflection of the

society. In its social representation, it expresses the search of a healthy body, an ethic

and a show; but it also demonstrates the benefits of the competition (J. Fontanel et al;

Regard sur l’économie et le management du sport et des sportifs professionels, 2009)

As we see before, the sport’s origins date back the antiquity. Whether Greeks,

Romans, Etruscans or Egyptians, substantial remains of these civilizations show us

that sport or physical activity rather had an important place in their culture: hunting,

swimming, fighting bulls, fishing.... (J-P Massicotte et al; Histoire du sport de

l’antiquité au XIXème siècle, 1984).

Over the years sport has involved to become, in our time, much more than just a

hobby. Today sport now brings together all aspects of our society: the problem of the

nation, the problem of market economy, the problem of the “society-show”, etc

(Charles-Louis Foulon, Les metamorphoses du sport du XXème au XXIème siècle,

2005).

In the 21st century, sport is now considered as a universal language, one that unites

everyone around a common passion. It is now the new stature of sport and some even

speak of “universal religion” as the headline in a German magazine for the Berlin

Olympic Games in 1936 (F-X Amhert; Le sport, 2004).

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But behind this idyllic vision of sport, unfolds a contemporary reality more complex.

Since we distinguish the spectator sport of amateur sport, professional sport and

grassroots sport, competitive sport and recreational sport... it clearly displays the fact

that sport (professional) has reached issues which exceeds it. (Thierry Terret,

Histoire du sport, 2007).

2.2.2 Economy.

The basics of the sport economy are located in the United-States in 1956. At that

time, Simon Rottenberg professor at the University of Chicago, and Paul Gregory

wrote one and the other article about the baseball players’ labour market. The

American economists were already concerned by understanding the economic

organization, the microeconomic theory of the firm and the market competition in

sport in North America (W. Andreff et al; Handbook on the economics of sport,

2006).

From the time 1984-1986, the interactions between sport and economy have

increased. With the media coverage of sport as a show, it has created the beginning

of the market area with the privatisation of the Los Angeles Olympics, creating a

global marketing program of the Olympic Games or also the abandonment of public

television monopolies. But the impact of sport area has also extended to areas such as

radio, air transport or communication (Jean-Francois Bourg et al; Economie du sport,

2005).

Now professional sport is real business and a wholly economy as shown in the

operation of professional team sports league. Basically, the purpose of those teams is

a profit maximisation; the problem is that very soon a balance had to be created

between profit maximisation and utility maximisation. Currently in many cases the

utility maximisation has taken precedence over profit maximisation and the team

owners organize their resources according to satisfy their managers and empower

them to achieve results (P. Downward et al; The economics of professional team

sports, 2000).

Even if this system bring back a minimum profit, and that several clubs have huge

debts (e.g. Chelsea in football); professional sport created a major economic dynamic

and breaststroke gigantic income. In the past 15 years, sport has known a golden age:

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club revenues and player salaries have skyrocketed; many clubs constantly sell their

players for sums higher and higher; the revenue from the TV rights are increasing

every year, etc... (G.W.Scully; The market structure of sports, 1995).

The TV rights do not occur by chance. Indeed, the role of the media in the

popularization of professional sport is undeniable. Yet at the very beginning is the

sport that launched the television and not the reverse. Harry Coyle, director of NBC

sport, said about this “Television got off the ground because of sport”, but since that

time has passed (Scott R; Rosner et al; The business of sport, 2004). As and when the

link sport/media has changed, expectations and desires of the audience too. Now the

sport’s survival depends on the media that not only access any event, anywhere, but

also by way of meeting expectations of consumers (Presse universitaire du MIRAIL;

Sport et medias).

Under the effect of this media coverage and the increasing attention of firms for

sports, a market that is sporting goods one knows unprecedented economic growth.

Whether sales of sport shirts (e.g. C. Ronaldo shirt of Real Madrid) or sales of article

for the sport; the sport’s economic weight represents 3% of trade value or €400

billion. In Europe it accounts for 2% GDP of major countries and so a market of €80

billion (P. Bouchet et al; Management et marketing du sport: du local au global,

2005).

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2.3 Sport sponsorship:

2.3.1 History

Just has the origins of the sport itself, the origins of sponsorship goes back to ancient

Greek and Roman. At the time, the Roman Games were already a business tool, a

means of communication whereas the majority of the audience could neither read nor

write. Caesar through the gladiatorial games (as announced by sort of flyers) has won

many votes in knowing in advance the impact this would have for him (Marc Albouy

1995).

Throughout the history we found traces of the form of sponsorship, the Renaissance

or the 19th

century; but modern sponsorship appears in the 1980s regarding sport

sponsoring. At that time, it is the growth of events and the originality of the tool that

appeal to sponsors. It is also the beginning of sponsorship “dissemination” (concept

of broadcasting). In the 1990s, sponsoring (along with advertising) becomes a tool of

promotional mix servicing marketing strategy (E. Barget et al; Management du

Sport, 2008).

In the 2000s, the advent of the IMC (Integrated Marketing Communication), which is

directly aimed at influencing the behaviour of the target, based on the synergy of all

media selected. It falls now in the area of comprehensive sponsoring and this,

according to 8 principles:

Rigorous selection between sponsors and purpose of sponsorship.

An operation chosen according to sought-after objectives.

An integration of the communication strategy.

An effective control.

A specific contractual commitment.

A commitment over the long term.

The implementation of protection against ambush marketing.

(Ferrand et al 2006)

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Since 2000, now are emerging two basic concepets:

The evolution from the promotion to the activation of the sponsor’s brand:

make the brand active rather than passive, the only problem is to find the

activation field of each brand. It speaks of “experiential” sponsorship.

The importance of relationship marketing: the objective here is to develop

profitable partnership by the sponsorship, and this based on cooperation

between different actors.

(G. Tribout; Le sponsoring sportif, 2004)/

To conclude:

In early 2000 (2003 precisely) the total amount of sponsorship was €26.2 billion. In

Europe, the sponsorship market is 1/3 of the world market with 81% on sports

sponsorship.

2.3.2 The different types of sport sponsorship.

First of all, what is sport sponsorship?

It is a business agreement between two parties. Toward the sponsor it is involved in

providing money, goods and services; while the sponsored offers his image to the

sponsor so that it uses (W. Lagae; Sport sponsorship and marketing communication,

2003).

There are 4 types of sport sponsoring which are;

League

Club/team

Stadium

Player

a) League or events:

Ligue 1 Orange, Barclays Premier League, H Cup, BNP Paribas Master, etc... Even

if this sponsorship is the least risky in terms of image, it is also one of those has the

least impact. In fact, this sponsorship provides the insurance of events with little

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chance of harm occur, and a bad image won’t rebound on the partner company. But

the impact of such events has little impact on the partner’s image because of their

ephemeral flow over the year (cups or tournaments) or the lack of impact of the name

for leagues, which in the minds of spectators are the L1 or the Premiership (G.

Tribou; Sponsoring sportif, 2004).

b) Club/Team:

Chelsea/Samsung Mobile, Real Madrid/Bwin, Olympique Lyonnais/Bet Clic, etc...

The club sponsoring is the most risky but also the one with the biggest potential. One

of the traps is targeting a big club because it has several sponsors whose image is

drowning which each others. There is no question also to take a club from a lower

division which won’t be publicized. The choice of club sponsored is crucial because

if it performs well, the public will sensitized to the partner’s image and it may

increases significantly. The reverse happens in case of bad results of the club and the

partner’s image is blended with the club (T. Moré; Le sponsoring sportif, une

technique de communication à part entière, 1987).

c) Stadium:

In terms of stadium’s sponsorship, the French leader in this area remains the Stade de

France which has 17 partners. In such cases, partnerships are made to register on the

long term and relates mostly to large companies. In further, a new stadium’s

sponsorship has developed in the past 10 years, the naming: Aviva Stadium,

Emirates Stadium, Philipps Stadium, etc...

The purpose here is to finance the construction of the stadium, into consideration the

fact that the stadium takes the brand name, and the brand also becomes the team’s

sponsor on their shirts.

d) Player:

The scope of player’s sponsorship may be more important than a club but also more

dangerous. Indeed the importance and scope of their image depends on their results,

but the negative impact that their image can have depends on their behaviour, their

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character, etc... The image of a “Golden Ball” in football or an Olympic champion in

individual as Usain Bolt (Pumas) or Yan Thorpe (Speedo) brings credibility to the

product because in the case of player’s sponsorship, they are often associated with

brands in relation to their sport and a product that they use themselves.

e) To conclude:

In formula one, a partnership may reach €55 millions, whereas in football it is

between €2 and €5 millions (in Ligue 1 for example).

The contract for the Emirates Stadium is worth €147 millions. In return, the

stadium will bear the name for at least 15 years and the company will sponsor

the shirts until 2014.

The sponsorship remains an effective marketing option; however it is not if it

does not fit in the long term. Moreover, the sponsorship must always be part

of an overall communications strategy, it cannot be the only communication

tool.

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III Research Methodology:

3.1 Introduction

The purpose of this methodology is to understand how research for this project were

conducted and structured. It is also to explain how the research objectives were

achieved. We will see how based on two points that were sport and sponsorship,

research have been developed. Depending on the topic, the researcher may choose to

opt for primary research or secondary research. In the case of this subject and like

many others, the choice was made to combine these two methods to get results as

complete as possible.

3.2 Research Objectives:

Question 1: is sport still considered as such?

Try to understand if the sport is still regarded as entertainment, or has it reached a

step where it is headed by money than anything else.

Question 2: does sport sponsorship has a real impact on customers?

Try to understand whether sports sponsorship works effectively on viewers.

Sponsored leagues, clubs and players, the impact of each on people's behaviour.

Question 3: sponsorship is it because of changing face of sport?

Analyze the relationship between sport and sponsorship and try to determine if the

sponsorship is a key factor in the incredible excitement of the sport economy.

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3.3 Research Design:

My purpose is to understand the link between sport, sponsorship and our society,

how these three points are connected. For this, a theoretical work will be done with

books, newspapers articles and articles from Internet. So I get a complete and

accurate design research based on a research in 3 steps. These 3 categories of

research are exploratory approach, descriptive approach and causal approach (J.F

Hair et al; 2006).

Exploratory Research:

The exploratory research allows a better understanding of a subject that we know

already. For example in this topic, everyone knows sport, everyone knows what a

sponsor is. But who knows their history, their evolution, their way of functioning?

The exploratory research is simply a deeper study of the topic. “The objective of

exploratory research is to gather preliminary information that will help define

problems and suggest hypotheses.” (Kotler et al. 2006).

Descriptive Research:

“The objective of descriptive research is to describe things, such as the market

potential for a product or the demographics and attitudes of consumers who buy the

product.” (Kotler et al. 2006).

This research is the most often used; making this research is to determine the cause

of something happening. Also called statistical research, it aims to describe and

interpret the data and characteristics of the subject studied. Specifically, the purpose

of such research is to study frequencies, averages and other statistical calculations.

There are four stages in this research:

Recognizing and indentifying a topic to be studied.

Selecting an appropriate sample of participants.

Collecting valid and reliable data.

Reporting conclusions.

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Causal Research:

“The objective of causal Research is to test hypotheses about cause-and-effect

relationships.” (Kotler et al; 2006). This research focuses on the effects of one thing

on another and more specifically the effects of one variable on another. The aim is to

measure the impact of changes on the current situation studied and its variables. The

problem with this method of research is the random implied motivations and

attitudes of people with whom we dealing with.

3.4 Secondary research:

Unlike the primary research, data from the secondary research already exist. It

actually represents the data-gathering from newspapers, books, governmental reports,

academic papers, etc... in order to answer to the research objectives.

According to D.W Stewart, to evaluate the validity of the information related to the

topic, six questions to ask are: “1) What was the purpose of the study? 2) Who

collect the information? 3) What information was actually collected? 4) When was

the information collected? 5) How was the information obtained? 6) How consistent

is the information with other sources?”

Indeed, the user of secondary research has to develop a retreat from the information

found to assess their reliability or validity and (if possible) their objection.

This research will therefore provide accurate information about the market, its actors,

the customers and their behaviour, etc...

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3.5 Quantitative and qualitative research:

Qualitative research:

According to Dezin and Licoln (1994) ‘qualitative research involves the studied use

and collection of a variety of empirical materials – case study, personal experience,

introspective, life story, interview, observational, historical, interactional and visual

texts. That describe routine and problematic moments and meaning in individual

lives.”

The qualitative research is actually using the right hemisphere of the brain, the one

that processes data such as words, feelings, emotions, colours, music, etc... (R.

Davies; 2000).

The investigation for a qualitative research can be organized as follows:

Seeks answer to a question.

Systematically using a predefined set of procedures to answer the question.

Collects evidence.

Produces findings that were not determined in advance.

Produces findings that are applicable beyond the immediate boundaries of the

study.

Quantitative research:

“Quantitative research involves counting and measuring of events and performing

the statistical analysis of a body of numerical data” (Smith, 1988). The quantitative

research uses the left brain hemisphere, the logical and objective part of our brain

which processes numbers, unchanging static data and detailed, convergent reasoning

rather than divergent reasoning. (R. Davies; 2000).

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The investigation for quantitative research can be organized as follows:

The generation of models, theories and hypotheses.

The development of instruments and methods for measurement.

Experimental control and manipulation of variables.

Collection of empirical data.

Modelling and analysis of data.

Evaluation of results.

Differences:

Beyond the fact that qualitative research involves words, images, etc... and

quantitative research involves numeric data; there are certain parameters that

distinguish them.

One of the first points is the types of questions that they pose and how they respond.

Indeed, a quantitative answer limited options for answers of the interviewee as it has

a limited choice of proposal. However, a qualitative answer leaves room for any

answer.

Moreover, the instruments used and the results produced are not the same. A

quantitative answer will lead to a statistical analysis (percent probably), while a

qualitative answer will require a more elaborate analysis because of the X answers

which can be given.

(See appendix 1 for qualitative and quantitative comparison).

Strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths of quantitative research:

Clearly and precisely specifying both the independent and the dependent

variables under investigation (Balsley; 1970).

Eliminating or minimizing subjectivity of judgment (Kealey and Protheroe;

1996).

Allowing for longitudinal measures of subsequent performance of research

subjects.

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Weaknesses of quantitative research;

Figures do not provide information about the context of the studied

phenomenon.

Limit the possibility of answers by structured questions of limited choice, it

created a lack of openness.

This does not encourage further investigation about the studied phenomenon.

Strengths of qualitative research:

Obtain a more realistic result of the situation with questions that figures do

not respond.

The way to interpret the data collected is more flexible and leaves more room

to push a personal analysis.

Ability to interact with the research subjects in their own language and on

their own terms. (Kirk & Miller; 1986)

Weaknesses of qualitative research:

Same information can provide different conclusions depending on the

researcher’s personal beliefs and way of analyzing the information.

The complexity of obtaining the information required by the appropriate

question from the interviewee.

The various techniques available to the researcher to get an answer, allow the

interviewee to tell a particular story rather than another. This creates a lack of

consistency and reliability.

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3.6 Research method:

My study examines the impact of sport, particularly sport sponsorship, on our

society. The fact is that everyone can respond to this questionnaire, young/old,

students/unemployed, male/female, etc. So I need to get answers to each of these

kinds of people; that is why I chose to administrate a questionnaire that will allow me

to 20 questions asked of 100 people, to get a range of answers representative of the

society.

So I will obtain a statistical analysis and some answers to some open questions that

allow the interviewee to give his point of view.

I will use for these questionnaires, 3 types of questions which are open-ended, close-

ended and scaling questions.

Open-ended question:

“An open-ended question is designed to encourage a full, meaningful answer using

the subject's own knowledge and/or feelings.” Indeed, the purpose here is not to

encourage the interviewee to answer this or that by offering him a limited choice of

answers, but to obtain his own opinion on the subject with his own words.

An example of a famous open-ended question: “How does it make you feel?”

The advantage of such questions is to provide additional information like the

person’s feelings, its attitudes or understanding of the subject. The problem remains

the fact that the interviewee can answer what he wants; it still leaves a possibility to

cannot exploit the answer.

Close-ended question:

Unlike open-ended questions, it leaves no choice to the interviewee for his answer.

He must indeed choose between limited choices of answer that can be “yes or no”,

“true/false”, or also multiple choices.

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Of course, one of the advantages of these questions is that their results are much

easier to analyze. It brings statistics answers so everything is reduced to figures

analysis. Furthermore, the answers produced by these king questions are more

specific, there is no risk that the answers are off-topic. The disadvantage is that these

questions are very general and not investigate in depth the topic.

Scaling question:

Scaling questions are actually a mix between open-ended questions and close-ended

questions. Indeed, it allows the interviewee to give his own opinion but with a

limited choice of answer which are for example: Strongly agree, somewhat agree, no

opinion, somewhat disagree, strongly disagree.

The advantage of these questions is to obtain data easy to operate, and which

moreover allows us to get an idea of the personal opinion of people about the topic.

However it represents the risk that the person does not give its real felt but that the

“scale” incentive it to meet the expectations of the researcher.

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3.7 Limitations:

While the questionnaire is a useful tool when you have to obtain a balanced view of a

large population, yet there are some problems.

First of all, although the results represent a credible sample of the population, it

cannot be generalized to the entire population. Moreover, this sample does not

necessarily correctly respond to the questionnaire. Indeed, the researcher is not with

each person when it fills out the questionnaires (some of them were sent by e-mail

for example) and the respondent cannot understand some questions and answer it

wrong; or it may not really take time to think about his answers.

The second point is that a questionnaire containing too many open-ended questions is

difficult to interpret. On the other side, a questionnaire with too many close-ended

questions is difficult to summarize because of the number of analysis made possible.

The third point concerns the objectivity of respondents: among those concerned and

those not interested in the subject, the researcher has to take the answers from a

distance.

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3.8 Questionnaire presentation:

In my questionnaire, questions 1 to 6 are general which are intended to define the

situation of the person facing the subject. The questions 6 to 10 will basically answer

to my objective concerning the impact of sport sponsorship; but they also provide

some answers to my 1st and 3

rd objectives. The questions 11 to 14 will answer to my

1st goal and the questions 15 and 16 to my 3

rd goal.

Questionnaire about sport and sponsorship.

1. What is your sex?

Male

Female

2. What is your profession?

Self-employed

Student

Unemployed

Manager

Employee

Other

3. What is your favourite sport? (If don’t have one go directly to Q12).

Football (soccer) Golf Baseball

Rugby Formula One Other

Tennis Basketball

4. And do you?

Practice

Watch

Both

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5. Which media do you use to be informed?

TV

Newspaper

Internet

Radio

6. What is your favourite player?

7. Put these sportsmen with the right sponsor:

C. Ronaldo Wilson

R. Federer Puma

T. Henry O2

Usain Bolt Addidas

O’Driscoll Nike

Lionel Messi Gilette

8. For you the impact of a sponsor is:

Very minor

Minor

Don’t know

Consistent

Very consistent

9. Can you name your team sponsor (if you have a favourite team)?

10. Do you buy a product because the brand is the sponsor of your team?

Yes

No

11. For you, the word sport means primarily:

Leisure Health Show

Business Competition

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12. Do you find that the financial sport investments are unreasonable?

Yes

No

13. Do you find that sportsmen in these sports are too much paid?

Yes

No

14. For you investment in sport is:

Very useless

Useless

Normal

Useful

Very Useful

15. What is for you the main reason for the current situation of sport?

16. For you, does sponsorship have a role in this situation?

Yes

No

I don’t know

29

IV. Data analysis:

4.1 Questionnaire analysis:

Question1: what is your gender?

For this questionnaire we have a sample of 70% and 30% of women.

Question 2: what is your profession?

Gender

Male

Female

0 5

10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Percent by profession

Percent by profession

30

We see on this graphic that the sample is heavily focused on students (41%), it is

because being myself a student this is the most accessible population for me.

Question 3: what is your favourite sport?

On this chart we can see the clear dominance of football and rugby which together

collect 74% of the results (43% for football and 31% for rugby). Note also that no

fan of baseball or golf being shown on this graph.

Also note that not appear on this chart the 13% of respondents who are not interested

in sport and that on this 13%, 88% was women.

Football Rugby Formule 1 Golf Basketball Baseball Tennis Other

31

Question 4: and do you?

On this graphic we can see very clearly that people who make sports also likes to

watch it. Indeed 47% of respondents make sport and watch it. We also note that

many of them are interested in sports without actually practicing (31%) and only a

tiny part of the panel practice only sport without watching it (12%).

This graph is important to understand the relationship that each interviewee has with

sport. We note that students are those who practice more (60% of those who only

practice and 40% of those who practice and watch); but they are also the most

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Practice Watch Both

Do you ?

Do you ?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Practice Watch Both

Self-employed

Student

Manager

Employee

Unemployed

Other

32

inclined to only watch (33%). It is therefore difficult to establish for the moment a

real trend in their approach to sport. An important factor is that managers are 31% to

practice and watch sport. It means that their work, combined with the fact that they

have a simple approach to the sport through practice, and an economic approach by

the TV (or another media), make their opinion certainly more objective and

comprehensive than the other respondents.

Question 5: which media do you use?

Information through the media is very balanced, in fact the TV although the most

used media is not necessarily the most effective in this area. Internet is the most used

for sports information (37%) because it is the fastest way to get the information that

you want through sites such as Eurosport. The newspaper remains a highly used

(13%) in this area for trips in public transport for example. Radio accounts for 24%

because people listen to it during the morning, getting up or going to work by car.

0 10 20 30 40

TV

Newspaper

Internet

Radio

Medias

Medias

33

Question 6: what is your favourite player?

Among the most famous name that are mentioned we find: C. Ronaldo (foot), Lionel

Messi (foot), Steven Gerard (foot), Franck Lampard (foot), Juan Martin Hernandez

(Rugby), Brian O’Driscoll (Rugby), Raphael Nadal (Tennis), Roger Federer

(Tennis), etc...

All these players are athletes with a strong media impact, which often sell its image

in marketing campaigns; whether products for sport (Adidas, Nike) or any other

thing (for example Thierry Henry and Gillette). Where their impact is the greatest it

is for the sports goods: “because they use them themselves, why would not I do

that?” this is an argument that many people apply in these cases.

Question 7: put these sportsmen with the right sponsor.

It is an eloquent statement that gives us this chart. Even if we are not interested (or a

few) in sport, the maximum of mistakes that is made is 3. Even more telling is that

80% of people do make one mistake maximum (30% does no mistake). This is

because it is often easy to deduce what player is what, but it remains that people

know the products for which these stars lend their image.

Sportsmen with his sponsor

0 mistake

1 mistake

2 mistakes

3 mistakes

4 mistakes

5 mistakes

6 mistakes

34

Question 8: for you the impact of a sponsor is...

Here the data that emerges from this graph is that people do not believe in the impact

of sponsorship on their purchasing behaviour, or at least do not feel the impact.

Indeed, over a half of respondents (51%) found that impact very minor or minor.

And only 7% of the interviewees think that the sponsorship impact is very consistent.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Sponsor impact

Very minor

Minor

Normal

Consistent

Very consistent

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Very consistent

Consistent

Normal

Minor

Very minor

35

On this graph we see that the most inclined to believe in the impact of sponsorship

are managers, this may be explained by the fact that they are more familiar with the

operation and its real impact on people. The most reluctant are students and

employees, and the most shared are self-employed. The “others” being only 3, are

not significant.

Question 9: can you name your team sponsor? (if you have a favourite team).

Flagrant report, 98% of the respondents know the sponsor of their team. The only

mistakes appeared are people who cited former sponsor of their team, sponsors

which were important to their team (O2 with Arsenal and Carlsberg with Liverpool).

This proves that the impact of these sponsors are greater than what people think.

Question 10: do you buy a product because the brand is the sponsor of your team?

Here still, a result which comes to call into question my previous analysis. 96% of

people do not buy the product because the brand is sponsoring their team. This is

feels them, but is it definitely the truth? This graph will not teach it to us, he just

informs us that the great majority of people do not think be influenced in them

purchases by the sponsor of their team.

Yes No

36

Question 11: for you, the word sport means primarily...

Sport is a show; at least that is what we learned this graphic: of the respondents, 37%

consider it as such. That figure seems very ‘light” knowing that 41% of these

respondents are only watching sport, the rest must therefore consider that sport is

leisure (19%).

Regarding those who practice, they must use sport as a competition (29%) or good

health (9%).

Regarding those who see sport like a business, they are only 6% consider that the

sport is a primarily business tool.

0

10

20

30

40

Sport means…

Sport means…

37

Question 12: do you think that the financial sport investments are unreasonable?

This chart presents a certain contradiction with the previous graph. When only 6% of

respondents regard the sport as a business, 80% of all the respondents are agree that

sport investment are excessive. But if there is business, there is investment; and if

one consider that these investments are excessive, is that we think sport has become a

business in itself.

Even if this reasoning is not applicable to everyone (you might consider investments

as excessive and still see sport as a competition), the figure of 80% appeals to me

anyway. I think, particularly with regard to those who see sport as a show, they do

not fully realize that this show is made possible in part, through its investments. That

is why I find the percentage of people considering such investments as excessive,

beyond realism.

Yes 80%

No 20%

Sport investment are unreasnonable.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Leisure Business Health Competition Show

No

Yes

38

This graph shows us, depending on how we see the sport, who answers yes or no to

the question on excessive investment in sport. Unsurprisingly, those who see sport as

a business that does not think that investment is excessive in sport (5 of 6). In reality

they are the only one to be more pros that cons for its investments. Also no surprise

that those who see sport like healthy feel almost 100% sure that these investments

are too high (8 of 9). Regarding those who see sport as a show, 19% of them believe

that these investments are normal.

Question 13: do you find that sports players are too much paid?

This graph confirms the view that people have towards the business in sport. 91% of

respondents believe that athletes (especially in football according to remarks made to

me) are overpaid. For them, there is too much money in sport and that, whatever

from that takes these investments.

Sports players are too much payed

Yes

No

39

Question 14: for you investment in sport is...

The answer to this chart could be “Yes, we believe that investment in sport is

excessive, this does not mean they are not useful and should disappear.” This chart

shows that respondents were disturbed by the large investments that are made in

sport and which sometimes seems unnecessary. Therefore, throughout the most part

believe that these investments are necessary Looking at the graph, 87% of

respondents consider these investments at least as normal.

Question 15: what is for you the main reason for the current situation in sport?

My question have very well have been wearing on the current situation of football as

the most answer are in this sport. The main answers that emerge are:

The tax exemption related to clubs in several countries.

The vagaries of billionaires.

The steady increase in TV rights.

The fact that every club is looking to buy still more expensive than the others.

The impunity granted to clubs in term to debt (close to the tax exemption).

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Sponsorship in sport

Very useless

Useless

Normal

Useful

Very useful

40

Question 16: for you, does sponsorship have a role in this situation?

This chart tells us that most respondents did not know the exact role of sponsors in

sport. The proof is, more than half of respondents answered “I don’t know” to this

question. Presumably, those who answered “yes” did so because they associate

mostly sponsorship with money. Regarding those who answered “no” they may

understand sponsorship only as a name on a shirt.

Implication of sponsorship

Yes

No

I don't know

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

I don't know

No

Yes

41

This last graph tells us that the most undecided on that sponsorship plays a role or

not in the current situation of sport, are students and employees. For most, this is not

that he has no opinion on the subject, it is simply that sponsorship plays a role that

can not characterize or they don’t succeed to locate precisely.

We also note in this graph that the students are divided equally between the 3

categories, while the manager is mostly to say that sponsorship is one of the

responsible of the economic situation of the sport. The self-employed for their part

think mostly the opposite.

42

4.2 Conclusion:

Considering this questionnaire, some uncertainties remain about the vision that

people consider the sport in our society. At first glance the sport is mostly, for the

majority of them, an entertainment whether in practice or as a TV entertainment,

overall is not intended as a business. However, business in sport is present and those

interviewed feel it. The fact that they find investments excessive; they think that

players are overpaid or that 96% of fans of a team sponsor aware of it, it proves that

this business has an impact on them.

For them, sport and particularly football has a blank check that allows the clubs to

spend or invest astronomical sums in players, stadiums or anything else. But this

does not mean that they deem investments like unnecessary, they only consider it as

disproportionate.

What about sponsorship?

Given the results obtained by this questionnaire, it is difficult to define clearly the

impact of sponsorship and its role in the current situation of sport. Indeed for most

respondents, they have difficulty measuring the impact of sponsorship on their

purchasing behaviour, so they have more difficulties to measure its overall

involvement in sport. The panel finds that sport sponsorship is perhaps an actor of

the economic boom in sport, but it is not a major player. To them its influence

remains “marginal” and this is certainly not the sponsorship that has led, for example

“in this price war for a simple player’s transfer.” (an interviewee). Sponsorship is a

tool among other, without being a key driver of sport business. True or false?

To say that the sponsorship is a simple tool would be somewhat underestimated his

role. Indeed, in sports such as Formula 1 are funded overwhelmingly by the

sponsorship, even in football its role remains paramount and omnipresent. But it is

true that in the case of football, the billionaire club owners have a responsibility far

bigger.

Regarding the impact of these sponsors on the spectators’ behaviour, it seems at first

view very superficial. For most respondents their decision to buy a product over

another does not depend on a sponsor on a shirt of their favourite team or

not. However this argument seems far from the reality. For example, a fan of Arsenal

43

will see "Fly Emirates" as a name on a shirt, of course. But that same fan who never

went to Asia and who one day decides to take a trip down there, with that name in his

head will think immediately to go to see their offers. That is work sponsorship, it acts

unconsciously.

Ultimately, what emerges from this questionnaire is the fact that sport is seen as a

means of entertainment but has reached limits that are unpopular for the vast

majority. Whether it is sponsorship or other economic excesses committed for

example in football is not the taste of viewers.

44

V. Conclusion and recommendations:

5.1 Conclusion:

The sport, as far as we can remember has always existed. Whether its purpose is to

maintain health one’s or to entertain people, its importance in our society has always

been preponderant. Its origins, which date back to antiquity, we also indicate the

presence of a form of sponsorship already in those early days. Indeed even at that

time, the sports and sponsorship was intimately bound, the purpose has always been

to showcase sport (or entertainment) to transmit messages. Although at the time it

was not about selling products but ideas, the way to make was the same: used simple

means to reach as many people and deliver a message. This is sponsoring, a

minimum income for a guaranteed return on investment.

Now, the link between sport and sponsorship is stronger than ever. Since the sport

became a full-fledged business, sponsorship has taken its place and uses this market

which represents a considerable media tool; not only by its international scope, but

also by its actors: famous athletes like C. Ronaldo, Fernando Alonso or Roger

Federer.

Beyond the competitions they are involved and who make dream millions of people

around the world, these stars are present in advertisings like in government

campaigns (Road Safety or otherwise) or for-profit associations charity

campaigns. Their image is used indefinitely because their impact on the population is

more than important. Even when the stars we talk about them for the wrong reasons

(adultery, speeding, excess alcohol, etc.) it does affect them quite the contrary, we

still talk about them and this reinforces their place in the media.

In any case this is true as long as their actions do not affect the sport itself. For

example: the hand of Thierry Henry against Ireland has been detrimental to his

image, so that Gillette which had appealed to him for a pub alongside Tiger Woods

and Roger Federer, had to remove of his photos’ campaigns , the hand of Thierry

Henry who had a ball and put it in his pocket.

But what about the respondents?

For them the image of those players has impact in sport, at least they see it as such. A

model that they admire, but that they find exaggerated, as everything concerning

45

sport in general. Most remarks are about football salaries which are too high, the

astronomical transfers, the lack of respect on the ground, the violence in the stadiums

... it all gets a bit “too much” for the spectators.

The real question is where does come all these excesses?

As we saw in this project, for most people who were interviewed believe that this

excess is the result of the whims of some billionaires who do not know how to spend

their money. Certainly, but why are these billionaires spend their money in club

football?

In my opinion, I think that the situation in football is the work of the media.

People complain that wages of players like David Beckham or C. Ronaldo are

ridiculously high, but only because they are widely publicized. Who complains about

the wages of drivers in F1? The salary of a driver can vary between 30 and 50

million Euros per year plus bonuses for victories. Similarly, investments by sponsors

in football oscillate around €4 million in F1 they are €50 to €60 million.

And in any sport is the result of the media, these athletes are increasingly exposed to

the audience and the expectations are increasingly stringent, hence the problems of

doping. Those athletes whom we always ask more, which have to give more to win

or even just to keep pace with others (e.g. cycling), are forced to take drugs to stay at

level.

At another level, the problems of violence in the stadiums: where it is most this is in

football, sport the most publicized in the world. Violence, racism, disrespect, it is all

the result of media coverage that highlights these acts on TV. The example was in

March 2008 the display of a banner at the Stade de France by fans of Paris-Saint-

Germain in the final of the League Cup, which was aimed at fans of the team in front

and the region where they from, calling them "Pedophiles, unemployed and inbred".

The fact is that they were sure that their "message" happens on TV.

My conclusion is that sport has arrived at a point where it is more than just

entertainment; the issues surrounding it are much bigger than that.

Firstly economic issues: in the two transfers this summer from Real Madrid

(C. Ronaldo and Kaka '), Florentiono Pérez the president had responded to

the press when asked if the €160 million in 3 days were not excessive, and his

46

response was "It's an investment not an expense. Of all the contracts that I

signed in my life, the most expensive were the most profitable. ". This proves

that some see sports as a way to make money and nothing else.

Moral issues: can we let do anything to anyone? In many match the former

Italian player Paolo di Canio performed the fascist sign to the fans of his

club. This combined with the fact that several players "black" have suffered

racial insults or cries of monkeys in the stadiums in recent years, this is not

things that should exist in the sport when he first intended to teach youth

respect for others and fair play.

Issues of "realism": Andre Agassi, Dwayne Chambers, Marion Jones, Yann

Thorpe, Floyd Landis, all these athletes were convicted of having doped or

some recognized this at the end of their careers. What will happen to the

performance of athletes whether they are truncated by doping?

Fortunately in many sports, the purpose remains to offer a show to the public, while

maintaining compliance in the stadiums (eg rugby).

47

5.2 Recommendations:

My first recommendations concern my project itself and what I concluded. I think

that for the presence of money in sport and its incredible growth, there is nothing to

do. The club bosses will always act as he wants to buy the players they want. Where

the sport has to work, it is on its image.

Firstly regarding violence in the stadiums, the penalties have to be more severe and

that the supervision be strengthened stadiums.

Then burnish his image: the anti-doping is already very well organized in some

sports such as cycling or athletics, but it seems remained "lax" in other sports. This

struggle must be generalized to rid sport of doping. To work on its image, FC

Barcelona is such a good student which for 4 years UNICEF has paid to be their shirt

sponsor. Initiatives like these should be more active in sport.

Finally my last recommendations concern those who wish to do their project on a

topic similar to mine.

First of all, I strongly advise to focus the subject on a particular sport. Indeed it is

very difficult to study everything at once. Try to talk about all sports, their

economics, social, moral or political aspects it is a real headache. It would be wise to

treat one for example football and concentrate on its economic impact. For research,

do not hesitate to use books about other sports, just to theory and to understand the

world of sports in general. For example, my project was based primarily on

“European” sports but I use books on sport in North America as american football or

hockey.

Finally, I advise to always focus on two or three specific points and find the

relationship between them. Here is the example that my plan has always sought to

deal with the relationship sport / sponsorship even if this does not prevent me from

dealing with other issues.

48

Appendix:

Qualitative Quantitative

"All research ultimately has

a qualitative grounding"

- Donald Campbell

"There's no such thing as

qualitative data. Everything is either 1 or

0" - Fred Kerlinger

The aim is a complete,

detailed description.

The aim is to classify features, count them, and

construct statistical models in an attempt to

explain what is observed.

Researcher may only

know roughly in advance

what he/she is looking for.

Researcher knows clearly

in advance what he/she is looking for.

Recommended during

earlier phases of research

projects.

Recommended during

latter phases of research

projects.

The design emerges as

the study unfolds.

All aspects of the study

are carefully designed before data is collected.

Researcher is the data

gathering instrument.

Researcher uses tools, such as questionnaires or

equipment to collect numerical data.

Data is in the form of

words, pictures or objects.

Data is in the form of

numbers and statistics.

Subjective - individuals’

interpretation of events is

important ,e.g., uses participant observation,

in-depth interviews etc.

Objective – seeks precise

measurement & analysis

of target concepts, e.g., uses surveys,

questionnaires etc.

49

Qualitative data is more

'rich', time consuming, and less able to be

generalized.

Quantitative data is more

efficient, able to test hypotheses, but may miss

contextual detail.

Researcher tends to

become subjectively immersed in the subject

matter.

Researcher tends to

remain objectively separated from the

subject matter.

50

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