AQA PE Section C

1. Media
Commercialism
Sponsorship
Technology

2. MediaWe 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. 1. Best medium for live events – images
2. Not as handy as radio, newspapers? New
technology changing this?
3. Satellite TV transformed sport – it’s
development was based on sport
4. 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
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

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
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
Both sell to
make a
profit – but
adopt
difference
strategies
to attract
readers

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
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

8. Commercialism
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
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!

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.
Sport
MediaBusiness

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
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

13. 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 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!
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?

18. 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

19. 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

20. Factorstoconsiderwhen
thinkingofsponsoring
• 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

21. 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

22. • 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

23. 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

25. 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

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

27. The impact of Hawk Eye – Case study 1
How 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.

28. The impact of Hawk Eye
Its 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.

29. 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?

30. The impact of Hawk Eye
Is there any disadvantages of hawk eye?
Hawk eye gamesmanship – Players will ask for a challenge to take a breather or
unsettle their opponent rhythm.

31. Swimsuits developments – Case study 2
How 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!

32. Swimsuits developments – Case study 2
Impact 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?

33. Speedo'sLZRRacersuit
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

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

35. Technology – coaching/officiating
Many 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.

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. Participant Coach Official Spectator
Pros:WhyisitgoodCons:Whyisitbad