Many companies sponsor sports as a way to advertise themselves. Some people think this is good for the world of sports, while others think there are disadvantages of this.
Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Sample Answer :
Some people believe that sponsorship in sports, as a method of advertising, can have negative consequences, while others believe it is positive. I believe that negative consequences can arise from this trend, however it is up to the sporting teams and events to ensure the companies that sponsor them are moral and ethical and the products they sell do not have negative consequences on society.
Firstly, without sponsorship, many sporting competitions and events could not operate. Large sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup or the Olympics, require millions of dollars to organise and coordinate, and sponsors provide a lot of this much needed money. If there were no sponsors, the price of a spectator ticket would be extremely high as this would be the only revenue to cover the costs of the event, and as a result, many people could not afford to attend, which may leave the event organisers facing bankruptcy.
On a smaller scale, many local children’s sporting events and teams rely on local businesses for sponsorship. For example, when I was young, a local business supplied my football team with jerseys and advertised their name and logo on the front of them. Without this sponsorship, my football club would not have been able to afford new football jerseys each year for the players.
However, there are some disadvantages which may occur when large sporting events use sponsorship from companies that produce products which have a negative impact on people and society, such as alcohol and tobacco companies. When young people are exposed to certain advertising, they can easily develop a positive association with those products and start to use them. Imagine how many young people could be influenced through watching the World Cup football competition.
In conclusion, sponsorship in sports can have both positive and negative outcomes, however it is up to the sporting teams and events to make sure that the sponsors they use will not have a negative influence on people and society.
