sport
Dark side to mighty dollar driving sport TIM GAVEL admires sportspeople who take a stand; but there are fewer of them around these days
Fast-food companies have now aligned themselves more than ever with sporting organisations. Over summer, it was obvious that kids were being targeted, with Australian players endorsing particular fast-food companies. IT’S not easy bucking the trend in professional Even though you don’t see stars spruiking sport where money is the driving force. alcohol products anymore, the teams they play It seems to be an endless quest to make for are heavily backed by alcohol companies. increasingly more money at the expense of While gambling, fast food and alcohol are legal principles. products and can be enjoyed in moderation, There are fast-food companies, alcohol brands the impact of association with sport cannot be and betting agencies queuing to be associated underestimated. with sports idols, who have enormous influence There is also the issue of lesser-known sports over the community with studies showing that stars and sporting organisations forced to grab sports stars endorsing products have a major whatever sponsorship they can get to stay afloat. effect. Yet, in the middle of this conundrum, you find It’s a “Catch 22” with the stars holding sports sportspeople who say: “Enough is enough”. to ransom. They will stay if the price is right. In Cricketer Stuart MacGill is one who has revealed many respects it forces the sports to embrace that he said no to endorsing KFC when he was whoever is willing to pay, even if it runs against part of the Australian team. He realised that it the idea of promoting a healthy lifestyle through could affect his Cricket Australia contract, but sport. he took a stand. George Gregan didn’t endorse It has now reached such a saturation point that alcohol when he was playing for the Wallabies it is hard to differentiate between what is part of and marathon champion Robert De Castella the sporting broadcast and what passes for an refused to endorse fast food because he had advertisement. a moral objection, with obesity a widespread There is the constant reminder to bet during problem, particularly amongst children. sporting events, even though we have significant The problem I have with the association sport gambling problems in the wider community, has with certain products is that it seems to be an not to mention issues with sports people being “open slather” approach. There’s a mad scramble seduced by illegal betting. I am not against for a dollar with little regard for the impact it is gambling as such, but why do sports need to have having. It is becoming increasingly difficult to such a close association? work out what is sport and what is advertising.
CityNews March 24-30 11