Sports and the Media: The Match Made in Heaven

Guest article by Robert Deters
Sports and the various media outlets that cover sports have always had a long and complicated relationship. The media and sports exhibit a complex symbiotic relationship driven by the pursuit of the almighty dollar. On the one hand are sports; sports, from baseball to curling, from peewee to pro garner a great deal of interest. There is simply no other entity on the face of the earth that creates such mass-market appeal. Sports have been interwoven into the fabric of society, since the dawn of man people have played games, and for as long as games have been played, people have enjoyed watching them. On the other hand was the media, the all knowing all seeing eye of the world. Before literacy rates increased and the cost of printing went down, the media was predominately newspapers and magazines aimed at the upper class. Decreasing the costs led to an expansion of the market, and with it a growth in sports coverage. Sports were able to grow due to the increased attention brought by the media, while the media saw a huge jump in advertising revenue from this new market. Sports and the media grow from each other, advancement for one leads to advancement of the other. According to sources “Virtually every surge in the popularity of Sports has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in the coverage provided by the media” and its pretty obvious that media outlets gain a lot from big sports stories in the way of increased sales.

Often times the media will use its coverage of certain issues, teams, or players to portray its sponsors in a positive light at the expense of journalistic integrity. ESPN removed its name from a documentary about concussions to help protect one of its corporate partners, The National Football League, from any negative press. Red Sox owner John Henry famously paid $70 million dollars in cash in 2013 for the Boston Globe after a dismal collapse at the end of the 2012 season . The buy-out all but guaranteed that the Red Sox would be getting agreeable write ups in one of the largest media outlets in New England. While moves like this may help to build the brand and increase corporate gains, the implied corruption of a team controlling the news has the potential to alienate the fans that are the driving force behind this billion-dollar industry.

The media helps to establish the brand and contributes a great deal to the overall “product” that sports franchises seek to sell. Sports have created a myriad of media outlets dedicated just to them and most importantly allow advertisers to tap an enormous market. Media coverage of sporting events is a revenue machine for the companies that use them for advertising. As long as sports continue to draw mass audiences, there will always be profits, and sports and the media will always be related.

Sports and the Media: the "Game Day Experience"

Guest Article by Lisa Callahan

The days when sports could only be watched on one of a handful of television channels is long gone.The internet, television and radio is now a significant medium for sport coverage, allowing fans like me to access the latest news about their favorite team, sport or event. The technology and means available for delivering New England Patriots coverage today is continuing to rapidly grow. The new media explosion does more than begin to make “any sport, any event, any time, any device” a viable reality for the fan, such as ESPN, NFL network and CBS.

If you haven't gone to a football game, I'm sure you have watched it from your television at home. The professional sports league is beyond a business, especially the NFL. They are trying to sell more fans to make more money. When you buy a ticket to go watch the New England Patriots, you go for the “Game Day Experience.” You go for the thrill of watching Gronkowski sack Peyton Manning, or to watch Steven Ridley rush for 250 yards. The feeling and atmosphere of being at the home field is different than at home on your couch. Tailgating is a huge part of the game day experience and watching Brady from the big screen, eating a sausage grinder or drinking beer. Opportunity cost plays a big role when spending the day at a game. Nobody pays just the price on the price tag of the ticket, but also the food, the parking, the gas and the merchandise you buy there. You always end up paying more than you planned. I will admit the thrill of walking on the football field after a game is better than watching it from home, but to know you are supporting a multi-billion dollar sports league that in return doesn't give you anything.

The better the Patriots and the better the clothes and food, the more people will want to root for the team. The logos, the clothing designs, the food and little toys you can purchase are just to draw the attention of people watching television or walking by a store or visiting Gillette for the first time. Why not buy a shirt for 40.00 that says New England Patriots? Everyone knows who Tom Brady is. Thats the way that the leagues think that tourists or non-sports fans will engage. Gillette stadium is in the perfect location with everything around it, including the mall. All women love shopping and males love sports, the two go hand-in-hand at Gillette.

The New England Patriots and media coverage have spiraled into a national profit-making business that draws attention from fans world-wide. If you haven't been to a football game, the media expanses greatly on the New England Patriots and game day reports. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pintrest have given people the chance, especially teens to interact with players via the internet and catch up on players tweets. Television commercials, billboards and vendors help promote and sell Patriots merchandise that builds the team’s profit. Patriots offer a game day experience from training day to stadium tours to live game encounters. The players give fans a chance to say hello after games and even get autographs. The support from fans, not only live but on television and social media keeps the rise of football and the business.

Without the media, not only would the New England Patriots fan base die down, but major league sports in general. People love the quick click of a button to purchase their new yogas or VIP parking pass. People live to catch up on Vince Wilfork’s injury via internet or to watch game day recaps after they get out of work.