2. Media
We live in a media informed society
A media influenced society
And therefore media has influenced sport
Sport is now a marketable commodity that is worth millions
3. TV
Pay per view – a
system by which
the viewer can
pay for private
telecast to their
home of an event
Used a lot for
boxing
1.
2.
3.
4.
Best medium for live events – images
Not as handy as radio, newspapers? New
technology changing this?
Satellite TV transformed sport – it’s
development was based on sport
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
4. Newspapers
Tabloids
(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
Both sell to
make a
profit – but
adopt
difference
strategies
to attract
readers
Broadsheet –
Middleclass readership traditionally
Tends to focus on providing information
Less space devoted to sport
More sports covered
Tend to provide more critical analysis of events and issues affecting sport
5.
6. 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!
7. Radio
Talk based radio
programmes –
commentary and
debate/discussion
shows
Good at getting in
to the heart of
everyday lives –
cars, homes
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
Internet
8. Commercialism
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!
1. TV found sport fairly cheap
entertainment (compared to period
dramas or wildlife programmes)
2. lots of entertainment
3. 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
9. 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.
10. The Golden Triangle
1. 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.
Business
Sport
Media
11. 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
12. Characteristics of sport that is attractive to the media
Demonstration
of skill, strength
and physical
fitness
Visual
spectacle with
detail available
Tradition
Wellmatched
competition
Uncomplicated
rule structure
Ease of televising
e.g. camera can
keep up with
play
Demonstration
of aggression
and/or physical
challenge
Fits in to a
reasonable
timescale
Identification of
personalities
and/or
nationalistic
relevance
13. Effects of
coverage
of sport
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
Some sports have lost
popularity due to lack of
coverage (e.g. table
tennis)
Others have gained
through lots of
promotion
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
Some NGBs encourage
media to concentrate
of more exciting
events as money
raised can support
other events or grass
roots level
development
International events –
timings changed e.g.
World Cup – Europe
biggest audiences so kickoffs changed to suite our
times no matter where
they are in the world
In Beijing Olympics –
100m final at 10.3o –
3.30pm in UK, Breakfast
in USA
14. Media also effects individuals
Media wants personalities
The high income is often offset with some
loss of privacy
Big issue at moment – Leveson enquiry
15. 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 times
Can turn a boring draw in
to a 90sec clip of incidents
and near misses
16. 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
Against
Limited to a few male sports – impact on participation?
Sensationalises – controversies may be created
Highlights 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 money
Needs of television dictate the selection of sport action
17. How to
support
media
coverage
poor sports?
Swimming is primarily a
participation sport – relatively few
spectators – little gate money –
Olympics the exception!
Why?
Discuss.
What would make swimming more TV friendly?
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)
18. 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
Professional
teams
Individuals
Stadium,
Stands
Awards
schemes
Most
aspects of
sport have
a sponsor
Events
Coaching
schemes
Governing
bodies
Sponsorship
19.
20. Sponsorship advantages & disadvantages
Disadvantages:
Advantages:
Sports are expensive to run – extra
money allows a more professional
approach
Sport becomes associated with the
product – this may not be desirable
Sponsors gain control over
organisation of sport
Sport is promoted through extra
publicity
Sponsors gain control over timing,
seasons and location events
Sponsorship helps create atmosphere
at events
There is financial interdependence
between media and large sporting
events
Sports are organised better – more
efficient management techniques are
use
Sports rely to heavily on sponsors –
withdrawal of funds can be disastrous
Team selection may be affected
21. Factors to consider when
thinking of sponsoring
•
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
22. Ethical Aspects of sponsorship
Positive
Promotes individuals and teams
Individual sponsorship allows the performer to train longer, facilitates
improvement
Allows the development of new competitions and tournaments
Allows development of better facilities and equipment
It helps create atmosphere at events
Attracts high-class performers
Generates additional media interest
Sport can be expensive to run and income from traditional sources is not enough
Negative
Attention is on high profile individuals or teams
Product association is an intrusion in to sport
Sponsors can gain too much control over a sport
Sponsors can give sport a bad image
Sponsors control the timing of events to obtain peak viewing time
