MEP315 SPORT, MEDIA AND CELEBRITY

3. Political economies of sport and the media

Political economy of global media

Media production serves the interests of existing political and economic powersRampant US media and cultural imperialism (inc. American sports/sporting celebrities) destroys local sporting cultures, events, traditions, etc.Multinational corporations (MNCs) dominate the market share of advertising revenue from media sports coverage

TV sport rights: media macro economics (Rowe 1999)

NBC costs for exclusive US TV rights to show OLYMPIC GAMES:1980 – $72 million1988 - $300 million2000 - $715 million2004 - $793 million2008 - $894 million2012 – $1.181 billion (Horne 2006)

Corporate synergy

MNCs are able to integrate their sports coverage both horizontally (cross-media content / promotion) and vertically BSkyB (owned by Murdoch’s News Corporation) pays £304 million (1992), £670 million (1996) and £1.11 billion (2001) for exclusive rights to Premier League football, publicised by The Sun,etc

Vertical integration

DISTRIBUTION

PRODUCTION

EXHIBITION/RETAIL

Investment in teams/competitions

Camera/ technical staff

Advertising

Subscription offers

Pay-per-view channels

Interactive digital technologies

Globalised sports?ATHLETICS – yesFOOTBALL – mostly (but limited in North American markets)GOLF, TENNIS – maybe (but limited in most of Africa & some of Asia/South America)CRICKET – no (only S. Asia, S. Africa, UK, Aus/NZ, Caribbean)

AMERICAN FOOTBALL – no (mostly USA & Canada, exc. Superbowl)BASEBALL – no (only N. Amer., Far East)BASKETBALL – no (N. Amer., parts of Europe & Africa, China/SE Asia)ICE HOCKEY – no (N. Amer., parts of Europe)

UK - government protection of sports coverage on terrestrial TV

1996 Broadcasting Act – the World Cup and European Championship Finals, the Olympic Games, FA Cup Final, Grand National, Derby, Wimbledon Finals, Rugby World Cup Final and RL Challenge Cup Final to be live on free-to-air TVQualifying rounds of the above, Test Match and World Cup Cricket, Six Nations Rugby, Open Golf, Ryder Cup, Commonwealth Games, World Athletics Champs to receive secondary coverage