Professional and elite sport in Professional and elite sport in AmericaAmerica• The purpose of every professional sports The purpose of every professional sports

team in America is to make money.team in America is to make money.• Sport is run according to a franchise Sport is run according to a franchise

system.system.• This system works according to This system works according to

geographical situation.geographical situation.• All clubs have to be a specific distance All clubs have to be a specific distance

from each other, to ensure that that club from each other, to ensure that that club has a monopoly over goods and has a monopoly over goods and products.products.

• This will lead to profit maximisation.This will lead to profit maximisation.

•The private sector dominates The private sector dominates American sport.American sport.

•There is very little funding by the There is very little funding by the voluntary and public sectors.voluntary and public sectors.

•Sport depends on gate money, Sport depends on gate money, media fees and company media fees and company sponsorship.sponsorship.

•Rules state that every club has Rules state that every club has to be owned by a company.to be owned by a company.

•e.g. Annheuser-Busch e.g. Annheuser-Busch (Budweiser) owns the St Louis (Budweiser) owns the St Louis CardinalsCardinals

•McDonalds - San Diego McDonalds - San Diego PadresPadres

•Wrigley - Chicago CubsWrigley - Chicago Cubs

• In addition each In addition each team has a team has a nickname – which nickname – which differentiates differentiates teams from one teams from one anotheranother

• E.g Cowboys or E.g Cowboys or Bulls Detroit TigersBulls Detroit Tigers

Activity

Try to match the nickname with the correct town

Bulls Los Angeles

Cowboys Chicago

Phillies Boston

Lakers Dallas

Blue Sox Los Angeles

Redskins Philadelphia

Raiders Chicago

Celtics Orlando

Magics Washington

AMERICAN LEAGUE

NATIONAL LEAGUE

EastMidWest

ConferencesEastMidWest

ConferenceChampions

Conference Champions

League Champions

LeagueChampions

NATIONAL CHMAPIONS“Superbowl” for FootballWorld Series for Basketball and Baseball

The Structure of American professional sport

Athletics has always had a high Athletics has always had a high profile in the colleges, but by profile in the colleges, but by now it has also become an now it has also become an output for the professional output for the professional system.system.

The commercial nature of The commercial nature of professional sportprofessional sport

• Alongside the increase in Alongside the increase in professional sport there has been an professional sport there has been an increase in the commercial interest increase in the commercial interest and investments.and investments.

• Athletes are used in all ways to Athletes are used in all ways to promote sales of different products.promote sales of different products.

• American sports teams have been American sports teams have been designed with business in mind.designed with business in mind.

• The games are short rapid periods The games are short rapid periods that are followed by breaks for team that are followed by breaks for team changes, coach talks and phase changes, coach talks and phase changes.changes.

• This allows breaks to be filled with This allows breaks to be filled with advertisements by sponsors.advertisements by sponsors.

The media and professional The media and professional sportsport

• The media, especially television, have The media, especially television, have increased the money-winning potential increased the money-winning potential for women and men in 2 ways:for women and men in 2 ways:

• An increase in wages by clubs through An increase in wages by clubs through sponsorship by companies.sponsorship by companies.

• The use of athletes as ‘advertising The use of athletes as ‘advertising poster boards’poster boards’ has led to more money has led to more money from sports products and other goods.from sports products and other goods.

• A negative side to this is the fact that A negative side to this is the fact that people like Rupert Murdoch try to people like Rupert Murdoch try to gain control over a number of sports, gain control over a number of sports, clubs and governing bodies.clubs and governing bodies.

• Media companies now own many Media companies now own many American clubs.American clubs.