1. What are the Characteristics
SPORTS IN SOCIETY: SOCIOLOGICAL ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES
CHAPTER 11
SPORTS AND ECONOMY:
What are the Characteristics
of Commercial Sports?
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

2. Conditions for Emergence and Growth of Commercial Sports
A market economy.
Large, densely populated cities.
People who have time, money, transportation and media access.
Large amounts of capital.
Culture emphasising consumption and material status symbols.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

3. Class Relations and Commercial Sports
The preferences and priorities of people with power and wealth often influence which sports are commercialised – for example:
Golf is enjoyed by the wealthy and powerful; it receives much TV coverage despite low ratings.
Football reproduces an ideology that privileges men and celebrates masculinity.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

4. Why Have Sports Become So Popular in Society Today?
The quest for excitement.
Class ideology and spectator interest.
Widespread organised, competitive youth sports.
Widespread media coverage.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

5. Economic Factors and the Globalisation of Commercial Sports
Sports organisations look for global markets.
FIFA, the IRB, the NBA, etc. seek global media exposure and expansion.
Corporations use sports as vehicles for global expansion.
One goal is to make money.
Another goal is to sponsor enjoyment and pleasure to establish ideological outposts in the minds of people around the world.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

6. Ideological Outposts in Action: Branding Sports
Sports places have been branded.
Sports events have been branded.
Athletes have been branded.
- Corporate branding is now accepted by many people as necessary, non-political, even ‘natural’.
Question: Isn’t that a sure sign of outposts in action?
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

7. Commercialisation and Changes in Sports
Changes may occur in the:
structure and goals of sports
orientations of athletes, coaches and sponsors
organisations that sponsor and control sports.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

8. Changes in Structure and Goals
Rule changes are made to make action more exciting, understandable and profitable by:
speeding up action
increasing scores and scoring chances
balancing competition
maximising dramatic moments
providing commercial breaks.
The GOAL: create a total entertainment experience.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

9. The Origins of Heroic Action in Sports
Commercial sports are ENTERTAINMENT
Commercial entertainment depends on attracting a mass audience.
Members of a mass audience lack technical knowledge about a sport.
Entertaining people without technical knowledge requires heroic actions.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

10. Commercial Sports Involve a Shift From Aesthetic to Heroic Orientations
Danger and excitement of movement
Emphasis on style and dramatic expression
Willingness to go beyond limits
Commitment to success of sponsor
Aesthetic
Orientations
Beauty and pleasure of movement
Emphasis on mastery of technical skills
Willingness to explore limits
Commitment to staying involved
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

11. The Promotional Culture of Professional Wrestling
Emphasis is on heroic action.
Events are dramatic spectacles.
Players display carefully constructed personas.
Storylines are simple; they emphasise domination, gender differences and capricious bosses.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

12. Spectator Appeal in Sports
Spectator appeal in sports depends on:
the uncertainty of an event’s outcome
the stakes associated with an event
the anticipated display of excellence, heroics or dramatic displays by participants.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

13. With commercialisation:
Sport Organisations
With commercialisation:
control shifts away from athletes; decisions are less likely to reflect their interests
control shifts toward owners, corporate sponsors, advertisers, media personnel, marketing and publicity staff, professional management staff, accountants and agents.
Athletes accept the decisions of these people, because their financial interests are at stake.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

14. Owners, Sponsors and Promoters of Professional Sports
When the diversity of professional sports is taken into consideration:
owners are a diversified collection of people – usually white men
profits may be great in leagues where monopoly control and TV revenues are high; but losses may be great under other conditions.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

15. Advantages of Monopoly
Team owners in the major men’s pro sports have established monopolies that enable them to:
control athlete movement
negotiate high media rights fees
prevent the formation of new teams
share revenues.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

16. Forms of Public Assistance for Team Owners
Use of public funds to construct and maintain facilities.
Deduction loopholes to use on tax returns.
Tax breaks and rebates.
Control of revenues in public facilities.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

17. Stadium Subsidies: Arguments For
A stadium and team create jobs.
Stadium construction infuses money into the local economy.
Team will attract other businesses.
Team will attract media attention that boosts tourism, product sales and economic development.
Team will create positive psychic and social benefits.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

18. Stadium Subsidies: Arguments Against
Stadium jobs are seasonal and low paying except for athletes and execs.
Construction materials often are purchased outside the local area.
New businesses often are franchises headquartered in other cities.
Discretionary money is limited and may be shifted away from other businesses.
Promoting macho orientations does not benefit everyone in a community.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

19. Sources of Income for Team Owners
Gate receipts/ticket sales
Sale of media rights (TV/radio)
Stadium revenues
leases on club seats and luxury boxes
concessions/parking/leasing spaces to others
sale of naming rights and site advertising
special events/concerts/meetings
Licensing fees and merchandise sales
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

20. Amateur Sports
Amateur sports are self-funded and dependent on corporate sponsors or funded through a central government sports authority.
All amateur sports organisations share an interest in two things: power and money.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

21. Legal Status of Athletes in Pro Team Sports
Forms of the ‘reserve system’ have been used to restrict the freedom of athletes to play where they wish.
Players’ associations and unions have challenged this system and struggled for ‘free agency’.
Free agency has been achieved to varying degrees in major team sports.
Labour rights for athletes in minor sports are limited.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

22. Legal Status of Athletes in Individual Sports
Varies greatly from sport to sport and athlete to athlete.
Status often depends on what athletes must do to support their training and competition.
Status may be partially protected by professional associations formed by the athletes.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

23. Income: Team Sports
The large majority of pro athletes make limited income.
The super-contracts and mega-salaries of a few athletes have distorted popular ideas about athlete income.
Income among top athletes has risen recently because:
legal status and rights have improved
league revenues have increased.
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

24. Income: Individual Sports
Many athletes do not make enough to pay expenses.
There are increasing disparities between top money winners and other athletes.
Top male heavyweight boxers have traditionally made the most money.
Question: Does this mean that athletes are rewarded for reaffirming certain ideologies?
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd

25. Best Paid Competitors
PPTs to accompany Sports in Society 2e by Coakley, Hallinan and MacDonald
© 2011 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd