You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 8 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
This lesson builds on the Golden Triangle concept and examines sponsorship and the media in greater detail, as required by the OCR GCSE PE specification (J587, Section 2.3). You must understand the different types of sponsorship and media, the positive and negative effects of each on sport, and how they interact. OCR Paper 2 frequently asks candidates to evaluate the impact of sponsorship and media on performers, sports, and spectators.
Sponsorship is a financial or material contribution made by a company to a sport, event, team, or individual in return for brand exposure.
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Financial sponsorship | A company pays money to an athlete, team, or event | Nike paying a footballer millions to wear their boots |
| Kit and equipment | A company provides clothing, footwear, or equipment | Adidas supplying match balls for the Premier League |
| Facility/venue naming | A company pays to have its name on a stadium or arena | Emirates sponsoring Arsenal's stadium (the Emirates Stadium) |
| Event sponsorship | A company sponsors an entire event or competition | Barclays sponsoring the Women's Super League |
| Individual sponsorship | A company sponsors a specific athlete | Red Bull sponsoring a Formula 1 driver |
| Media sponsorship | A company sponsors a TV programme or broadcast | A betting company sponsoring coverage of horse racing |
| Effect | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Provides funding | Sponsorship money funds facilities, coaching, equipment, and athlete development | British Athletics receives sponsorship that funds grassroots and elite programmes |
| Supports athlete livelihoods | Allows athletes to train full-time without needing a separate job | A sponsored swimmer can focus entirely on training |
| Raises the profile of sport | A well-known sponsor brings attention to a lesser-known sport | Sponsorship of women's football has significantly raised its profile |
| Improves events | Funding enables better venues, technology, and spectator experiences | Sponsorship funding allows championship events to use video technology and improved facilities |
| Enables access | Some sponsors fund free or subsidised participation programmes | Sponsors funding community sports programmes for disadvantaged groups |
| Effect | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor influence | Sponsors may exert influence over scheduling, kit design, or even athlete behaviour | An athlete may be contractually required to attend commercial events during training camps |
| Unequal distribution | Popular, telegenic sports attract far more sponsorship than minority sports | Football receives vastly more sponsorship than handball |
| Dependency | If a sponsor withdraws, the sport, team, or athlete may face serious financial difficulty | A lower-league football club losing its main sponsor may struggle to pay wages |
| Inappropriate sponsors | Some sponsors (gambling, alcohol, fast food) may send negative health messages | Betting companies sponsoring football kits visible to young fans |
| Pressure on athletes | Sponsors expect results — athletes may face immense pressure to perform or may resort to doping | A sponsored athlete who dopes to maintain performance levels and keep their sponsorship deal |
| Loss of identity | Constant rebranding (new kit designs, stadium name changes) can erode a club's history and identity | Long-standing fans feeling disconnected when their stadium is renamed after a corporation |
OCR requires you to understand four categories of media and their effects on sport.
| Platform | Sporting Use |
|---|---|
| Athletes sharing training, lifestyle, and behind-the-scenes content | |
| Twitter/X | Live commentary, fan interaction, breaking news |
| TikTok | Short highlight clips, challenges, engaging younger audiences |
| YouTube | Extended highlights, interviews, coaching tutorials |
| Effect | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Increased exposure | Media coverage brings sport to a global audience, increasing popularity | The Premier League is watched in over 180 countries |
| Inspiration effect | Seeing elite sport on TV inspires people to participate | Participation in cycling surged after British success at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics |
| Revenue generation | Broadcasting rights generate enormous income for sport | The Premier League's TV rights deal is worth over £5 billion |
| Education | Media teaches viewers about rules, tactics, and techniques | Analysis segments on Match of the Day help viewers understand the game |
| Role model visibility | Athletes become household names, inspiring the next generation | Marcus Rashford's visibility has inspired young people both in and out of sport |
| Accountability | Media scrutiny helps to expose corruption, doping, and poor governance in sport | Investigative journalism has uncovered doping scandals and financial irregularities |
| Effect | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Biased coverage | Some sports receive far more coverage than others, creating inequality | Football dominates sports broadcasting; minority sports receive minimal airtime |
| Intrusion into private lives | Athletes' personal lives are scrutinised, causing stress and affecting performance | Tabloid newspapers reporting on athletes' relationships and off-field behaviour |
| Sensationalism | Media may exaggerate controversies to generate clicks and viewers | A minor on-field disagreement reported as a "shocking row" |
| Scheduling changes | Events are moved to suit broadcasters, not spectators | Premier League fans travelling long distances to away matches that kick off at unusual times |
| Cost to viewers | Fans must pay for multiple subscriptions to watch their sport | Football fans needing Sky, BT Sport, and Amazon Prime to see all Premier League matches |
| Negative role models | Media coverage of athlete misbehaviour can set a bad example | Extensive coverage of a footballer's on-field violence or off-field misconduct |
| Gender imbalance | Women's sport has historically received far less coverage than men's | Until recently, women's football received a fraction of the airtime given to the men's game |
graph TD
M["Media Effects<br>on Sport"] --> P["Positive"]
M --> N["Negative"]
P --> P1["Exposure<br>and revenue"]
P --> P2["Inspiration<br>effect"]
P --> P3["Education<br>and analysis"]
N --> N1["Biased<br>coverage"]
N --> N2["Scheduling<br>changes"]
N --> N3["Cost to<br>viewers"]
N --> N4["Privacy<br>intrusion"]
style M fill:#8e44ad,color:#fff
style P fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
style N fill:#e74c3c,color:#fff
Sponsorship and the media are mutually dependent:
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 8 lessons in this course.