Sociology of Sport VI Essay

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit IV Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

7. Explain how the commercialization of sports has influenced and contributed to changes in status, money, and authority. 7.1 Compare and contrast the impact of money and power in sports and the influential role they

play involving the media and economy.

8. Investigate the globalization of sports. 8.1 Discuss the impact that the globalization of sports has had on sports management ideologies.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

7.1 Unit Lesson Chapter 11, pp. 336–350, 352-369 Unit IV Article Critique

8.1 Unit Lesson Chapter 12, pp. 372–403 Unit IV Article Critique

Required Unit Resources Chapter 11: Sports and the Economy: What Are the Characteristics of Commercial Sports?, pp. 336–350, 352-369 Chapter 12: Sports and the Media: Could They Survive Without Each Other?, pp. 372–403

Unit Lesson By now, most of us realize the huge impact sports have on our lives whether you are an athlete who participates or a spectator who watches. Have you ever wondered how different sports would be if the media was not so involved, or if the number of paying spectators decreased? The sporting industry might not be what it is today. This unit includes two topics that have such a powerful connection to sports—the economy and the media. The commercialization of sports has shifted the power and control of sport decisions to the corporate organizations and interests that sponsor a majority of the sporting events. Because of this shift, the sporting industry is now assessed using criteria such as gate receipts, concession and merchandising sales, licensing fees, website hits, media rights contracts, market share, rating points, and the cost of commercial time. Facilities are even named after these corporations instead of legendary players and historical places. These dominant entities influence every aspect of the sport environment, including team names, the design of uniforms, media coverage, event schedules, and sport announcers (Coakley, 2017). The success of commercialized sports is based on the profit they create, which is dependent on the following economic elements.

 Material rewards are highly valued by athletes, event sponsors, team owners, and spectators.

 There is a dense population and high concentration of spectators.

 The resources and standard of living are high enough for people to afford attending these events.

 There are large amounts of capital existing for the expansion of facilities.

UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE

Sports, Media, and the Economy

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title

 The culture and lifestyle of the area focuses on consumption and material status symbols (Coakley, 2017).

For example, even though golf is not a difficult sport for providing media commentary, it is a challenge to stage an event for a live audience. Golf is not very lively and action-packed. The golf community consists of those who have economic clout, live a wealthy lifestyle, and spend money on luxury cars and other high-end products; therefore, commercializing the sport of golf benefits the corporations who sponsor these events, increasing their profits (Coakley, 2017). The globalization of sport has been greatly affected by the commercialization of sports. As previously mentioned, the corporate organizations are always seeking new ways to increase their profits; therefore, they continuously search for new markets to expand that will raise the bottom line. Transnational companies use sports as a method to introduce products and services for acknowledging the great interest in sports around the world. This drives cultural trade, making the product of sports an import and export commodity. Commercialized sports also enable rules to be changed to increase enjoyment for the spectator, increase the action, expand scoring opportunities, equalize the competition, maximize the drama, and create attachments to players and teams. While structured by commercialization, these changes have not transformed the foundation and goals of sports and sporting events. The chapter on sports and the economy will also discuss team ownership and the creation of cartels, monopolies, and monopsonies. These terms are used to describe how team owners collaborate and coordinate similar interests to ensure that outside leagues and teams are not established, which would introduce competition. This practice among owners also prevents players from going to other leagues. Media coverage promotes the commercialization of sports by publicizing and marketing sports that gain and maintain spectator interest. Even though there are those who may not be able to afford the high cost of ticket prices and concession stand items, many people can watch sporting events from the comfort of their home on a television or computer, or even listen to games via the radio. Often these actions lead to expanded sales of cable, satellite, and pay-per-view subscriptions, and sometimes even increase the number of people who will eventually buy tickets. Media is any form of information transmission, which may include print media (such as newspapers and magazines), and electronic media (such as television and radio). The various media forms influence how we think, feel, and act. They are an important part of our experiences, allowing us to gain information and make connections with people, images, and ideas that are outside our everyday lives. Sports provide an entertainment value to our lives, and the coverage we experience, whether via television, radio, phone or laptop, generate revenue and increase publicity for the sports and sports teams.

Similar to the commercialization of sports, the main goal of the privately-owned media outlets is to make a profit. They also strive to disseminate content that supports the beliefs and ideas of those in positions of power and influence. Conversely, the media is mainly controlled by state entities that have the goal of providing a public service. However, state-controlled media is on the decline with privatization and deregulation laws. Media has been radically changed with the inclusion of the Internet, thus allowing people to access unlimited information while maintaining a connection with others around the world (Lund, 2007; Coakley, 2017). Even though it is a much different medium, we have been able to enjoy sports via video games and virtual sport opportunities. These interactive games are

continuously updated and modified to attract new buyers, and with the ability to play live online, consumers can play with people from other parts of the world.

Sports media is now available on smartphones. (Dawn, 2014)

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title

Media tends to be very persuasive to some people; what we hear and see can be very influential. To avoid being taken in and controlled by the media, we must identify and relate several ideologies: the success, consumption, gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality. In conclusion, the interrelationship between media and the economy is a continuous cycle—commercialized sports depend on the media for exposure and publicity, while media strengthens the processes of commercialization. Sports promoters understand the value of the media; therefore, free access is usually granted. Because more sports are becoming commercialized, we would have very little need for sports media coverage without the commercial entities.

References

Coakley, J. (2017). Sports in society: Issues and controversies (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Dawnfu. (2014). Iphone-Iphone6-TV-Social Tv-Technology-Sports [Photograph]. Retrieved from

https://pixabay.com/photos/iphone-iphone-6-tv-social-tv-472197/ Lund, A. B. (2007). The political economy of mass mediated sports. Keynote address at the ISHPES and

ISSA Joint World Congress, Copenhagen (August 3).

Suggested Unit Resources In order to access the following resources, click the links below. The following information discusses the role of the media and sports, as well as the effects that media has on sports, both positive and negative. This section of the article comes from McGraw-Hill’s Online Learning Center (OLC) for Coakley’s Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies (12th ed.) online version. Open the Chapter 12 readings, then scroll to Reading 1 to read “New media: Consuming sports 24/7.” The following short video introduces how the expansion of technology is changing the world of sports, not only for the participant, but also for the consumer. You are encouraged to view this information. Forbes Tech. (2013, January 11). How technology is changing the economics of sports [Video file]. Retrieved

from https://youtu.be/G99S4GfChiA Transcript for the How Technology is Changing the Economics of Sports video

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. The following activities help support the lesson on sports economy and the media that plays a crucial role in the sociology of sports. You may complete one, two, or all of the activities. Activity 1: Research the internship opportunities available in sports, and create a list of five to ten positions you find interesting and might consider pursuing. Activity 2: Locate an article involving the global impact on sports. Briefly summarize the article’s key parts and express your reaction to the article.

SOC 3301, Sociology of Sport 4

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title

Activity 3: Review the PowerPoint presentations on Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 to supplement the textbook reading and lesson content. Alternate formats and transcripts for the presentations are provided below. Chapter 11: Sports and the Economy: What Are the Characteristics of Commercial Sports?

 Chapter 11 PowerPoint presentation

 PDF version of the Chapter 11 PowerPoint presentation Chapter 12: Sports and the Media: Could They Survive Without Each Other?

 Chapter 12 PowerPoint presentation

 PDF version of the Chapter 12 PowerPoint presentation