3.2.4.7 Impact of commercialisation and relationship between sport and the media Typeit

The relationship between commercialisation, sponsorship and the media in modern sport has a large impact (both positive and negative) on a number of stakeholders (performers, coaches, officials, spectators) and the sport itself.

Coaches

Coaches benefit directly from commercialisation as their  will increase as a result of more money in the game being brought in by stakeholders and club owners. More money will also see improvements in some of the latest technology and equipment being used, as well as state-of-the-art . Subsequently, this will be more attractive to lucrative players looking for new contracts and deals, which will improve the team's success.

However, players’ are becoming increasingly involved in affairs due to the increased complexity and financial consequence of transferring between teams. Their main goal is to maximise the earnings of the athlete they promote, and consequently they present barriers for a coach to finalise contractual terms. Salary disputes among team members can also disrupt group cohesion, making it harder for the coach to unite the team. Furthermore, players’ sponsorship commitments may cause a distraction and interfere with commitments to the club.

Officials

To promote sport as a commercial brand, there may be changes to make the game more attractive to watch. This may have the added advantage of making it easier for the official to manage the game. The commercialisation of sport can also result in salary increases for the official, making it a more viable profession. However, sport is more open to  regarding the official's performance, which can be quite difficult to take. Increases in incentives also make players more likely to engage in deviant behaviours to achieve the greater rewards of sport, making the official’s job more difficult. 

Sport

Increased coverage of sport results in an increased popularity and attracts investment, improving financial stability as well as infrastructure. However, minority sports often require the most support, and these are more likely to miss out on commercial benefits and suffer as a consequence. Moreover, business and profitability may take priority over the values and traditions of sport, tarnishing the reputation of the game. Sports may also become over-reliant on the to showcase the competition to the world, thereby losing a level of control over the sport, such as fixture scheduling.

The greater variety in sources of income has increased the earning potential of all performers in sport. This has made certain sports a more viable profession, such as women's football. Women are able to train and compete full-time, thus also having a beneficial impact on the standard of performance. The media provides a platform for athletes to become positive to aspiring performers. Also, increased investment in sport creates opportunities for improvement in facilities and training equipment. However, there are negatives to the increased commercialisation of sport on performers. Changes to the competition format and the number of competitions have resulted in teams playing more games per season, increasing the rates of fatigue and . There is also a greater focus on a performer’s life, meaning performers have no escape from media attention. companies can also alter the organisation of the sport to suit viewers, rather than considering the effect on the performers. Players who are  by controversial organisations, such as betting and alcohol companies, can also cause the performer to be perceived less favourably in the media.

Spectators

The increased coverage of sport due to media involvement has increased the range of viewing opportunities for spectators. There are also increased opportunities to see live games due to the greater number of fixtures and competitions. However, commercialisation can result in some spectators showing a dislike of the changes to traditional and the rearrangement of events for TV. Furthermore, improving the commercial ventures on sport can ruin the flow of some sports, such as during the breaks in play in American football.