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 |
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 8 lessons in this course.