Nowadays, an increasing number of people are concerned about the fact that many large companies use sports events to promote their products, but some people think it has a negative impact on sports. While I accept that many big companies use sports events to advertise their products, I would argue that some people believe it has a harmful effect on sports.
On the one hand, it can be argued that there are two clear benefits: it helps cover the event planning costs and makes the events more accessible to the spectators. The first advantage is that advertising revenues cover the high costs, which require significant investment, relying heavily on sponsors and advertising to balance the budget. For example, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics’ advertising revenue, along with ticket sales, merchandise, and broadcasting rights, played a key role in offsetting the huge costs of hosting an event on the scale of the Olympics. Additionally, advertisements can give sportsmen a better living standard by providing them with sponsorships, endorsements, and partnerships with brands. For example, both Ronaldo and Messi have signed large sponsorship deals with famous brands like Nike, Adidas, and Pepsi, which have greatly raised their income.
On the other hand, I am of the opinion that the negative impact on sports must not be underestimated. Firstly, sponsorship that featured junk food has increased the rate of child obesity. As a result, when brands promote unhealthy foods in association with sports or popular events, it can influence children to consume more of these products. Secondly, sponsorship promotes unhealthy foods as it can detract from the value and positive nature of sport. Therefore, this can create a wrong image, especially with children, as they may begin to link sports with unhealthy eating instead of with health and fitness.
In conclusion, although I acknowledge that many large companies use sports events to promote their products, I would contend that some people think it has a negative impact on sports. A balance should be struck between the two to achieve the best outcome.