Sports now has become a major business with a rapid pace of growth and there has been a trend in which several entrepreneurs sponsor professional players financially or in other aspects. From my perspective, I strongly support this fashion as it is obviously a positive development.
On the one hand, there is still a detrimental aspect that is worth mentioning about this trend. I believe that companies’ involvement can have a damaging impact on the careers of professional players. It is apparent that when athletes are bothered by endorsement contracts and advertising campaigns, they are likely to lose their concentration on practicing and competing in sports; hence, their performances can potentially escalate over time. For example, several footballers from the Vietnam team, after receiving the second trophy in the U23 Asian Cup tournament in 2018, were invited to endorse several products; however, afterward, they performed badly in the same tournament in the following years as they did not fully focus on strengthening their skills. Clearly, this fashion has potentially ruinous effects on players.
However, I advocate the fact that its merits surpass the drawbacks. Contracts from companies could provide athletes with a high and secure income. This can be explained by the fact that the normal earnings from tournaments and government support are insufficient and sometimes even cannot help athletes cover the cost of their lives. Therefore, it would be really helpful if they received support from entrepreneurs. For example, Vietnamese professional players usually get little support from the government and most of them cannot live on earning from sports; as a result, companies’ involvement in this situation can help increase their incomes, securing them more fulfilling lives. It is therefore believed that firms sponsoring athletes is a positive development.
In conclusion, despite the potential disturbance to players which may lead to the escalation in their sports career, I strongly believe that its merits are superior as this trend can help athletes improve their earnings, leading to a more fulfilling life.