Beck and Bosshart (2003) state a "symbiotic relationship" exists between the media and sports. They claim that "both sports and mass media keep trying to reach people as spectators, fans, and consumers; both actively affect the audience as well as the advertising market (including the sponsors)".
Sports provide on-field action, and the media provides a window for global interaction. Gadiya [2023] asserts that the "dynamic partnership has not only elevated sports to unprecedented popularity but has also transformed the media landscape itself".
Gadiya (2023) notes: "The first-ever incidence of sports coverage came way back in 850 B.C.E after the Greek Homer wrote about a wrestling match between Ajax and Odysseus." However, "sports writing became prevalent in the mid-nineteenth century when American writers started writing exclusively as sportswriters and sports journalism began to proliferate after 1850 after the introduction of baseball and the newfound interest in the team sports that it generated" [Gadiya 2023]. The medium of sports coverage has also evolved with technological changes from radio to television to the digital age along with the print format.
Esson (2020) notes that there are several positive effects of the media on sports:
· Television money generates high income levels for top-level professionals, making a sport more appealing to sponsors. It increases commercial opportunities, increasing the financial gain of a sport/sports performer [e.g., golf, tennis, football]. Standards of performance continue to improve. More money is available to improve sporting facilities.
· Media focus can lead to increased standards in performance and improved behaviour due to increased media focus, thereby creating positive role models and sporting celebrities. Technology goes hand-in-hand with this, allowing retrospective discipline for foul play missed by the match officials.
· Increased participation levels within a sport, as television coverage encourages others to take it up, e.g., cycling as a result of the Tour de France or football as a result of World Cup coverage.
· More variations of a sport make it more 'media friendly,' leading to more matches/fixtures for fans, e.g., Twenty20 cricket. Rule changes can speed up the action and increase excitement/entertainment in a sport.
· It can help challenge myths and stereotypes, e.g., that women can't box or play rugby union.
Esson [2020] also notes that the media can have several adverse effects on sport:
· There are inequalities in coverage. More popular sports like football gain coverage at the expense of minority sports like hockey or squash. Certain prestigious events, such as Test cricket and Ryder Cup golf, are now available only on satellite TV, which requires a paid subscription. Historically, men's sports have received more coverage than women's sports.
· High-profile sports stars have little privacy. The demands of media and sponsors for interviews, personal appearances, and other activities can negatively impact high-level performers.
· More breaks in play for adverts disrupt the spectator experience. Using technology to review decisions can slow down play without resolving controversy. For example, DRS [cricket], VAR [football].
· National governing bodies and sports performers lose control of their events to broadcasters and sponsors. A sport's traditional nature can be lost; for example, rules and timings can be adapted to suit television demands. The media controls the location of events, kick-off times, and, sometimes, playing seasons (e.g., Super League rugby switched to a summer game; ICC T20 World Cup Final at 10.30 am Caribbean time to facilitate markets in other parts of the world such as Asia, Europe, and Australasia).
The 'symbiotic (dynamic) relationship' between sports and the media will continue to evolve. However, it is essential to heed Esson's (2020) observations of some disadvantages of media coverage of sport.