The commercialisation of sports today is a natural consequence of the globalisation of any state’s internal and external processes. Despite the fact that not once in the history of sports have there already been attempts to commercialise various kinds of competitions and sporting events, this trend has intensified today. Undoubtedly, in terms of the existence of sports competitions and the promotion of sports and healthy lifestyles, sponsorship and investment in this industry are indispensable. However, in the context of the sociological perspective, the complete commercialisation of sport negatively affects its development and public interest. In this regard, this paper aims to analyse and critically evaluate scholarly articles that examine this process from different angles.
Considering the authors’ arguments from the various sources, an assessment of all factors assessed for a complete analysis is proposed. Despite the economic benefits for the sports industry and the benefits of commercialisation for specific organisations and some individuals, it is likewise necessary not to forget the importance of sport as a social phenomenon. The principal opinions of experts are divided into two versions – the usefulness of this trend and its negative impact on the interest of the masses not only in following sports events but also in assessing the prospects of their own participation in active activities in this sphere. It is possible to highlight the existence of ambiguity in claims about the benefits of commercialisation for society. It can be argued that such a process does not contribute to the industry’s social development and decreases the interest in it among ordinary members of society.
Brief Review of the Literature
The problem of the commercialisation of sport is considered by many researchers as a significant or ancillary issue at work. Problems of increased political intervention in the sports industry are often raised, citing the increased commodification of the industry as a facilitating factor (Lenskyj, 2020). Such conclusions can be particularly strong in less democratic and developing countries, as often the state does not limit itself much and is capable of harming all parties involved in the pursuit of advantage (Ma & Kurscheidt, 2022). The conclusions provided in this way cannot be underestimated.
In addition, there are a number of generally accepted theses in assessing the prospects for the development of sport in the world format. The mixing of commercialisation with globalisation may be noticed when considering the question (Giles, 2019; Winell, Armbrecht, Lundberg, & Nilsson, 2023; Xiong & Ma, 2021). However, according to Berterö (2016), the point of critical commentary is to precisely evaluate the authors’ ideas and reasoning in order to advance the field of research. Therefore, it is necessary to separate commercialisation directly and focus on it, although its connection with globalisation processes cannot be denied (Andon & Free, 2019, p. 1866). Moreover, this connection is less observable in the context of a sociocultural perspective than in marketing and financial paradigms.
Another aspect is the representation of commercialisation as part of sports organisations’ management and organisational structure. It is noted as a facilitating factor in the management and daily social life of all stakeholders (Fahlén & Stenling, 2019; Frandsen, 2019). The authors likewise consider the reverse dependence of the government on the commercialisation of sports organisations and highlight the observance of the interests and privileges of such institutions (Fahlén & Stenling, 2019, p. 3). However, the impact of the increasing prevalence of finance over the competition is generally left aside, and the public’s opinion is not taken into account.
The Notion of a Sociological Perspective
The central essence of examining the problem of the sports industry in this vein involves an analysis of human behaviour, with a focus on the broad social context. It should be noted that most processed sources focus on the financial, political and reputational benefits of making sporting activities a commodity to sell and make money (Andon & Free, 2019; Frandsen, 2019; Koppad & Javali, 2018). Some authors miss the public’s shaping factor and ignore the original raison d’être of sport as a social interaction (Ma & Kurscheidt, 2020; Xiong & Ma, 2021). Thus, the works most relative to sociological reasoning are chosen for central idea critical evaluation. Moreover, most of that ideas assume exclusively positive commercialisation results, overlooking all the disadvantages of this trend.
In general, the commercialisation of sports involves the demonstration, sale and use of various types of activities and goods with the primary goal of generating income. The breadth of this process has recently increased considerably, as almost all evaluated researchers note (Andon & Free, 2019; BusinessMirror, 2022; Manoli, Bandura, & Downward, 2020). It is noticed everywhere, so one cannot but agree with this fact. However, the following benefits are related only to the commercial side of the issue, omitting the harm to the average consumer, a member of society, which will be discussed in more detail below.
Benefits of the Commercialization of Sport
For full disclosure, it is necessary to become thoroughly familiar with the proposed benefits that commercialisation represents for society first. In current realities, consumer behaviour is provoked by both governments and businesses. The concept itself has a controversial interpretation and a much more negative connotation, but it benefits the monetary side of the industry. Certainly, in terms of its development and existence, sport benefits from the infusion of funds while it loses its social purpose.
Increased revenues for specific athletes or organisations should help increase participation. According to the University of Kansas (2020), there has indeed been an increase in participation, including in youth sports organisations in the United States. However, it should be noted that most of this development has been triggered precisely by population growth and rising income levels (University of Kansas, 2020). Accordingly, the general sentiment in society regarding commercialisation takes on a negative colouring and tends to have similar values.
Improving results and attracting sponsors is an equally important benefit of the process under consideration. The introduction of technology and digitalisation has not only enabled the emergence of new e-sports controversies but further helped unify society in the form of fans of a particular sport (Winell et al., 2023). However, it has likewise triggered even greater commercialisation – in addition to increased funding, the cost of broadcasts and membership fees is growing. The boxing or soccer matches broadcast worldwide have recently become the prerogative of individual services and often cannot be watched live for free (Woods, 2021). It is quite apparent that not everyone is able to allocate money for their own hobby and may lose interest in watching and participating in the events in the future.
As part of modern society, the media have a high priority in the commercialisation of sports. They benefit in many ways by attracting audiences and making money from sporting events and activities (Woods, 2021). Some authors argue that the media help keep sports at a high level (Frandsen, 2019; Woods, 2021). However, this statement is controversial because many people do not want to pay money for an initially free spectacle and lose interest.
Sponsors are third parties to the media and large sports organisations who benefit from the commercialisation process. Advertising sponsorship stands out as the most popular in modern sports (Giles, 2019). Indeed, the display of brand names and all sorts of advertising posters, although it turns sports matches into a colourful flicker of brands, raises the status of companies and their products. Some contexts mention the advantage of players from private teams in the ownership of such sponsors and patrons (Winell et al., 2023). However, this resembles modern-day slavery and benefits only a narrow circle of individuals. It is difficult for a fan of a specific team and its forward to decide whom to favour if their favourite player has been traded to an opposing team. Movements of players motivated solely by commercial interest do not contribute to forming social ties in society but rather tear them apart.
Moreover, it is often common to single out sponsorship alone when evaluating the positive effects of commercialisation on sports. However, sponsorship itself is not the only sign of this process. Instead, it belongs to the most socially harmless sports section. An abundance of sponsors can increase the contest level and, with it, the public’s interest in any sport (Frandsen, 2019). Support is essential in the absence of government funding, which is present only in some countries and affects only the most popular sports. All the more so because such funding makes sports organisations very dependent on the government of their own country.
In the context of the above-mentioned beneficial aspects of commercialisation, there is considerable criticism caused by natural disagreement with the positions of many authors. It should not be forgotten that very few of them consider the negative aspects of the process of turning sports into a commodity. However, based on all the studied works, an analysis of the sociocultural factors arising from the negative impact of commercialisation becomes possible.
Disadvantages of the Commercialization of Sport
The main disadvantages of commercialisation are its effect on public access and the distortion of relationships between members of society. Among others, one can list the minimisation of complimentary classes and courses for those who need them. This disadvantage applies to all age categories but is most noticeable when considering children’s and youth teams. Even amateur sports associations require regular contributions or fees, and professional ones are now much more expensive (University of Kansas, 2020). Paying for a gym or pool session is commercialised, and it is understandable. However, the manifestation of the tendency to put a price on the use of some public areas in parks or near public institutions is excessive (University of Kansas, 2020). One cannot disagree with the authors of this article because assigning a price for the opportunity to exercise in comfortable conditions can negatively impact the passion and mood of the community.
The cost of training for those who plan to choose a particular sport and practice it professionally is described as inflated. Authors who pay attention to this problem state a regular increase in the cost of their own training or sports activities for their children (Andon & Free, 2019; University of Kansas, 2020). The cost of hiring coaches depends on the sport’s popularity and the potential earnings when they are successful (Lyle, 2018). In addition, corruption costs are added to the associated expenses in some regions. In addition to healthy competition in developing countries, an athlete must interest a judge or coach in a bribe in order to earn a place on a team or to confirm a sporting title. Such cases can be seen in Eastern Europe, Africa and China (Chiweshe, 2019; Xiong & Ma, 2021). Even though it is frowned upon by the public and forbidden by law, such cases are not isolated and can be streamlined.
In this case, it is hard to disagree with how many potential global sports stars with excellent performance have not even been selected. Undoubtedly, this factor affects not only the attitude towards the sport of such athletes themselves but likewise all those faced with such situations. Covering up high-profile slogans often means looking for extra income. Taking advantage of the public’s desire for equality and healthy lifestyles, urging them to invest not only their attention but likewise their money in sports, cannot be called correct (Dowling, 2021). Using the example of examining the new attention-grabbing strategy of the public organisation Sport England, the author considers the abundance of self-promotion and positioning of the organisation in the centre as a negative (Dowling, 2021). However, the article highlights the ambivalence caused by this organisation’s previous lack of attention to community development and suggests improvement (Dowling, 2021). If Sport England successfully unifies the movement, it may benefit the community’s health.
Sponsorship, as a basic principle of commercialisation, is also far from ideal. The authors’ assertion that it is passable and unreliable is fully borne out by contemporary realities (Koppad & Javali, 2018). Like any philanthropic act, donating and supporting athletes cannot be forced or compulsory. The cessation of funding with complete dependence on it does not always give an athlete a chance to find a new source of support and could end their career anytime.
Potential dependence on a sponsor’s wishes can be even more dangerous. For the reason mentioned above, some benefactors may wish to manage their mentee’s career at their discretion without always being interested in their opinion. It is less common among the most famous players and public stars, so the victim of such an attitude often has no opportunity to resist (Andon & Free, 2019). The same problem applies to state sponsorship in developing countries and revising it to address it is almost impossible at this point.
The problems of sponsorship are additionally expressed not only in its volatility but in its insufficient volume. Some players may need funds to continue their development and use their own reserves in the hope of sponsors (Andon & Free, 2019). Undoubtedly, in an adverse scenario, this can lead to the collapse of a career and the bankruptcy of such a sports figure. It is exacerbated by social prejudice, which often means pursuing a sporting goal at all costs, regardless of cost or even injury. If a sponsor puts a mentee under strict conditions and demands utmost dedication, injuries can add to the end of a career.
Another disadvantage of commercials and sponsorships is situations with inappropriate advertising. An example of this is advertising for brands of alcohol, cigarettes, or junk food that athletes are forced to promote (Commercialization of athletic activities, n.d.). Some types of products have nothing to do with a healthy lifestyle and can only be associated with the opposite. Thus, the idea of tarnishing the athlete’s image and the sport itself in front of a concerned public can be recognised as likely.
It should likewise be noted that the highest-paid professionals in any sport are known throughout the world. They have access to the best funding, and even sometimes, their inability to meet contributors’ expectations and demonstrate regular success does not deprive them of that sponsorship. This fact singles out a vast number of genuinely talented people who have no financial means to fulfil themselves or get in front of potential patrons. This fact can be called a social injustice, one of the greatest when viewed from a perspective of interest.
The Covid-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow to the commercialisation of sports, reducing the number of sporting events and causing severe financial damage to the companies that specialise in them. This thought slips through the works of authors written after the end of the lockdown (Dowling, 2021; Gazeres, 2023). Regardless of the context in which it is mentioned, it is entirely accurate and, in turn, demonstrates the dependence of many sports, sponsorship and coaching organisations on profit. If sports remained as entertaining and competitive as possible, the financial damage would hardly be much felt.
Cultural, gender and ethnic diversification, directly linked to commercialisation, is another major problem. It can be divided into three distinct divisions: according to Gazeres (2022), some sports attract much less attention and sponsorship because they are less common or more difficult to perform. According to the author’s version, there may again be a similar dependence on the geographical location of the fans of these sports, for example, skateboarding (Gazeres, 2022; Kilberth & Schwier, 2019). This idea can be confirmed by comparing the number of world championships in this sport and any of the most popular ones.
A second subdivision of this same problem of inequality is gender and racial discrimination, fuelled by commercialisation. Women’s matches are much less popular and less well sponsored, and LGBT and ethnic minorities are often less likely to get to the necessary level of competition due to a lack of support (Regueiro, 2020). In addition, there is a bias in the selection of players, which violates the rights of a member of society. For example, a taller player is favoured in basketball if their results are the same. It occurs probably due to the fact that commercialised basketball stereotypically contains only tall players, and they sell better.
On the other hand, a third type of problem is national minority sports. Many people are not even aware of the peculiarities of indigenous exercise and competition. Even fewer people are inclined to sponsor or promote such sports. This fact underscores the priority of profitability in modern sports and overrides the principles of sociality that underlie such activities. Commercialisation has a significant impact on athletes’ right to privacy. Even not the most popular players are in the spotlight, and their personal data can be made public without their consent (Woods, 2021). Compromising one’s privacy has a lot to do with its benefit to the system and publicity. Keeping track of someone who brings in money is mandatory for their sponsors. The media follows athletes to keep their own ratings high and are willing to sacrifice other people’s reputations for material that sells.
Performance is synonymous with profitability, and the generation of commercialism is just as influential in shaping a negative opinion of sports. Some people are not looking for competition, but only for their health (BusinessMirror, 2022). However, the mainstream opinion of modern times about the need for better performance can discourage people from continuing or frustrate their abilities. This principle can be applied to athletics or swimming, and self-development does not necessarily involve leading and comparing results for any reason.
As for professional sports, the very essence of winning through hard training and work has, in a sense, been eliminated by the possibilities of modern commerce. Instead of motivating their teammates to train and perform at their best, the owner of a famous team can acquire the best players for himself. Talented players, in turn, easily swap their home or national sports organisations for any others that offer them a higher salary. This is logical regarding financial gain and the desire to earn capital but far removed from the sociocultural paradigms of the sport itself.
The erosion of sports values is a natural outcome of such trends. Ordering losings for profit and choosing the most expensive advertising on a T-shirt are perceived by many as more significant factors than putting one’s efforts and talents to win. The actual value of competitive sports suffers just as much as the solitary pursuits. Especially since it is sports stars who are the central distributors of various advertisements-even, more famous showbiz stars are much less likely to be seen doing so.
It is not only the combination of products incompatible with a healthy lifestyle that makes advertising harmful. Because of the high royalties, famous athletes emphasise sports nutrition, clothing, or drinks, sometimes claiming that they would not have achieved their results without them. This can deceive the average consumer into believing such attributes or the indispensability of taking a particular food. Taking advantage of their reputation and the credulity of their listeners, such athletes promote an unnecessary or expensive product and violate the very foundations of the sport by selling themselves instead of their skills.
Even in competition, the paradigm of sport calls for valuing not only victory but likewise enthusiastic and fair participation. Today, the principle of commercialisation forces one to concentrate precisely on winning. Children’s and youth competitions are no exception (KU). With their idols earning huge sums of money in front of their eyes, kids shift their focus of interest from the sport itself to the size of the potential income. This is the desire to win by any means necessary, choosing the more accessible paths of cheating or doping.
In addition, one could mention the increasing complexity of internal team management by middle managers in an increasingly commercialised environment. Gammelsæter (2020) concentrates in detail on this issue: materialistic ideology exceeds the original approach to sports, not only among managers but even among coaches. In his view, sport development has been distorted in favour of political and commercial goals (Gammelsæter, 2020, p. 14). This thought resonates with an understanding of the situation and makes one reconsider one’s attitude towards the most prominent coaches, forced in such circumstances to choose not talented athletes but more lucrative contracts.
Linking Political Influence and Commercialisation
One cannot ignore the government’s interest in developing its own sports industry. Back in the last century, this desire seemed more a matter of the country’s reputation and showing off the capabilities of its citizens, which are worthy of pride. In modern times, however, it is all about profit, and hosting the Olympics has become one of the main methods of making money from sports for the world’s leading nations (Grassi, 2022). All this is possible because of the commercialisation and globalisation of international interactions.
However, one should not forget the danger of a strong dependence on the state, and this is especially true of developing countries and authoritarian regimes. An example of such a country is China, which demonstrates high results in the development of professional soccer through the intensification of investments, commercialisation and state control (Ma & Kurscheidt, 2020). However, such cooperation is complex, and the authors note the rigours of training and selection (Ma & Kurscheidt, 2020). Undoubtedly, the very essence of this process makes it possible to identify talented participants in the professional league truly. Since detailed information on the current level of corruption is not available, it is difficult to determine the percentage of talent and bribes in each case.
Oddly enough, this state involvement raises the problem of further commercialisation of the project. Ma and Kurscheidt (2020) argue that the struggle between government control and market orientation has bifurcated patterns of commercialisation depending on sources (p. 12). Thus, with further restriction and control of sponsors, the independence of the sport in China from economic reforms and the state of the budget may diminish. In addition to the commercial side of the issue, the social side is damaged as well. So much dependence on the government in a totalitarian state can be perilous for society.
A separate example of state-controlled commercialisation is Russia. The free economic market and commercial activities of athletes are now completely dependent on the government (Sydorenko & Volobuieva, 2022). Moreover, against the backdrop of this country’s aggression, its participation in the Olympic Games is in question. The reason for this is the critical propaganda broadcasting points and the repression that awaits athletes if they try to express an opinion that differs from the official one (Sydorenko & Volobuieva, 2022). Further commercialisation at the international level is not possible for this country, and the very essence of sport with freedom as one of its principles is lost for Russia in the near future.
Commercialisation has become an even bigger problem for many sports in Africa. A great deal of corruption, lack of professional organisations and structures, and lack of government and corporate support translate into increased negative results (Chiweshe, 2019). Commercialisation as a way to make money from sports in parallel with unscrupulous officials slows down the development of sports because of the desire to enrich oneself. This is especially true of soccer, as the most popular sport. The author’s opinion emphasises that the government’s lack of control and neglect of the country’s own sporting potential has negative consequences.
With regard to the recent soccer World Cup, it likewise demonstrated the clash between commercialisation and society, the search for profit and the violation of people’s rights. The event in Qatar was widely publicised, with slogans about freedom of expression and feelings (Brannagan & Reiche, 2022). However, before the games, many migrant workers died on the construction sites due to the mistakes of the owners, and in the process, there were many conflicts related to discrimination against women and LGBT people (Brannagan & Reiche, 2022). This underscores the duplicity of the very principle of making money by voicing common interests in sports and refusing to reconsider one’s own beliefs.
Thus, sports are quite firmly connected to politics today, and major championships and competitions depend on relations between countries. Despite the statement that sports and politics do not mix, Lenskyj (2020) analyses the many dependencies between different events in this context. One cannot but agree with the author in the certainty that this statement is part of an overall process of commercialisation (Lenskyj, 2020). Reputational statements and diplomatic lies present the political manifestation in sport.
Problems of Commercialisation of E-sports
E-sports have become a separate type of modern sport that has encountered commercialisation. At the moment, there is still an active discussion in the public field about whether such games should be recognised as sports at all (Summerley, 2020). Characteristically, the debate about the sportiness of checkers and chess died out a long time ago. Nevertheless, the development of fine motor skills, intelligence, dexterity and reaction required for successful participation in online sports championships is very significant. All the more reason to highlight the opportunity for people with disabilities, some of whom cannot and do not want to participate in Paralympic sports, to participate in such competitions and even earn money.
Most likely, the incomplete acceptance of computer sports is due to their collision with commercialisation. With a huge number of fans and fans, hosting such events does not promise high levels of revenue (Summerley, 2019). Tickets, if available, are similar in cost to stadium tickets, but no additional products can be sold in the process. Undoubtedly, there are physical championships, but they are still much less profitable for the organisers.
The situation is even worse with advertising at this sort of event. Those watching the game cannot see the player, and their T-shirt with the famous brand name will not bring any results. In the gaming environment itself, advertising is almost non-existent, and when broadcasting brings more profit to intermediaries and streaming services (Summerley, 2020; Woods, 2021). Perhaps because of this lack of profitability, there are so many opponents to classifying this activity as a sport. Given its recent emergence, it is not yet commercialised to the point where players buy their way to victory or flood the public space with advertisements. At the moment, the very paradigm of sports is embodied and felt in these disciplines, which will change over time under the weight of commercialisation.
Conclusion
Globalisation and commercialisation make it possible to buy a ticket and fly quickly to anywhere in the world to attend a sporting event of interest. However, only those who can financially afford it can do so. The transformation of sports into face trading is becoming the scourge of modernity, and the lack of attention paid to the downsides of commercialisation is very noticeable. The desire to make money no matter what by violating the rules and human rights of everyone around us is a negative result of the trading of sporting achievements. The very noble essence of sports in its manifestation of freedom, development, competition and fair play is forgotten by society and turned into yet another form of meaningless entertainment. With all its apparent positive aspects, commercialisation demonstrates a high level of destruction of the understanding of sport in people’s minds, and its pace should be reconsidered.
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