Sport as spectacle and the media

Broadcasting rights, sponsorship, sport as spectacle and commodification: how the media transformed sport.

The outline, topic by topic

Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.

Sport as spectacle: what is it?
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Sport designed to be watched, with an audience, staging and revenue.
It contrasts with sport played for oneself.
Volleyball moved to rally-point scoring for shorter matches. Why, mainly?
- To fit television schedules
- To favour the serving team
- To reduce the number of referees needed
- To align its rules with handball's
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To fit television schedules
Before 1999, only the serving team could score and a match's length was unpredictable. A shorter, more predictable length makes broadcasting easier.
Broadcasting rights: what is it?
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The sum media pay to broadcast a competition.
They became the main source of revenue of Europe's major football leagues.
Why does women's sport struggle more to find sponsors?
- The law bans advertising on its shirts
- Less broadcast, it offers brands less visibility
- A partnership costs more there than in men's sport
- Federations refuse private sponsors there
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Less broadcast, it offers brands less visibility
It is a circle: little media, little money, little media.
Sponsorship: what is it?
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A company funding an athlete, club or event in exchange for visibility.
It depends directly on media coverage.