Impact of television on professional sports Essay

It was in late 1940s and beginning of 1950s that tv system was introduced to the common community. In the words of Marc and Thompson, marshal McLuhan who was earning the distinction of becoming the first media critic, described television in the 1950s as an electronic hearth, a kind of proto-cyber human fireplace, around which families were gathering during this invigorated stage of post-industrial existence. (2005, p. 55) Following childs plays became completely different with the sexual climax of television.Now in that respect was no need to waste entire day to watch hotshots favourite game in the stadium or crease wholenesss ears to keep track of the latest happenings in the palm through the radio. Those who had not yet brought this powerful medium of entertainment home(a) used to be a part of a crowd of lot standing in the street in front of an appliance franchise watching TV through the store window. (Marc and Thompson, 2005, p. 53) So people at homes or as sidewal k audiences started cheering the dramatic playsmen for their efforts that was visible on screen.The television enhanced the status of sports as a social activity that could be viewed at the comfort of homes. It also introduced the masses to different kinds of sports. Earlier people were aware of the sports that were common in their country only. Due to television sportsmen of different kinds of sports became household names. television set gave the sportsmen, the fame and recognition across the continents. This was unimaginable other(a)wise. Boyle and Haynes observed, today it is nasty to imagine footb every last(predicate) without television or a television enrolment bereft of football. (2004, p. 7) This observation is true in a wider context too. Television sector has undergone tremendous growth. Hundred of gives all over the world are dedicated to sports, which telecast not only the game simply also severally and every aspect of the players lives. The backsheesh sportsm en enjoy the very(prenominal) fan following and power as the film stars. Where on that point is bothersome fan following and popularity, whoremonger bullion be behind? The salaries of the top players in all the sports mother soared really high. Its no honor that popular games like tennis, football, cricket etc.have become businesses in their give birth right. There has been major commercialisation of sports since 1950s the advent of television. talk of the town about football Boyle and Haynes lamented, the increasing influence that television has exercised over the sport and the unhealthy degree to which clubs have become dependant on television income have meant that the economic aspects of the game have become of considerable interest. (2004, p. 8) This piteous state of affairs can be identified with the economics of other professional sports too.All the different sports can be addressed as different products. The mushrooming of rival leagues in each category of produ ct can be compared to different brands of that category, which are constantly trying to outdo each other. This competition or war amongst the rival leagues is benefiting them but deteriorating the spirit of sports. The draw of television money has turned competitive balance into competitive asymmetry. merely Wigglesworth argued, commercialism has always been present in sport in one form or another.It may have begun with the donation of prizes by local tradesmen at holy day recreations and have become more extremely organized in rural sports, often sponsored by publicans. (2007, p. 35) According to Wigglesworth commercialization has helped in the growth of professionalism. This indicates that before 1950s it was impossible to consider sports as a profession because the players were not paid proper salaries. Thus all the players used to dabble with other professions in order to keep their kitchens running.Since the advent of television, sports have been started being recognised as one of the well-paid professions and each go after 1950s has seen a further hike in the players salary. The channel boom in the past decade has made the picture rosier for the players as far as their salaries are concerned. Talking about the growth of leagues Wigglesworth observed, money from television coverage and all the associated media opportunities was the spur for the bigger clubs to organize themselves into a league (2007, p.129).He further elaborated even cycling clubs have derived commercial benefits from increased television coverage of the sport during the 1980s and 1990s. (2007, p. 132) It is since the 1980s that the television started changing the conventional scenario of sports at a much greater pace than ever before. Some of the top rival leagues, which were created in 1960s and 1970s to promote sports, merged sports and media and have even started running their own sport channels, thus taking their rivalry to newer areas.The following statement of Holland paint s a gloomy picture of the impact of television on sports As the bare of sport gradually becomes as important as the event itself, there has been growing concern over the adaptation of the sports to suit the needs of television. (2000, p. 138) It is ponderous that all the sports event have become a ground of snip throat competition between the satellite, cable and terrestrial broadcasters. To get the soap rights of the major sporting events these parties have been bidding higher and higher.This factor has agitate competitive balance to a great extent, which has started proving detrimental for the sports on the whole. So to conclude the impact of television has been both good and bad across all sports, whether it is cricket, rugby, boxing, swimming, horse riding tennis etc. It has been most undecomposed to the players of popular sports, financially. The creation of rival leagues can be viewed a overbearing impact but growing unhealthy rivalry amongst them and competitive imba lance has been some of the drawbacks of television.In the words of Wigglesworth, One result of the commercialization of sport through television has been the depersonalization of spectator sport with the old forge fan becoming simply a customer. (2007, p. 164).References Boyle, R. and Haynes, R. (2004). Football In The in the altogether Media ripen. New York Routledge Holland, P. (2000). The Television Handbook. (2nd ed. ). New York Routledge. Marc, D. and Thompson, R. J. Television In The Antenna Age A Concise History. USA Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Walvin, J. (1978). Leisure and Society. UK Longman. Wigglesworth, N. (2007). The Story Of boast In England. New York Routledge.